Scholarship for Diverse Students in Europe
Clifford Chance is a global law firm with over 30 offices across the globe. We strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.
Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly global perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating - full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.
You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organizations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you will find across all of our teams.
Opportunity
We are proud to announce the fourth edition of the Clifford Chance Scholarship for Diverse Students in Europe which aims at helping talented university students with diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds succeed in their early careers.
The Clifford Chance Scholarship for Diverse Students in Europe aims at improving diversity within the legal sector, at ensuring that our workforce better represent the background and cultural diversity across Europe and increase inclusion in our law firm and in the legal sector in general.
The Scholarship
Clifford Chance aims to grant five scholarships for the amount of Euro 6,000 each to deserving students from diverse cultural or socio-economic backgrounds with an excellent academic track-record in order to help them meet their educational and academic expenses.
The winners of the Scholarship will also have the chance to visit their local Clifford Chance office and take part in a mentorship program lasting one year.
Application requirements
We are looking for a candidate who has the following requirements (the "Application Requirements"):
- You are about to start the final two years of your law studies in a University in Spain, France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy, and will graduate between 2025 and 2027;
- You are majoring in business, commercial, finance and /or banking law;
- You have an excellent academic track record, in particular in the aforementioned courses (in your major);
- You are committed to pursuing a career in a global law firm.
How to apply
In order to apply and be considered for the Clifford Chance Scholarship for Diverse Students in Europe, you must submit:
- a curriculum vitae in English;
- your most recent University transcripts;
- a motivational letter in English, specifying the following in three different paragraphs of max. 270 words each (total of max. 810 words):
- Tell us about yourself, what you like to do, what motivates you and what your passions are;
- Tell us why you meet the requirements for this scholarship and why we should award it to you;
- Tell us how you intend to spend the scholarship. (e.g. to attend a summer school, to buy law school books, to follow a legal English course, etc.).
Please note that this scholarship focuses on cultural and socio-economic diversity, rather than on ethnicity, race, health, or sexual orientation. We kindly ask applicants not to include any special category data, such as information related to ethnicity, race, health, or sexual orientation, in their application materials. Submissions containing such data will be deleted, and the applications will not be considered.
Furthermore, as part of the application process, you will be invited to a pre-recorded virtual conversation. All the relevant details will be shared once your application has been submitted on our application portal.
Please note that applications sent via email or post will not be considered. All applications must be submitted via our application portal. If you are unable to apply online, please contact the local Clifford Chance office in the country you are based in for your studies.
Timings and deadlines
Application start: 27th January, 2025
Application deadline: 7th March, 2025
The end of the selection process and the award of the Clifford Chance Scholarship for Diverse Students in Europe will be in April 2025.
Selection procedure
The applications submitted will be first distributed to and evaluated by a local team of the relevant jurisdiction where the applicant is studying. All screening will take place once the deadline has passed.
After being screened locally, the best applications of each jurisdiction will be forwarded to a European selection committee, which will identify five students to receive the scholarship. Please note that the five winners will be required to take part in a background check, prior to being awarded the Scholarship.
The applicants who were not successful in the award of the Clifford Chance Scholarship for Diverse Students in Europe will be notified by email in April 2025 of the status of their application, and they will be kept in consideration for exclusive events and initiatives organized by the relevant Clifford Chance offices. Applicants who are not in their final two years of study, or who do not meet the above criteria will be ineligible to be considered for the scholarship. The decision of the judging panel is final.
Clifford Chance Scholarship for Diverse Students in Europe
2023 Clifford Chance Scholarship for Diverse Students in Europe:
Fatih Akbal
Terms and Conditions
Terms and Conditions
Introduction
These terms and conditions govern the Scholarship for Diverse Students offered by Clifford Chance. By applying for the Scholarship, applicants agree to adhere to these terms and conditions.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must be enrolled in a law degree course and expected to graduate between 2025 and 2027. They must demonstrate academic excellence, as evidenced by the GPA detailed in their transcript of records. The Scholarship is open to students studying in universities located in France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Luxembourg. Candidates from outside these jurisdictions are not eligible.
Application Process
Applications open on January 27th 2025 and must be submitted by March 7th 2025. Late applications will not be considered. Submissions must be made exclusively via the application platform; applications sent by post or email will not be accepted. Applicants must complete the application form and provide all required documentation, including (i) a CV, (ii) a motivational letter, and (iii) a transcript of records. Additionally, applicants are required to complete a pre-recorded video conversation on our application platform. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Selection Process
Teams from the relevant jurisdictions will review all applications and conduct an initial pre-selection of eligible candidates based on (i) academic merit, (ii) personal statement, and (iii) recorded video conversation. Shortlisted applications will be forwarded to a European selection committee, which will select six Scholarship winners. Decisions made by the selection panel are final and not subject to appeal. Winners must undergo a background check prior to being awarded the Scholarship.f
Scholarship Benefits
The Scholarship provides an award of €6,000. It is granted to five candidates based on (i) academic merit, (ii) personal statement, and (iii) video conversation. The Scholarship is non-renewable and does not constitute an employment contract with Clifford Chance. Recipients will have the opportunity to participate in a tailored mentoring programme during the 12 months following the award.
Obligations of Recipients
Scholarship recipients are responsible for any applicable personal tax declarations in accordance with their home jurisdiction. Clifford Chance reserves the right to withhold the Scholarship if the recipient fails to pass the background checks or meet the eligibility criteria. Recipients must repay any funds received if the Scholarship is terminated due to misconduct or breach of terms.
Data Protection
Clifford Chance is dedicated to safeguarding the privacy of all applicants. Personal data collected during the application process, such as name, contact details, academic records, and any other information provided, will be processed to assess eligibility for the Scholarship, conduct the selection process, and administer the Scholarship. The legal basis for this processing is Clifford Chance's legitimate interest in managing the Scholarship and fulfilling obligations to applicants and scholarship recipients.
Please note that Clifford Chance does not require any special category data, such as information related to ethnicity, race, health, or sexual orientation. Applicants are requested not to include such data in their submissions, as applications containing this information will be rejected.
For more detailed information on how Clifford Chance processes personal data, please refer to Clifford Chance full privacy notice at https://jobs.cliffordchance.com/privacy-policy.
General Provisions
Clifford Chance reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time. These terms and conditions shall be governed by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions.
Contact Information
For any queries regarding the Scholarship, please contact Elena Annunziata at elena.annunziata@cliffordchance.com
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