# Application for Application (INC)

26th May 2012

Dear ████,

I am writing to apply to be part of ‘Team Australia’ at the Intercollegiate Negotiation & Arbitration Competition in Tokyo.

I have a strong interest in attending the conference, past involvement in debating, mooting and negotiation, and am keen to develop a relationship with Japan as part of both my PhD research and future career path. I have a wide range of skills, knowledge and experience which I can bring to bear in the competition.

I attach my CV and academic transcripts, and address the selection criteria below.

### My Interest in the Competition

My interest in the competition is threefold. Firstly, as a PhD student that is regularly communicating with a range of stakeholders and presenting papers at academic conferences, I am keen to refine my discussion, presentation and communication skills.

Secondly, I previously worked as a Paralegal at Freehills in the Energy and Resources group. I plan to return in the future, and believe that developing strong negotiation skills will help me to succeed in this role.

Thirdly, I currently work for a non-government organisation and regularly negotiate with government departments and regulatory bodies on matters of energy policy. This has given me both an understanding of the nature and dynamics of negotiation, and a desire to improve my aptitude for this essential skill.

### Past Experience in Negotiation and Mooting

During my undergraduate degree, I was involved in both debating and mooting. I was a key member of the debating society, attending weekly training sessions and friendly debates. I also represented my university at two national debating competitions. I reached the final round of both the first- and second-year mooting tournaments, and acted as a Judge.

In 2010, I was selected to be a delegate to the annual World Model United Nations Conference in Taipei. I operated outside the formal sessions, organising a bloc of like-minded delegations, leading the drafting of a resolution, and conducting lengthy negotiations that concluded in the passing of the bloc’s resolution.

In June I will attend the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development as part of the Australian National University’s delegation. I am responsible for pressing for strong action on sustainable energy at the conference, liaising with the Australian Government’s representatives and contributing to the collective voice for action on energy issues.

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### My Interest in Japan

Japan’s decision to phase-out nuclear power has led to renewed interest in marine renewable energy technologies, the subject of my doctorate. I have recently been in contact with academics in Tokyo who are leading the establishment of a marine renewable energy centre in Japan. I have discussed with them possibility of undertaking an academic exchange and assisting in the development of the marine renewable energy centre by conducting research on legal matters and being involved in ongoing policy advice.

At Freehills, our team worked closely with a number of Japanese clients to develop energy projects in Australia. The team is strategically developing its focus on Japanese clients, with a Senior Associate being permanently posted to Tokyo. I plan to return to work for this team upon completion of my doctorate , so knowledge of the country, its business practices and economic and political circumstances will be essential.

My strong interest in working with Japanese clients as part of my PhD and future career path means that I am keen to visit and develop closer links with the country, learn more about its unique culture and acquire some basic language skills.

### My Skills

I am a confident public speaker, having presented at two large international conferences in the past year. I am an excellent researcher and writer, having published widely on a range of topics and worked as a Research Assistant. I worked as a Student Attorney on death penalty cases in Texas, which required confidence and resilience, qualities that I believe are crucial to effective negotiation. Finally, my role at Freehills involved a high-level of commercial awareness, first-rate drafting skills and the ability to communicate with a wide-range of clients, stakeholders and government agencies.

Please let me know if I can provide any further information. I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

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