Kirkland & Ellis Training Contract Cover Letter Example

Kirkland & Ellis Training Contract Cover Letter Example

[name] [name]

[Address Line 1]


Tel: [telephone number]

27 March [year]

[recruiter’s name]

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP

30 St Mary Axe



Dear [recruiter’s name],

I have completed a qualifying law degree (with honours) at the [University] with a [grade] class grade in [year]. I am applying for a training contract to commence in [year] advertised on

At present, I am assisting [law firm]’s London team on [high-net-worth individual]’s  defense to [high-net-worth individual]’s claim estimated at £[value] in a dispute arising from sale of the claimant’s shares in [natural resources company], one of [country’s] largest oil companies. I am working closely with [law firm]’s associates from [city] and London offices in conducting disclosure. I have confidently demonstrated immaculate attention to detail when analysing documents and meeting tight deadlines. I then collaborated with the wider team to bring individual elements together and reach a successful conclusion. I applied strong communication skills and irrepressible optimism when explaining to associates why I thought specific documents to be relevant to the disclosure request pursuant to the court’s order. I applied fresh thinking and exercised intellectual rigour to find practical solutions to complex problems. This made my experience challenging and allowed me to grasp new concepts with ease.

At [Law Firm Name] ([LAW FIRM INITIALS]), I assisted the senior partner on a cross-border case comprising of a shareholder dispute in a joint venture vehicle. As the client could only speak [language], I was the first point of contact. The client requested that I attend the Board of Directors (BoD) Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of a natural resources joint venture in Amsterdam. I was invited to act as an interpreter between [language] clients and English, Dutch and [language] solicitors. At the EGM, I maintained a thick skin and resourcefully tailored my communication for diverse audiences. I applied a sharp analytical mind to explain complex issues in a simple language and made sense of a complicated situation. I maintained a very commercial focus and demonstrated physical and mental stamina coupled with unabating enthusiasm. I was required to think on my feet and see things from a business perspective and always align myself with client’s commercial objectives whilst managing to remain robust and calm under pressure. The cross-border nature of the case produced more interesting work, greater variety and a wider group of experts to learn from which made my work intellectually and commercially rewarding.

I am especially interested in Kirkland & Ellis International LLP because it offers a ‘free market’ system that would all me to choose practice areas and matters I want to focus on. This would effectively allow me to be truly outstanding in one field.

The firm’s meritocratic culture would allow me to learn and progress faster than I would at other firms. This, coupled with a small trainee intake, would provide me with very personal training and help me maintain a focus on my career path. This would see me operating in well structured close-knit specialised teams. Within such teams I would get a chance to develop and maintain professional relationships that could last a lifetime.

Having worked at some of the leading US and city law firms, I can attest to the importance of building and maintaining professional relationships. This, coupled with my fluency in [language], English and [language], would make me a valuable asset when working on cross-border transactions or with international clients.



Yours sincerely