How to answer "Why commercial law" in a training contract or vacation scheme application

The "Why commercial law" question appears on almost every training contract and vacation scheme application form, and it is one of the questions most likely to determine whether you progress to the next stage. A strong answer earns you the online test, the video interview, and the assessment centre. A weak one ends your application there.

You will usually have around 300 words to answer it, sometimes less when the question is combined with "Why this firm?". Within those 300 words you need to show a genuine and personal motivation for commercial law specifically. Recruiters read hundreds of these applications, and they can spot a generic answer in the first sentence.

What is this question actually asking

The question has two parts, and many applicants only address one of them.

The first part is "Why commercial?". You need to show that you understand the difference between commercial law and the wider legal profession, and that you have actively chosen the commercial side. References to family law, criminal law, or public law experiences are not disqualifying, but they need to be reframed as steps that led you to commercial work, rather than used as evidence of a general interest in law.

The second part is "Why solicitor?". You need to show that you understand the difference between solicitors and barristers, and that you have chosen the solicitor route deliberately. Discussing mooting or chambers experience without explaining why you did not pursue the Bar is a common pitfall.

What the question is not asking for is a broad statement of interest in law. The recruiter already knows you are interested. What they want is the story of why this specific path, told through real experiences.

How to structure "Why commercial law" answers

A chronological structure works well within the word limit. Begin with the origin of your interest in commercial law, then describe how you built on that interest, and end with the experience that confirmed this is the career for you.

This sequence shows the recruiter a clear trajectory rather than a list of unrelated points, and it forces you to be specific about what happened and when.

The origin does not need to be a prestigious experience. A news story you read during a different degree counts. A conversation with a family friend who works in-house counts. A module that made you start reading commercial commentary counts. What matters is that the moment is real and you can explain why it stayed with you.

The middle section is where most applicants either shine or undo their work. Strong answers show structured exploration through open days, Forage internships, and conversations with practitioners. Weak answers list experiences without explaining what was learned from them.

The third section, where you describe the experience that confirmed the career, is what gives the answer its forward momentum. Ideally this is a recent, substantive experience that links naturally to the firm you are applying to.

Example of a good "Why commercial law" answer

Here is an example of a strong answer. The applicant is a humanities graduate who interned with a financial services firm. Read the example first, then the annotations underneath.

"My interest in commercial law began during a work placement at a London-based asset manager. I worked with the in-house legal team who highlighted considerations impacting transactions, like the enforcement of close-out rights upon events of default, demonstrating the tangible impact of legal advice on financial markets. This prompted my curiosity about how legal advice shapes financial services within commercial transactions, and encouraged me to explore commercial law."

The applicant opens with a specific experience and a technical detail that grounds the interest in a real moment, rather than a vague statement of curiosity. A recruiter reading this knows immediately that the motivation is genuine.

"At my university law fair, I learned that clear communication is vital in the profession. This resonated with my experiences in debating societies, where I had developed persuasive communication and the ability to tailor messages to different audiences. To see how these skills apply in practice, I completed several Forage internships, including Banking and M&A programmes run by leading City firms. I enjoyed distilling extensive documentation into accessible advice. I have refined these abilities in my humanities degree, where I received a commendation in an essay competition for my arguments. While I have enjoyed applying these skills to studying the past, I am eager to use them in a legal career where I can shape real-world outcomes."

The middle paragraph identifies a relevant skill, shows where it was developed, demonstrates active exploration, and links academic work to professional aspirations. It also names practice areas of interest without closing the door to other parts of the firm's work.

"With this in mind, I undertook an internship with a financial markets infrastructure firm's in-house legal team. I assisted with due diligence, reviewed Share Purchase Agreements and Articles of Association, and identified negotiation points. For example, I suggested resisting SPA liability caps that materially affected client risk. In the Articles, I flagged pre-emption rights that limited flexibility post-acquisition. Applying my analytical skills to produce substantive outcomes was extremely rewarding."

The closing shows real technical engagement and explains what the applicant learned, not just what they did. The work is described in enough detail that a recruiter can imagine the applicant doing similar tasks as a trainee.

Example of a bad "Why commercial law" answer

Now compare that with a weaker draft from a different applicant.

"My passion for academia has always been selective, prioritised for those fields that allow me to channel and leverage what I have learnt for a particular purpose. A career as a solicitor aligns with this, allowing me to use my experience to offer solutions for businesses facing commercial issues. While reading law at university, I have gained in-person experiences at various law firms that exposed the wealth of diverse work available to solicitors. I am attracted by the opportunity to gain access to work in emerging markets to facilitate innovation and industry-changing deals."

The problems start immediately. The language is imprecise and stuffed with buzzwords. The vague reference to various law firms could easily have named them instead. Phrases like diverse work and innovation and industry-changing deals appear on hundreds of applications without meaning anything in particular. There is no identifiable moment of interest, and no evidence the applicant has done any real research.

The same applicant might then write something like this for the second paragraph.

"This is well-accompanied by my entrepreneurial endeavours such as founding an online media marketing business where I thoroughly enjoyed the process of analysing client issues. Additionally, my position on executive committees of societies in university has refined my communicative skills, and I understand the value of fostering trust and transparency."

The drift is now obvious. The paragraph has moved away from commercial law entirely and become a discussion of generic skills. There is no evidence the business was successful, no specific society named, and no link back to the question. By the end, the recruiter has learnt very little about why this person wants to do this particular job.

Mistakes you may be making

A few patterns come up repeatedly in weak answers.

• Generic openers do not work. Phrases like I have always been interested in law or the intersection of law and business, mark the application as one of many. Your opening sentence should reference something specific that only you could have written.
• Naming firms without context. Mentioning that you attended an open day at a particular firm is not enough on its own. You need to explain what you saw or learned there that confirmed your interest.
• Listing experiences without learning. Recruiters are not impressed by the number of internships or work experiences you list. They are looking for what each experience taught you and how it shaped your decision.
• Narrowing your interest too far. Most full-service firms expect trainees to do four seats across different practice areas. Saying you only want one type of work reads as a lack of research.
• Relying on buzzwords or vague terms. Words like cutting-edge, innovative, and leverage appear in every application without ever meaning anything specific. Replace them with concrete details.

Step-by-step guide to answering "Why commercial law"

First, identify the moment, conversation, or experience that genuinely sparked your interest in commercial law. If you cannot point to a real moment, you need to do more exploration before you can write a convincing answer. Open days, Forage internships, and informational interviews with junior solicitors all help.

Second, list every relevant experience you have. Open days, internships, courses, modules, conversations, and reading. From that list, pick the two or three that map most directly to your motivation for commercial law specifically. You will not have room for everything, and trying to fit too much in is what makes weak answers feel cluttered.

Third, draft your answer in three sections matching the chronological structure above, with around 100 words on each of origin, exploration, and confirmation. Then cut, edit, and tighten until you have something specific, personal, and clearly addressed to both halves of the question.

The applications that get past the first stage are the ones that feel authentic and tell the recruiter your story and journey into law.