2027 Pupillage Programme

How to Apply: Interested candidates should submit their CV and cover letter as a single PDF to vacancy@mmw.legal.

What MMW Advocates' Pupillage Screen Really Tests

Pupillage at a Nairobi commercial firm is a screening ground, not just a training seat. Your KCSE B+ and Second Class Upper already meet the paper bar, so the real contest is how sharply you think and how cleanly you write under supervision.

1. Lead With Your Academic Evidence: Put your KCSE aggregate grade and university class clearly on the first page of your CV. MMW Advocates has set a B+ aggregate and Second Class Upper as hard filters, so make them impossible to miss. Add your degree classification and graduation year beside your LLB entry. If your transcript shows strong marks in commercial law, civil procedure, or legal writing, list those units.

2. Make the Cover Letter a Legal Writing Sample: Your cover letter is the first place the firm sees whether you can structure an argument. Open with why pupillage at MMW Advocates specifically, then use two short paragraphs to connect your coursework or moot experience to the firm's work. Close with a clear statement that your CV and cover letter are attached as one PDF. Avoid generic phrases like 'I am hardworking' and show it through a concrete example.

3. Prepare for Task-Management Questions: The posting explicitly asks for ability to manage multiple tasks, so expect scenario questions about competing deadlines. Think of a time you handled a moot, a research assignment, and exams in the same week. Describe how you prioritised, what tools you used, and what you delegated or dropped. Interviewers listen for a system, not just a story.

4. Show Analytical Thinking With a Case: Keen interest in critical thinking and analytical skills is listed, so be ready to discuss a recent Kenyan court decision or a legal issue in the news. Pick something relevant to commercial or constitutional law and prepare a two-minute summary of the issue, the holding, and your view. This proves you read beyond class notes.

5. Format the Single PDF Properly: The firm asked for CV and cover letter as one PDF, so merge them in that order and name the file clearly, for example FirstnameLastname_Pupillage_Application.pdf. Use a consistent font, keep the CV to two pages, and ensure the cover letter is one page. A messy PDF signals poor attention to detail before anyone reads your grades.

6. Research the Firm's Practice Areas: MMW Advocates handles commercial and corporate work, so know their main practice areas before the interview. Visit their website and read recent briefs or reported cases if available. In the interview, connect your interest to a specific area such as conveyancing, litigation, or corporate advisory. This shows you applied with purpose, not as a mass mailout.

7. Prepare for Practical Pupillage Tasks: Pupils often draft pleadings, research memoranda, and take attendance notes. If you have sample drafts from moot court or internships, bring them to the interview if asked. Be ready to explain your research method, from identifying the issue to finding authority. Even a short exercise like summarising a Court of Appeal judgment can demonstrate your drafting discipline.

8. Follow Up Professionally: After submitting to vacancy@mmw.legal, wait at least two weeks before a polite follow-up email. Keep it short, restate your interest, and confirm your application was received. If you are invited for an interview, send a brief thank-you note within 24 hours. These small courtesies are noticed in a profession built on client confidence.