We recently interviewed a current trainee at the firm, see what they had to say.
An internship at Mason Hayes and Curran LLP, one of Irelands largest law firms, is a great place to start your legal career. Having gone through the four-week summer legal internship back in 2018, I found the application process very straightforward, and the internship was a fantastic opportunity to experience life in a one of Ireland’s leading full-service business law firms.
The Application
Applications for the Summer Intern Programme are open to anyone that has completed at least two years of an undergraduate or graduate degree in any discipline, including those who have work experience and have already completed FE-1s.
There are a couple of things you will need before you start your application – most importantly, you’ll need an up-to date CV to attach to your application. From my own experience, I had a single page CV with my academic and employment history along with personal information about myself, my interests, and referee’s. A strong academic history is obviously an important part of the application process, and as a full-service business law firm, it’s great to show business and commercial acumen as well. Try and show your own interests and what differentiates you from other applicants. Along with your cover letter, this is one of the few opportunities you have to present yourself in your application, so it’s important your application gives the interviewer’s a good sense of who you are.
On top of your cover letter and CV, you will need to complete a form with some personal details and specific information about your academic history on the recruitment system Hirehive.
The interview
Coming up to your interview, be prepared to be asked about details you gave in your application. A good knowledge of the firm and its expertise is important, and were among some of the questions I got asked in my own interview. There are two interviewers in the process, and my main advice would be to be relaxed and to get your personality across to the interviewers. At the end of the day, the whole application process, and in particular the interviews, is about getting to know you. Engaging with your interviewer’s is a great way to find out if you are suited to the firm, and if the firms suits you!
Head over to our Graduate Hub for more information.
