Álvaro Martín Sierra
I studied Law and Business Administration at ICADE Business School, and currently I am a participant of IE University’s Doble Máster en Abogacía y Asesoría Jurídica de Empresas (Double Master’s in Lawyering and Commercial Legal Advice). In September 2021, I will join Uría Menéndez, a firm that particularly values candidates’ legal and personal talent.
I consider myself a very curious individual, and I enjoy learning new things. That’s probably why I’m never satisfied with the bare minimum, and I’ve always sought out new projects and extracurricular activities.
"I think that it’s down to us to believe in ourselves and our own possibilities, and not limit our options."
How many law firms or companies have you applied to? What was the process like?
I was extremely fortunate to be invited to participate in the selection process for master’s placements after completing summer internships at two law firms, so I did not have to apply to many other places.
With that being said, the process for gaining a summer placement was intense, and I applied to dozens of different firms. The situation is quite overwhelming at first, but it gets better once you adopt a method and pay close attention to detail.
Why did you decide to apply to these firms or companies?
I knew for certain that I wanted to start my professional career in a top law firm where they place great emphasis on training. In an environment as demanding as that of a commercial law firm, I decided to opt for firms that particularly focus on candidates’ legal and personal abilities.
The exposure you can have in law firms of this kind is unique, both in terms of the complexity of the matters they deal with and the quality of their teams. All this combined makes it a great opportunity to develop enormously—both professionally and personally—in just a few years, which is my top priority right now.
You recently accepted an offer to join Uría Menéndez in September. What were the main challenges you faced during the application process and how did you overcome them?
That’s right, it’s a great pleasure to be joining a firm like Uría Menéndez and become part of their team. During the selection process I faced two main challenges.
Firstly, the process is extremely demanding in and of itself. This made it clear from the beginning that the firm places great importance on the quality of candidates. I knew that the technical aspect of selection tests would be very high, and so I dedicated a lot of time to preparing the fundamentals of different areas of commercial law, with particular emphasis on civil and corporate law.
Secondly, the selection process is all-encompassing. The technical side of things is only one of many different elements that the firm evaluates. Interviewers are also looking for motivation, a certain level of culture and interests that go beyond the strictly legal. A test like that is very difficult to prepare for, and you can only overcome it when you truly follow current affairs, demonstrate a plurality of interests and, in general, have a solid education that extends beyond law.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of applying to Uría Menéndez?
Above all, face the selection process with confidence. It’s true that it does require a lot of effort and the tests are demanding, but I think that it’s down to us as candidates to believe in ourselves and our own possibilities, and not limit our options.
Another piece of advice that I think is very important and can apply to any application, is that students are aware of how they feel during the process. Feeling comfortable when you interact with the firm’s lawyers and enjoying the interviews is a positive sign that you’re a good fit for the law firm.
