Simply the second best

A survey of graduate recruitment websites of major law firms with their headquarters in the UK indicates that successful applicants are likely to be highly determined, confident, motivated, entrepreneurial individuals, natural leaders with excellent academic records, a strong commercial awareness, an ability to take responsibility and think for themselves, calm under pressure and with outstanding communication and interpersonal skills (see, eg, the websites of Clifford Chance, Allen & Overy, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May). And in an increasingly tough environment for those seeking jobs, employing firms have the luxury of hiring only those graduates with a full complement of these attributes and a resume bursting with experience of leadership and other relevant extra curricula activities gained from a precociously early age.

Instinct to recruit the best

None of this is surprising. The instinct to recruit the best and the brightest is ingrained in most professionals, and lawyers are no exception. It would