5 Critical Mistakes In “Why Commercial Law?” Answers

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I’ve reviewed hundreds of answers to the “Why commercial law?” question – and I see the same critical mistakes repeated.

It’s such an important question in any training contract application or interview. Failing to answer it well can be the difference between success and rejection. Firms want to avoid the risk that you’re unclear on your career motivations and could leave partway through a training contract.

In this post, I’ll walk you through 5 of the biggest mistakes to avoid when answering a “Why commercial law?” question.

1. A lack of structure

What’s immediately obvious to a recruiter is a lack of structure in an answer.

So many answers are a jumble of points. It seems the writer isn’t clear why they want to be a commercial lawyer. When the reader reaches the end (if they make it that far), they’re left more confused than clear.

If your answer lacks structure, it’s unlikely to score well.

The question requires you to persuade the reader of your motivations with a well-reasoned argument. A clear structure with points set out in an easy-to-understand format is critical to this. Too many candidates try to cram as many points into a paragraph, meaning none are explained well, and it lacks clarity of thought.

Here’s some tips on how to structure your answer:

  • Get clear on an outline before you start writing – spend time on it until you have a clear skeleton of the main points.
  • For a 250-word answer, I recommend including three main reasons/points.
  • Break your answer into shorter paragraphs – never write it as one block of text.
  • Use a new paragraph for each main point.

Working on your answer’s structure, in addition to its substance, will vastly improve it.

2. Poor choice of language

Many candidates fail to make a good impression due to the language they choose.

This manifests in 3 common ways.

#1 Using complex language.

It seems they’re trying too hard to be professional, clever or impressive. 

It’s understandable when trying to stand out in a competitive TC market. It also stems from academia, where this writing style is more prevalent and accepted. However, this isn’t what grad recruiters want to read.

Instead, they much prefer you to use simple, natural plain English.

A good rule of thumb is: If you wouldn’t say it, don’t write it.

One way to check this is to read your writing out loud. You will hear where it’s overly complex and doesn’t flow, and then you can edit it to simplify things.

You can also run it through Grammarly or Chat GPT for their suggestions.

#2 Using inappropriate language.

I see this happening in 2 main ways:

  • Emotional language – too many candidates go too far and state they “love” or have a “passion” for an aspect of the career. Dial it down and write more professionally instead – for example, “interested in” or “drawn to”.
  • Non-motivational language – candidates say they “appreciate” aspects of the career or are “intrigued” by aspects. But this isn’t quite what the question is asking – it’s seeking to discover your interests and motivations. So tell them specifically and explicitly what interests you.

#3 Failing to use your own words.

Too often, candidates use cliches and “application speak” they think the recruiter wants to hear rather than trusting their own words.

Every recruitment cycle, I read and hear the same words recycled from others’ successful applications and Chat GPT responses.

Examples of words and phrases I see a lot are:

  • Intersection (or “axis” or “marriage”) between law and business.
  • Dynamic
  • Multi-faceted

Again, the best way to avoid these is to write as you speak.

You don’t need to impress the reader with your language. You will impress them with a writing style that shows the clarity of your thinking and communication. Instead, choose your own simple, natural words that aren’t influenced by other sources or how what you think will impress the recruiter.

There’s a lot said for being you, as one of the key things recruiters are looking for in answers is authenticity.

3. Too focused on demonstrating knowledge

Too many candidates treat the question as an essay on what a career in commercial law entails.

Other questions may ask you for this, but “Why commercial law?” isn’t one of them. Yes, you need to demonstrate your understanding of the career by identifying specific interests. But rather than focusing solely on the career, you must also explain your WHY.

The most important word in the question “Why do you want to pursue a career in commercial law?” is YOU – because that’s what graduate recruiters are most interested in.

They want to learn about your specific interests, experiences, and skills that have influenced your decision to want to pursue a career in law. This is much more important than merely telling them how much you know about the career.

So, check your writing for sentences that only describe the career.

For example:

“Businesses rely on the law in many ways, meaning commercial lawyers have a critical role in enabling them to utilise and navigate legal frameworks in order to compete.”

This is all about the career, with none of the candidate’s motivations.

The reader will think, “I know that, but WHY does this make you want to be a commercial lawyer?”

Now, let’s look at a related mistake of not putting the emphasis on yourself.

4. Not putting yourself at the centre of the question

Even when candidates attempt to put themselves into an answer, their motivations often seem secondary.

Too many answers begin with descriptions of the career (as above) or the candidate’s experience and skills rather than tackling the core of the question more directly. And, as explained, the core of the question is about YOU and your motivations.

Answers often start with something like: 

“Experience X led to an interest in….”

Whilst it’s possible this could turn in to an effective answer, it comes with a risk that you don’t articulate clear personal motivations. It’s better to be more direct and state the specific interest from your perspective at the beginning of each point/interest.

A simple technique to ensure you do this is to start your answer and each main point with “I”. 

For example:

  • I am interested in…
  • I am drawn to…
  • I am attracted by…

It will force clearer thinking and reasoning and result in clearer and more convincing answers.

5. Too focused on you and your skills

Many candidates fail to describe their motivations well because they focus their answers too much on their experiences and skills.

Yes, you need to include personal supporting evidence to explain your why. However, this needs to be part of a reasoned argument centred around your motivations, NOT to provide evidence of your skills and attributes. You will do this in other parts of your application.

Here, you need to stick to the question.

Too many applicants write their answers as if they’re answering a “why you” question. They describe their achievements and/or highlight the skills and strengths they have. But they do this without directly connecting them to their career motivations.

Here’s an example:

“My virtual internship with [FIRM] provided exposure to mergers and acquisitions and some of the tasks trainees would have responsibility for on a deal.”

The question recruiters will have in their mind is: So what?

You need to tie your experiences to your reasons for wanting to pursue the career.

A good answer to “why commercial law” will describe how specific experiences or skills have influenced a candidate’s decision to pursue this career path.

Stay honest

So, now you know these critical mistakes you can use them as a checklist for your own answers.

The key part, though, is to stay honest with yourself and ensure you don’t put one foot into any of the mistakes because it’s hard to do otherwise.

Time spent reflecting, brainstorming, outlining and editing your why commercial law reasons is time well spent.

This question alone can make or break your chances of success at the application and interview stages.

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matt oliver law career coach

Matt Oliver

Matt is a former FTSE 100 in-house lawyer, an experienced legal career coach and MD of Trainee Solicitor Surgery. He provides entry level law careers advice to students and graduates through his writing and mentoring. He also offers private one-to-one coaching to those struggling with training contract and vacation scheme applications, interviews and assessment centres. Find out more about Matt's 1-2-1 Coaching >>>>