Hogan Lovells Cadwalader
London·Washington, D.C.·New York
Regulatory·Disputes·Capital markets
Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft completed their merger on 2 July 2026, creating a combined firm of more than 3,200 lawyers and 900+ partners across 36+ offices, with revenue exceeding $3.6bn, pairing Hogan Lovells' corporate, regulatory and litigation strength with Cadwalader's capital markets and structured finance practice.
Why this firm
The largest law firm merger in history
Cadwalader's legacy: founded in 1792, the oldest continuing Wall Street law practice, and the dominant name in CMBS and structured finance
A pioneering pro bono practice: every trainee gets a genuine four-month rotation with real courtroom and drafting exposure
Named the Financial Times' Most Innovative Law Firm of the past 20 years, based on volume and consistency of recognition
What this firm looks for
Drawn from Hogan Lovells Cadwalader's own recruitment materials
Based on the firm's published recruitment materials, graduate recruitment commentary and stated values.
Critical Reasoning
One of the firm's 13 named competencies: "the ability to evaluate information efficiently and to make evidence-based judgements in the workplace." It's also the only one formally tested at application stage via a mandatory Watson Glaser critical reasoning assessment, making it a real bar rather than just a stated preference.
Motivation for a career in commercial law
Named directly among the firm's 13 competencies, described by the firm as motivation "for a career in commercial law at Hogan Lovells Cadwalader" specifically. Recruiter commentary on the firm consistently notes that successful applicants demonstrate genuine, specific interest in the firm itself, not commercial law in general.
Resilience
The firm's own descriptor: "people who take hardships in their stride, recovering quickly and moving on." Repeatedly singled out in the firm's own recruitment messaging and independent coverage of its process as one of the core skills it assesses for.
Past applications
Real material for Hogan Lovells Cadwalader
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A real application for Hogan Lovells Cadwalader
Real cover letters and notes actually written for Hogan Lovells Cadwalader are on file: 5 documents. Sign in free to read a genuine excerpt of each, before deciding whether to unlock them.
These documents were written before Hogan Lovells' 2 July 2026 merger with Cadwalader, so they refer to the firm by its former name throughout. The practice and reputation behind them now continue as Hogan Lovells Cadwalader.
Written Application Answer
Tell us about any experiences outside of your work and study that have allowed you to develop skills that are relevant to this role - Hogan Lovells
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