law special edition 2009

GRADUATE JOBS +CAREERS ADVICE +SECTOR NEWS +CASE STUDIES + EMPLOYER PROFILES+

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» Solicitors & Barristers2009

LAWJoin the world ofthe legal eagles

Get a great graduate job

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© 2008 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved. “PricewaterhouseCoopers” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or, as the context requires, the PricewaterhouseCoopers global network orother member firms of the network, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity.

Nationwide Opportunities Spring and Autumn 2009Things change. You did want a legal career. Now you’re not so sure.The good news is that the skills you need to gain a law degree areexactly what we look for in our tax consultants. Our diverse businesschallenges mean you won’t just be crunching numbers. You’ll enjoy earlyclient exposure, experience the full breadth of our business and havethe chance to gain professional qualifications. You’ll also discover why,for the fifth year running, we've been voted number one in theTimes Top 100 Graduate Employers survey for offering the greatestopportunity. Take a new route to work. There’s only one number oneemployer – so find out why we’re the one firm for all legal graduateschanging track.

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10 Case studies We’ve been out and about talking to graduate trainees in law so you can see what working in the sector is really all about

16 All change Changes to the way solicitors and barristers are trained are on their way. Real World gives you the latest information on what to expect

23 Raising the bar What do barristers do apart from stride around looking angry? Hannah Davies explores what happens when you are called to the Bar and what really goes on in the world beneath the wig z

24 Working for the public good If you would like to do something tangible for your country then you should explore joining either the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) or the Government Legal Service (GLS). z

28 Converting to law Even if you studied something other than law at university, you can still take a conversion course. See if you could be one of the 30 per cent of new trainees who do just that

30 Join the paras If the cost of training to be a lawyer or barrister seems prohibitive, you could opt to become one of the growing band of paralegals

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ContentsOn the COveR z

IN THIS 2009 ISSue

Up front Features34 Law – the third way Studying to be a legal executive is now a nationally recognised alternative to studying the law in the traditional way.

38 the north south divide There are some substantial differences between the law north and south of the border. If you are considering practising law in Scotland read our special report

42 Well schooledDemand for postgraduate courses in law is currently very high, so we show you what you should be looking for before applying z

47 Law career fairsSerious abour practising law? We provide details of law career fairs across the country

48 Recruiter FilesA round-up of law firms with training contracts on offer and law schools offering courses that will help you progress in your legal career

Jobs in your inboxFor hundreds more graduate jobs have a look at our website: www.realworldmagazine.com. Register and receive the latest jobs by email

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P066 Perfectly presented They say you can tell the quality of a man by the cut of his cloth and a person wearing a tailored suit is still seen as having authority. Our feature tells you how you, too, can dress for success 8 Becoming a lawyer Think you could make it in the world of law? We explain the different routes into the law for law and non-law graduates alike. Including case studies with graduate trainees z

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Are you looking for graduate lawopportunities?Go towww.realworldmagazine.com/law

• latest jobs• employer profi les• graduate case studies• further study• tips from the top

Get a great graduate job

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EDITOR’S LETTER RW

LawLiving by the law

F irst, the good news; you don’t necessarily have to be studying a law degree in order to go on to a career in law. In fact, 40 per cent of trainee solicitors and a significant proportion of pupil barristers qualify after taking a law conversion course, having

studied everything from geography to maths at university. Second, even better news; trainee solicitors and barristers are paid significantly more than graduates in most other sectors. If that’s got your interest then read on, for this issue of Real World is packed full of other facts, figures and information on why the legal profession is so exciting and inviting, and why it could be the career for you even if you’ve never considered it before.

The law in this country constantly changes with new legislation appearing on an almost daily basis. That’s why the features within this issue do not just concentrate on the traditional roles of the solicitor and barrister, but also on the fast emerging roles of the paralegal and the legal executive. As training contracts and pupillages become harder to find, these new routes into the profession are becoming more attractive and there are now 500,000 paralegals in the UK as opposed to 132,000 solicitors and barristers. Find out whether they could be the career for you from page 30 onwards.

If you want to enter the legal profession in order to serve your country, then you should consider a career in either the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) or the Government Legal Service (GLS). The CPS is the main prosecuting service in England and Wales, while virtually all UK regulations are the work of the GLS and together they employ over 4,000 lawyers and barristers. Read our feature on pages 24 and 25 to find out more.

Elsewhere, you’ll find information on how you can convert to law, what to look out for when choosing a law school, and last but most certainly not least, Real World’s popular case studies with recent graduates already out there working in both large and small law films. We hope you enjoy what they have to say and you can find even more case studies, news, and those all important job advertisements online at www.realworldmagazine.com

Dee Pilgrim, [email protected]

EditorialEditor Dee Pilgrim Designer Yang Ou Feature Writer Hannah Davies Online Brett Singer

SalesPaul WadeHarmesh Sansoa Terry McNally Mitul Patel

Marketing/Distribution ManagerPoonam Sharma

Client Services Manager Marie TasleManaging Director Darius Norell

Real World22-26 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TJTelephone: 020 7735 4900Editorial – 020 7735 2111Fax: 020 7840 0443 [email protected] www.realworldmagazine.com - for job vacancies, careers advice and case studies. Copyright © 2008 Cherry Publishing.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher. We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs or for material lost or damaged in the post. The views in this publication or on our website are not necessarily those held by the publisher.

ContributorsHANNAH DAVIESHannah Davies took German and Russian at Cambridge. She stayed on to do an Mphil in European Literature before becoming a journalist. She joined the Real World team in 2007 in the position of editorial assistant, writing features and conducting case studies.

MADHVI PANkHANIAMadhvi is an English graduate from Somerville College, Oxford. She worked for the Student Union as a sabbatical officer before joining the Press Office at Real World Magazine, working on the Real World Awards.

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PERFECTLYPRESENTED

In these days when even multi-billionaires wear jeans and

trainers, you’d think people would no longer judge a person by their appearance. But no, not a bit of it, for as a recent survey of over 3,200 offi ce workers by Reed Employment demonstrates, 51 per cent of people still believe dressing smartly helps win promotions, while 87 per cent would always wear a suit to work.

Why you should dress smart for success

According to Personal Branding guru Lesley Everett, they’d do well to make the effort because keeping up appearances is still vital to your success. She explains: ‘Many companies don’t want to go down the smart/casual route because it loses their corporate identity. I think companies should get on the right track of having an appropriate dress code and educating employees to understand what appropriate actually means. The key things to think about are who is the client or the audience today? What are their expectations? What is the situation or environment? And fi nally, what are my objectives?’

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‘you have to make a prospective employer

comfortable you can project their brand.’

lesley says these are really important guidelines, because if an interview is quite formal and your objective is to sell yourself in the shortest possible time, then a suit is always appropriate. ‘you must wear a jacket. that can be tough for graduates coming into their first interview because they don’t necessarily have a smart suit. however, there are plenty of shops that sell suits and jackets at reasonable prices. i totally believe people should be individual, but it is also about what you are trying to project of yourself in the corporate or business world. you have to make a prospective employer comfortable that you will be projecting their brand in the way they need it to be projected. you just need to put a bit more thought into it. even if you are a casual person you can’t be that casual in a corporate environment.’

WARdROBe MAlfUnctIOnsborrowing a suit really isn’t appropriate because they won’t fit well and you end up looking as if you shouldn’t have bothered. she says one of the easiest ways to judge what is appropriate is to stand outside the building of a prospective employer at lunchtime and see how the people who work there are dressed. you don’t always have to go for black, grey or brown, but bear in mind dark shades always convey more authority, so if you are looking for work in a law firm go for darker shades. Whatever you do, don’t wear trainers. smart shoes are the order of the day and all shoes should be well looked after and polished.

tOp tIps fOR WOMen‘you must wear tights or stockings in hot weather. bare legs are one of the biggest ways of destroying professional credibility. the more flesh you show, the less credible you become. the same goes with strappy, open-toed sandals, just don’t wear them, wear shoes. yes, you can wear boots with skirts, they are very fashionable now. do watch the backs of your shoes because if you drive a lot they can get scuffed and it gives a very bad impression. also, don’t wait until they are really worn down to get them reheeled. there’s nothing worse, no matter how much time and effort you put into the rest of your outfit. if your shoes are looking tired it will really let you down.

‘don’t overdo it in terms of the number of accessories you wear. don’t ever wear more than eight at any one time. one well-chosen, dramatic necklace, if that suits your style and personality, can be very effective.

‘it is very important to wear the right underwear. do not wear

a coloured bra under a white shirt – you can get away with it in the fashion world, but do not do it in the corporate world or for an interview, and make sure your buttons do not gape. that’s a complete no-no, it looks sloppy. buy a size bigger.’

tOp tIps fOR Men‘men tend to get it more wrong than women. it’s not that they don’t care, but more because they genuinely don’t think about it. Good fit is a really important element; i say buy a moderately priced outfit but make sure it fits really well. it is well worth it to get alterations done so sleeve and trouser leg length are absolutely right. it’s also worth it to go for a size bigger and have it altered than squeezing into something that is too small. accessorise with a well chosen, good quality tie, cufflinks, or shoes that can lift the outfit. shoes don’t necessarily have to be the formal brogues or oxford styles; jeffrey West at m&s has got some great styles that are slightly unusual, yet still look smart and formal for younger guys. in a corporate environment having leather soles is really important. non-leather soled shoes never go unnoticed and leather soles last forever, so don’t underestimate the impact they have.’

tHe BIG dAyit may sound like over-doing it, but having a wardrobe rehearsal before your interview can really help. everthing should be cleaned and ironed and you should make sure you feel comfortable, as lesley says: ‘comfort is important because if you don’t feel comfortable with what you are wearing, you are never going to look that confident.’

lesley everett is an internationally acclaimed professional keynote speaker on personal branding and perception management. her clients include several ftse 100 companies including barclays bank, lehman brothers, bt, Ge and tesco. she is the author of drop dead brilliant - dazzle in the workplace with confidence and panache. n

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becoming a laWyeR | INtRODuCtIONRW

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becominga lawyer

rwbecoming a lawyer | introduction

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getting StartedFollowing either the GdL (see Solicitors above) or an

undergraduate law degree, future barristers must take the

one-year Bar Vocational course (BVc). there are

compulsory modules including civil litigation and professional

ethics, as well as two optional subjects. Practical skills, such

as drafting and advocacy, form an important part of the

course. Following successful completion of the BVc you are

‘called to the Bar’ – that is, you become a qualified barrister.

However, you must undertake a pupillage in order to

practise independently.

the cost of the BVc ranges from £8,000 to £12,000 or

more. You must join one of the four inns of court before you

register for the course. What’s more, you are required to

complete twelve ‘qualifying units’ (such as attending

education days or dinners) through your inn before being

called to the Bar. the inns also offer a variety of awards and

scholarships for the BVc.

PuPillagethe final stage is an ‘apprenticeship’ at a set of chambers

and usually takes one year. Pupillage is divided into two

six-month periods, known as ‘sixes’. during the first ‘six’ you

will spend most of your time shadowing and assisting a senior

barrister. if this goes well, you will receive a Provisional

Qualifying certificate. the second ‘six’ should see you

dealing with your own clients and court work, albeit with

your supervisor’s permission. the sixes will not necessarily be

spent within the same chambers.

oLPAS is an online application service for pupillages.

there are two recruitment seasons: summer, during which

the larger chambers tend to advertise, and winter. You can

apply to up to twelve chambers per season. not all

chambers advertise via oLPAS. Visit www.pupillages.com for

further information. the competition is intense however, work

experience, in the form of ‘mini-pupillages’, should put you

at an advantage, and persistence is key.

‘A lawyer without books would be like a workman without tools,’ according to Thomas Jefferson. Even if you have a law degree, you’ll need further training to work in the legal sector. Real World sets out the different routes into law. By Hannah Davies

SOLICITORS

BARRISTERSgetting Startedif your undergraduate degree is in a subject other than law, you

will need to undertake the one-year law conversion course

known as the Graduate diploma in Law (GdL). the GdL is

sometimes referred to by its old name, the common

Professional Exam (cPE).

those who have completed the GdL or who hold an

undergraduate law degree then embark upon the Legal

Practice course (LPc). the LPc currently lasts for one year of

full-time study or two years part-time. this is the vocational

phase of the training and comprises two stages: stage one is for

compulsory modules, then during stage two students choose

three specialist subjects. the range of elective subjects on offer

varies depending on the course provider, so make sure you do

your research. there are also ‘pervasive’ elements, common to

every course, which include ethics and advocacy.

the cost of the course varies significantly, with fees

ranging from £5,000 to £9,000 or more; you also need to

factor in living costs and additional expenses such as

textbooks. Some law firms offer sponsorship as part of their

training contract package, and there are bursaries available

from the Law Society.

Applications for LPc courses go through the central

Applications Board. Before starting the LPc, you must become a

student member of the Law Society; this is organised by the

Solicitors regulation Authority (SrA).

the training contractthe training contract is the final stage of qualifying as a solicitor,

and involves working at a law firm for two years. this is the time

for trainee solicitors to put their knowledge and skills into

practice, supervised by a qualified solicitor. the SrA requires

that you cover a minimum of three areas of work. At larger law

firms your training contract will be divided between several

different departments; these periods are known as ‘seats’. Your

experience of the training contract will vary to an extent

depending on the type of law firm. You must also complete the

Professional Skills course (PSc) during your training contract.

Law firms are obliged to pay for their trainees to take the PSc.

competition for places is fierce. Bear in mind that many

larger law firms fill their training contract places two years in

advance. Salaries vary depending on the type of firm.

ileXYou can also qualify as a solicitor through the institute of

Legal Executives (iLEX) pathway. this involves taking the

standard iLEX exams as well as some extra qualifications.

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becoming a laWyeR | CAsE stuDIEsRW

Matt Braithwaite

Christie Charlton

age: 27Degree: llb with honours from coventry University (1999 – 2002)Post graduate. Diploma in legal Practice (lPc) from the University of the West of england, bristol (UWe) (2002 – 2003). Diploma in Trust and estate administration from the Society of Trust and estate Practitioners (STeP) (2007 – current)Job title – assistant Solicitor, Stone King llP, bath. area of law – Private client (Wills, Probate, Tax and Trusts)

can you describe exactly what you do? a typical day will involve meeting a client to discuss their Will and take their instructions. i will then draft their Will and send it to them for their approval. if they are happy i then ask the client back into the office to sign the Will. i also deal with the administration of estates which essentially means dealing with someone’s affairs when they have died. This will include meeting with the personal representatives, gathering together details of their estate, calculating inheritance tax and income tax, obtaining probate, paying legacies, drafting accounts, and making distributions. i act on behalf of trustees of trusts by preparing accounts and tax returns, working closely with financial advisors to make sure they are making the right investments for the beneficiaries, and fulfilling their obligations. This is where a real grasp of equity is essential. i also draft trust deeds and other trust documentations. Part of my job involves advising elderly clients, in particular appointing attorneys on their behalf to deal with their financial affairs or, where they are incapable of giving instructions, making applications to the court of Protection for the court to appoint someone to deal with their affairs on their behalf. Were you always interested in law as a career sector? yes. i was able to gain work experience at a high street practice where my mum worked as a legal secretary whilst i was studying for my gcSes in 1995. i enjoyed the diversity of private practice (as well as the photocopying and tea making!). Perhaps rather superficially my interest in pursuing law as a career became stronger thanks to the

cult 1990’s TV series This life. Thinking i wanted a piece of this fast-paced, non-stop party lifestyle cemented my choice of career!

What factors made you decide on your particular university/degree? if i am honest, i was led by my a level results. although not bad by most people’s standards, law is a popular subject and many of the top universities demand the top grades. This limited my choice of universities. i also wanted to go to a university which offered a good course in a place which offered lots of social activities, and at the same time retained a campus feel. attending the open day was enough to convince me that coventry was the place for me.

Would you undertake further study to help your career progression? i am currently studying for the Society of Trust and estate Practitioners’ Diploma in Trust and estate administration which is essentially the ‘bench mark’ qualification for my area of the law. The diploma involves studying four papers in different areas of practice. it was my choice as to whether to study for the diploma. The studying involves a lot of hard work and dedication of my own time outside of work, but the benefit of knowing the theory behind what i do every day is invaluable.

What do you most like about what you do and are there any downsides? i enjoy the contact i have with clients the most. i see people for different reasons every day. Whether it is to make a Will, or discuss some tax planning, or to discuss the administration of an estate. Social events can involve going out to lunch, or being invited to networking events.

a more challenging side to the job is visiting clients in hospital to make Wills, when they only have a matter of days to live.

age: 24Degree and university: llb law (2:1), manchester UniversityJob Title: Trainee, addleshaw goddard

Why did you decide on a career in law? Having dabbled in debating and enjoyed critical and analytical subjects throughout

school, the law seemed a natural choice. early work experience and my law degree confirmed that i was more suited to the higher levels of team work and client contact associated with solicitors rather than the bar, and so i then turned my mind to what area i thought would tick the right boxes for me. i took the time to attend open days and vacation schemes across the board - from large regional, to small specialist, and international and city firms - and chose to apply to addleshaw goddard on the basis of this experience.

What type of work are you doing in your current seat? i’m currently in corporate and am involved in a huge variety of work. The team makes sure trainees get a taste of everything that being a corporate lawyer is about, so to date i’ve been involved in share issues, bond issues, and company sales. The kind of work that lands on my desk day-to-day includes board minutes, due diligence, verification, and company reports.

What do you most like about what you do and are there any downsides? There’s never a dull moment! i enjoy being busy and being challenged, and the intellectual work out is exactly what i came into the law for. Solving client problems is hugely satisfying, particularly when you’re really getting down to the nitty gritty elements of a deal. The key thing for me though is the people. on the one hand there are the clients who i’ve been able to work alongside -- be they from banks or companies, or from my case in-house on secondment which saw me jetting off to cameroon -- and on the other hand, the faces that i see in the office on a daily basis. The firm is growing through attracting and retaining lawyers who genuinely enjoy working here, but who realise that there’s more to life than the day job, and that’s massively important to me.

Particularly at the trainee level, and probably more so in transactional seats, unpredictable working patterns can be rather frustrating. There is no such thing as a normal hours job in a city firm, although usually you can get a good handle on when you’ll have to knuckle down and put those extra hours in. of course, extra long hours usually mean extra big celebrations at closing!

What strengths do you need to succeed? The ability to think critically and commercially with regards to long and short term outcomes because an issue will never be as black and white as the client would have you believe! interpersonal skills are fundamentally important, both in terms of day-to-day work within your team and also working alongside clients. clients and colleagues should feel able (within reason) to ask you anything. as a trainee this is hugely important; the ability to remain enthusiastic and self-motivated isn’t an easy task, but one that makes a huge difference to everyone when you can still crack a smile at two in the morning!



becoming a laWyeR | CAsE stuDIEs RW

Ruchdi Maalouf

Sara Keag

‘real estate litigation revolves around something really tangible as many of the buildings are well-known locations in central london. ’

age: 26Degree and university: law and French, Trinity college, Dublin. lPc: college of law, chesterJob title: Trainee, olswang

Why did you decide on a career in law? When i was 17, i brought a successful case in belfast High court, which judicially reviewed a decision taken against me by my orchestra. Following that i shadowed a barrister as part of my school work experience. both experiences helped me realise that one day i would like to become a solicitor.

What did the application process involve? Following university i spent a year in Japan, on the Japan exchange and Teaching (JeT) programme. The summer between returning from Japan and commencing the lPc was spent applying for training contracts. i found that olswang’s application process was the least aggressive out of all the schemes i applied to and interviewed for. The first stage is to submit a cV and covering letter.

Degree and university: law in France for a law degree at Université Paris 1, Panthéon Sorbonne, and in london for an llm at SoaS, University of london.Work title: Tokyo Projects Team, Herbert Smith

Why did you decide on a career in law? For a long time, i hesitated between a career in journalism and a career in law. What decided it for me was the work experience i

gained in a law firm in Paris. i was trying to save some money to travel to china and found a job in a law firm as a paralegal. i enjoyed the work very much, and realised that a legal career could be exciting and intellectually rewarding.

What did the application process involve? For me, the application process was a bit more lengthy than usual. i decided to embrace a legal career several years after graduating and began as a paralegal. after several years of legal work, i applied for training contracts and obtained one at Herbert Smith.

after that, i completed a law conversion course (because i had a French law degree and not a UK one). i completed it over two years through distance learning while working full-time. Following that, i enrolled in the legal Practice course (lPc) full-time in london.

What type of work are you currently doing? my current seat is in the Tokyo Projects team. Projects involves work relating to the oil and

gas, electricity, and infrastructure sectors. We represent Japanese and other clients in their international transactions outside Japan (the UK, indonesia, Papua new guinea and australia, to name a few). The type of transactions varies a lot. Some consist of the purchase of an interest in a petroleum field, others in the review of the projects documents relating to the development of an electricity plant (including contracts to build railways and contracts to supply the electricity to the grid for example).

What do you most enjoy about what you do and are there any downsides? What i love about my job is the international opportunities it has offered me. my dream was always to work overseas, and to learn more about other cultures and continents. Japan is a fantastic place to live in. its culture and the quality of life here exceeded my expectations. as there was an opportunity to stay in the Projects team after qualification, i applied, and now look forward to beginning my career as an associate in Japan.

There are downsides to every job. a job that comes with increasing responsibilities and a good salary is bound to be demanding, and there are occasions when we have to work long hours.

What skills do you think you need to succeed as a solicitor? in order to be a successful commercial lawyer, you need to work hard to achieve two things: technical excellence, and commercial excellence. you need to know the law relating to your area of practice inside out. you also need to understand in-depth what your clients are doing: this is necessary to communicate effectively with them, understand their needs, and provide them with practical legal advice they can use.

Following this i was called for a 30 minute interview with a representative from HR. also at the first interview i completed a short psychometric test, and a written exercise. The second round interview consisted of an interview with two partners, a case study, and a written test.

What type of work are you doing on your current seat? i am currently in the Real estate litigation department. olswang’s Real estate practice consists mainly of landlord clients. legislation protects tenants from being evicted from their premises except in exceptional circumstances. Upon renewal of any particular lease, the landlord needs to decide what its strategy might be for the premises – whether they would like to enter into a renewal lease with the tenant; whether they would prefer to regain possession of the premises; or perhaps the landlord might try to negotiate a new lease with the tenant on more favourable terms. a trainee’s job is usually to commence these negotiations with the tenant by drafting the appropriate notice. other aspects of Real estate litigation work involve serving schedules of dilapidations on tenants, recovering arrears from tenants, and dealing with insolvent tenants.

What do you most like about what you do and are there any downsides? as a trainee in Real estate litigation i have had exposure to every stage of the litigation process. i have commenced and drafted defences to claims, progressed those claims through to trial, and i have even been engaged in the inevitable post trial process of determining who pays whose costs. For me, the fact that Real estate litigation revolves around something tangible keeps the work really interesting as more often than not the buildings are well-known central locations in london.

normally i have about 30 current matters at any one time. often i find that it is difficult to know how to prioritise those matters that should take precedence over others. in these circumstances it is interesting to learn from supervision how best to deal with the situation. i am confident that knowing how to prioritise is a skill that develops as you become more experienced. »


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“It’s exactly how I wanted my career to develop.I’m working in a global, multi-cultural setting,on high quality deals with blue-chip clients,and all within a welcoming and supportiveenvironment. It’s about helping me to developmy experience and enabling me to be thebest lawyer I can be.”

Emily Carlisle, Associate, Corporate

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System and assisting on a feasibility study for a transport infrastructure project.

i have prepared preliminary advice for clients on a range of eU regulatory issues such as compliance with energy efficiency, food labelling legislation, requirements for car manufacturers and airlines operating within the eU, and in matters related to governments giving state aid to public authorities.

What do you most enjoy about what you do and are there any downsides? i like the fact i am required to learn about not just the law, but a variety of industries and sectors. The work is serious and important to the client, and thus i like the feeling of having a lot of responsibility. i like that law evolves and can never be fully mastered. in my current seat the interaction between law, economics, and politics is very apparent and fascinating.

The downside is thinking of the training contract as a two year interview - which i try not to do.

What strengths do you think you need to succeed? Drive, diligence, intelligence, and clarity of thought. organisational skills. interpersonal skills. Finally, a robust personality.

What advice would you give graduates considering law as a career? get as much practical experience as you can of the industry e.g. pro-bono, vacation schemes, work experience. Pick the firm that is right for you, which is why vacation schemes are all the more valuable.

legal training is managed for you. in terms of further training, i would definitely spend time improving my foreign languages.

What do you most like about what you do and are there any downsides? i’m lucky in that i get to work right in the thick of it on relatively high-profile matters; getting to see what’s going on behind the headlines is always interesting. moreover, these deals will often be the first of their kind – solving problems that haven’t been considered before is always satisfying.

all jobs have downsides. obviously the hours can be annoying but i think anyone considering a career at a city firm knows exactly what to expect on that front. you have to focus on a decent balance between work inside and outside the office.

What skills do you think you need to succeed? an attention to detail is invaluable, particularly as a trainee, but as far as i’m concerned an ability to communicate and argue well is key. language is central to being a lawyer – you have to be able to use it well.

What advice would you give graduates coming into this sector? get as much experience as you can on open days, vacation placements and seminars - there is a huge selection of firms in london so make sure you take enough time to pick the one that suits you.

‘an ability to communicate and argue is key. language is central to being a lawyer -- you have to be able to use it well.’age: 25, Degree and university: History at oxford.Work title: Trainee solicitor, allen & overy.

What do you actually do? it’s fairly difficult to give a comprehensive list of what i do as the work differs from department to department. at my level there’s obviously a lot of document management, particularly on large deals. Trainees are often the first port of call for research tasks and simple drafting, but we’re also expected to take minutes at meetings, help out with recruitment and marketing events, and get involved in charity work for the firm.

Why did you decide to go into the financial sector? The area in which i work is quite sharply focused on commercial and financial law and, to be honest, when it came to choosing a career i had very little interest in areas of law such as crime, family, and immigration. The slightly more academic

aspect of working in the city which being a commercial lawyer brings appealed to me – i like to be able to see the workings of a particular transaction.

Would you undertake further training to enhance your career? as a lawyer you can’t really avoid training – changes take place every day, and you need to be coached in new procedures and disciplines. The beauty of working for a firm such as a&o is that your

William Samengo Turner

Isi Ewahage: 26 Degree and university: economics bSc University of birminghamJob title: Trainee solicitor, berwin leighton Paisner

Why did you decide on a career in law? i chose law because of my interest in the business world and its objectives of success, growth, and income generation - knowing that law forms the fabric of commercial interaction between people and institutions on a global scale. i knew that i wanted to work alongside hard working and talented people, and apply myself to challenging work.

What did the application process involve? after submitting a successful application, i attended an assessment centre at the firm, which involved a presentation, an in-tray exercise, letter drafting, and a negotiation exercise followed by an interview with HR. i then completed a two week vacation placement in the summer, at the end of which i was interviewed by two partners.

What are you doing in your curent seat? eU & competition law Team, based in brussels. i am currently working on a large competition investigation researching eU environmental policy, in particular the integration of the aviation sector into the eU emissions Trading

‘i knew i wanted to work alongside hard working and talented people, and apply myself to challenging work.’

»


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age: 24Degree and university: law, 2:1, newcastle University, lPc: Sheffield UniversityWork title: Solicitor, mills & Reeve

Why did you decide on a career in law? i studied languages at a-level and did not enjoy the courses. i wanted to choose a degree that allowed me to keep my options open, and law was suggested as a gateway into more careers than just becoming a solicitor or a barrister. i enjoyed my degree and the variety of subjects covered and i decided to continue with a career in law, and to become a solicitor. even having made this decision i knew that there were many different types of law that i could qualify into, and each one could offer something different.

What did the application process involve? The application processes for the law degree and the lPc were fairly straightforward. The application procedure to gain a training contract was more arduous and daunting. i got my training contract at mills & Reeve through the paper application, which is now online, followed by an interview day. many trainees gain their training contract after completing a vacation scheme, and i would recommend this process as it allows you to experience what it is like to work in a particular firm.

What do you actually do? i have very recently started my third seat in the projects department. basically, the team work on large projects such as the development of new hospitals, student accommodation, and schools. in this department it can be difficult to take on large amounts of responsibility due to the size and complexity of the projects. commercial property was my last seat, and despite many trainees’ perceptions of this area of law, i would recommend this department. With supervision, i was able to take on and manage my own files which involved more responsibility but was much more rewarding. i found that by applying logic and common sense with a bit of property knowledge you can be a valued member of the team.

Katie Mitchell

Richard Hinwood

What do you most enjoy about what you do and are there any downsides? i find that the best part of this job is having the opportunity to use your brain. it is a very rewarding feeling when you are able to apply your knowledge to a real transaction or deal. i also really enjoy working with the staff from mills & Reeve. as trainees we move departments every four months which can be daunting having to get to know new people, and new ways of working, but the fee earners are friendly, down-to-earth people.

as with most jobs there are downsides such as having to work late on short notice, but your efforts are always appreciated. as a trainee your workload is dictated by the other members of the team and sometimes this means that you can have a quiet day followed by a very busy day, and it can be difficult to predict what you will be doing the following day. Having said that some people find that this is a benefit to the job.

What strengths do you need in order to succeed at law? once you start work you realise that understanding your area of law is taken as a given in this career, and you are expected to use that alongside many other attributes. To name but a few, you will need strengths such as attention to detail, strong communication skills, an understanding of clients’ commercial needs, and assertiveness.

What advice would you give graduates coming into the law sector? make sure that you know what processes you are required to go through before embarking on lengthy and expensive courses. obtaining a training contract is not as easy as it may seem.

‘being one of only four solicitors in the department means i have an integral role to play in the work undertaken.’

age: 23 Degree and University: oxford Jurisprudence lPc: cardiff Work Title: Trainee, Withers

Why did you decide to study law? i wanted a career that would be both stimulating and challenging. Working at Withers provides me with ample opportunity to advise and problem solve for high net

worth individual clients, whether on their personal or business matters.

What did the application process involve? The first stage was an online application. The second stage was a written test and a first-round interview with one partner. This gave me a chance to show my knowledge and interest in the firm and its work, as well as an opportunity to discuss my social interests and activities. The final stage of the process was a second-round interview before two partners. The presentation provided a good opportunity to demonstrate my verbal skills, particularly in subsequent questioning from the interviewers. both interviews provided ample opportunity to ask questions about the firm, from the training provided at Withers, to the social events organised by the firm. after the second round interview, a current trainee showed me around the london office, and was happy to answer any other questions i had about the firm. Withers continued to make me feel welcome at each visit to the office, and this made a lasting impression when choosing my training contract.

What type of work are you doing in your current seat? i am currently sat in the small but specialised property litigation team. i work on a wide range of property disputes, including landlord and tenant disputes, enfranchisement claims, failed property sales, defective building works, and boundary disputes. being one of only four solicitors in the department means that i have an integral role to play in the work undertaken, and meet/speak with clients on a regular basis. i also draft letters and court applications on a daily basis, as well as attending court hearings.

What do you most like about what you do and are there any downsides? i like the high level of responsibility and client contact. i spend a significant amount of time doing fee earning work on files, rather than photocopying and filing. i have great work colleagues. Withers is a firm full of genuine and approachable people, from the support staff to the partners. Withers also has a true open door policy that makes it easy to approach people to ask for advice whenever needed. i also like the training. We are encouraged to go on training courses including presentation and drafting skills, and we also have the opportunity to attend language classes. »


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all change | LAW ChANGESRW

all change

The training to become a solicitor or barrister is changing. Real World looks at the most important developments. By Hannah Davies

lPc The LPC, the vocational training stage of becoming a solicitor, is

changing. In essence, course providers will have more freedom

to tailor their training to particular areas of law and to students’

interests. There will also be important structural developments.

The LPC is currently a one-year course, with participants taking

various compulsory modules in stage one, and three elective

vocational subjects during stage two. Under the new system,

students will be able to skip straight to the training contract after

the first stage of the LPC, and take stage two at a law firm, or

with a different law school. This means that future solicitors can

spread the cost of their training. The changes will be in place

from September 2010; there are currently no plans to make it

compulsory for students to split the LPC year.

For details, see the Solicitors Regulation Authority

website: www.sra.org.uk

TRaining conTRacTsAround 6,000 future solicitors enter training contracts each

year, according to the Law Society. That sounds promising,

but don’t be fooled: competition for training contracts is

fierce, and approximately 2,500 would-be lawyers fail to

secure a place by the time they finish the LPC. help may be at

hand in the form of Work Based Learning, a new scheme from

the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). The scheme will allow

LPC graduates without a training contract to work towards

qualification as a solicitor. Those on the scheme would work as

Paralegals at participating law firms, but would also participate

in a structured training programme. The pilot starts in September

2008, and if successful, will be rolled out across England and

Wales in 2011.

BVcThe Bar Standards Board is conducting a review of the BVC,

including entry requirements, course content, and cost. This

should be completed by summer 2008. Any changes are

SOLICITORS

BARRISTERS

expected to be in

place starting from

September 2010.

PuPillageCurrently,

students

who

complete the

BVC are ‘called to

the Bar’, that is, qualify as a

barrister. however, in order to

practise as a barrister, BVC graduates still

have to complete a one-year pupillage. The Bar

Standards Board had planned to defer the stage at

which BVC graduates are called to the Bar until after pupillage,

starting from September 2008. This has not, in fact, come into

force, due to objections from many within the legal profession.

At the time of going to press, no final decision had been made.

For details, see the Bar Standards Board website:

www.barstandardsboard.org.uk n

REALW.LAW09.CHANGE.indd 16 19/9/08 13:57:15



age: 25University and degree subject: University of manchester, ba geography.Job title: Real estate Team, eversheds

Why did you decide upon a career in law?i felt that my key skills were suited to a career in law as i am organised, hard working, driven and pro-active. i enjoy being challenged and i want to have a profession but also be part of an active, thriving business. i thought that the opportunities to push myself within law were limitless. The career also appealed to me as it is orientated around the business world and the economic climate and i really wanted to be involved in this kind of environment.

What did the application process involve?Following an online application to my firm, i then had an initial interview in the second year of my geography degree to gain a place on the vacation scheme that was being held during the summer. Having been successful with this and being granted a place on the vacation scheme, i spent two weeks at eversheds, the first week based in the corporate team, and the second in property.

This two-week process was very useful as it gave me a real feel for the type of firm that eversheds was and also an insight into my career potential. During the two weeks we undertook a negotiation exercise, a pitch, mock court room scenarios cross examining a witness, networking with lawyers within the firm, and also gaining hands on experience within the departments.

Following these two weeks i was then invited to eversheds in September to formally be offered my position as a trainee. This was a key moment in my career and i vividly remember being handed a glass of champagne and a contract and not looking back from then on. The next three years involved christmas and summer socials and keeping in touch with the firm in preparation for my training contact that was to begin three years later.

What type of work are you doing in your current seat? i am currently based in the Real estate Development Team in the manchester office. i am involved in large scale developments across the country in residential, commercial, public and private

Caroline Parks

Mark Corran

sectors. i have been lucky enough to draft various key documents, participate in client meetings, learn about pitches, manage my own files, and also be involved in the marketing and networking side of the team. The firm has given me the responsibility to drive matters forward, but has also given me the supervision and motivation necessary to stop me feeling out of my depth.

What do you enjoy most about your job? life as a trainee solicitor is definitely not dull! every day presents new challenges and the learning curve throughout your training contract is very steep. meeting the clients and seeing the whole picture from start to finish is very rewarding, and the market awareness and general business acumen you obtain is very useful.

What would be your best piece of advice for graduates considering a career in law?Primarily i would say ‘think ahead and be one step ahead of the game.’ i managed to secure my job three years in advance and in doing so received very generous financial maintenance from eversheds, and the firm also paid all the fees for my two legal courses. generally, all the larger firms will be recruiting two years in advance. in addition to this be prepared to work hard as the competition for the jobs is steep, and the pressure once you get there doesn’t stop!

‘as my boss told me on my first day of work experience “the devil is in the detail”. all aspects of work must be thoroughly considered.’

age: 25Degree and university: Undergraduate law at Sheffield University, master’s in international business law at liverpool University. currently doing the lPc at John moores University. Job title: adviser, Shipley Solicitors

Why did you decide on a career in law? i didn’t, it was an accident. i’d decided i never wanted to practice because of the hours you were expected to work - i didn’t want to work for someone who would work me to death.

What did the application process involve? a week’s work experience. i turned up on my

first day and mark, my boss, gave me the details of a potential complaint. He asked me to draft the complaint and to let me know if i needed any help. i finished the week and he offered me a job!

can you describe what you actually do? most of my work is general commercial with iT/iP aspects and is overseen by the senior lawyers. i handled a lot of our clients’� domain name complaints initially. more recently, i’ve looked after website design and hosting contracts, exclusive distribution agreements, R&D agreements, outsourcing agreements, and i’m now starting to have a hand in some of our contentious matters.

What do you like most about what you do and are there any downsides? i like the atmosphere. i know ‘being a team’ is a cliché but we really are - i can always rely on my colleagues if i need advice or a hand in one of my matters. Plus, they’re a diverse bunch which makes for a really interesting and exciting group. on the work side it’s enriching. Shipley’s constantly raise the bar, always ensuring i develop. i don’t think there are any downsides - i’m very happy here.

What skills do you think you need to make a success of law? as my boss told me on my first day of work experience, ‘the devil’s in the detail’ - i think that a crucial skill is ensuring that every single aspect of any piece of work, even the most minor, is thoroughly considered. Related to this, i believe finding original points of view is essential. if you try to consider each and every angle, then you’ll find novel perspectives which you can then turn to your client’s advantage. Finally, in my mind, the most important skill is to find ways of delivering more than your client expects - most of our clients require legal advice; i look to give them business advice, providing ways for them to use the law to their best advantage.

What advice would you give to graduates wishing to enter the law sector? consider what you want from life and whether a career in law will help you to get there. »


Mishcon de Reya is a central London law firm providing a diverse range of legal services

for businesses and individuals.

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We offer an innovative and friendly environment, which provides great prospects

for commercially minded people.

Is this you?

To learn about career opportunities with Mishcon de Reya, please visit:

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‘go to as many open evenings as you can to get a feel for the type of people each law firm hires (although it may not seem like it from the literature, each firm does have a general type).’

age: 23Degree and university: University of manchester, lawTitle: Trainee Solicitor, lovells llP

What do you actually do? i am halfway through a two-year training contract with lovells llP, an international business law firm. completing the two years will enable me to qualify as a solicitor. To date i have spent time in the Real estate, Financial institutions, and litigation departments, and the work has varied considerably between them. However, typical trainee tasks include undertaking legal and financial research, attending and taking notes at client meetings, and producing first drafts of advice letters and legal documents.

Why did you decide to go into law? at school i enjoyed logical subjects involving problem solving and the law seemed a natural choice.

How did you find out about your course? i reviewed various league tables and the manchester law school had an excellent reputation. i was particularly impressed by the wide range of legal modules available to students.

Would you undertake further training to enhance your career? yes, if it fitted in with my career progression. i have already undertaken the legal Practice course (lPc) following my degree. all prospective solicitors are required to complete this to receive training in some of the more practical skills required.

What do you like most about what you do and are there any downsides? i like working on high profile matters as part of a large supportive team. but life as a trainee does occasionally involve low level tasks such as proof reading and photocopying.

What skills do you need to succeed at what you do? you need the ability to constantly re-prioritise work and you have to pay

age: 29 Degree and university: University of leeds, chinese and Japanese Studies (First, with a distinction in spoken chinese)gDl & lPc: bPP law School, london

Why did you decide on a career in law? i chose a career in law because, having done languages to degree level, i wanted to be in a profession which could be as international as possible. i did investigate the other city professions, but with my background in languages it just made more sense to play to my strengths and do something where the use of language, not numbers, was the most important thing.

What did the application process involve? When i joined, the application process for a training contract involved an online application and then interviews at the firm - one with a managing associate and then one with a partner. That has changed a bit now - there is a critical reasoning test and a first interview with a managing associate, followed by a case study that forms about 20 minutes of the second interview with a partner. all candidates get a half an hour to prepare for the case study before the partner interview.

What type of work are you doing in your current seat? i have just come to the end of a

Briony Worthing

Adedayo Ajibade

attention to detail. good skills to have are the ability to remain calm and focused when you are under pressure.

What advice would you give graduates coming into the sector? Undertake as much work experience as possible within different areas of the legal sector to get an idea of which you will be best suited to - i did two mini-pupillages before deciding that the bar was not for me.

seat in the investment management group which does a lot of work relating to the setting up and listing of funds, and also advising clients on investments into funds. a large part of my time in the seat saw me being involved in the setting up of a fund to invest in indian real estate. The transaction was a good mix of both technical drafting to reflect the commercial intent, and legal advisory work to make sure the transaction didn’t fall foul of any regulatory hurdles.

What do you most enjoy about what you do and are thee any downsides? The most enjoyable thing about the job is the constant challenge. This is especially so at the moment as the credit crunch forces people to look at new markets in which to expand, or new deal types to exploit.

The work is challenging so sometimes the hours can be challenging as well. However, you will constantly be mentally stimulated, and at the end of day, you’ll never be asked to stay late for no reason.

What skills do you need to succeed? a good eye for detail; the ability to look at the wider transaction, not just the document you are drafting at the time; communication skills, and when it gets busy, stamina!

What advice would you give graduates wishing to come into this sector? Definitely go to as many open evenings as you can to get a feel for the type of people that each law firm hires (although it may not seem like it from the literature, each firm does have a general type). There’s nothing worse than working late in the office with people you dislike, because then the hours go by a lot more slowly.

Don’t choose a career as a city solicitor if you think that it will be an easy ride. The clients can be demanding and there will be times where you are personally under pressure to deliver results. Do choose a career as a city solicitor if, despite all that, you’re still game and up for the challenge - there are few professions which will give you an intellectual work-out like this one will. »




‘if you can do the important but less interesting work well, the people you work with will feel more confident in giving you challenging tasks in the future.’

Valerie Woodford

Sara Kingdonage: 24University: cardiff UniversityDegree: llb in law and german from cardiff University (2:1) and llm in german law from the University of Trier, germany (cum laude). Undertook the legal Practice course at The centre For Professional legal Studies at cardiff law School. Job Title: Trainee, eversheds

Why did you decide on a career in law? i decided on a career in law after undertaking various legal work experience placements

age: 23Degree and university: balliol college, oxford, and studied the lPc 2006/2007 at bPP, london. Work Title: Trainee - Project Finance, lovells

What do you actually do? i share an office with my supervisor, who provides me with work on a daily basis and helps me to manage my workload when other associates ask for trainee assistance.

i have primarily been involved with the legal side of financing large infrastructure projects. i have seen two deals close in my first couple of weeks; i had the opportunity to become involved with last minute amendments to documents, the signing process, and post-close activities.

i have carried out company searches and due diligence to find out more information about companies and assets being bought. i have also been asked to draft board minutes and several clauses in agreements, and have had feedback from my supervisor at each stage. other work so far has included commercial and legal research, and sending documents to clients.

Why did you decide to go into law? law gives me an opportunity to be in a commercial environment, where solutions have to be legally viable but also commercially efficient. i enjoy client contact and problem solving, and wanted a challenging career that would be interesting and varied.

How did you find out about this particular position? i started my law degree thinking that i might like to go to the bar. after completing a mini-pupilage and two vacation schemes (one at lovells), i realised that i wanted to pursue a career at a corporate law firm instead.

Would you undertake further study to enhance your career? absolutely - lovells offers a comprehensive training programme, and i understand that there is an opportunity to study for an mba in the evenings.

What do you most like about what you do and are there any downsides? i really enjoy client

contact, and the opportunity to be part of a transaction team. The people i work with are very approachable, and i feel very comfortable asking questions if i need to, or asking to become involved in different types of work. The projects all involve tangible assets, and i find it more interesting to be thinking about financing a school/hospital/motorway, rather than general banking. although ‘project finance’ is in the finance stream at lovells, it involves a huge amount of corporate work - i feel like i am getting the best of both! in addition to the client work that i have experienced since starting at lovells, there has been lots of scope to become involved with business development activities. i have even represented my own client in court on a pro-bono basis, and am encouraged by the work-life balance i can see in the department.

Trainees are an important part of the team, but there are some less stimulating jobs that will pass your desk. However, the ‘process’ jobs will give you a better understanding of the project, and that will make you feel more competent in general. if you can do the important but less interesting work well, the people you work with will feel more confident in giving you challenging tasks in the future.

What strengths do you need to succeed? confidence when communicating with colleagues and clients; an interest in business and the type of work involved at a city law firm; an eagerness to take on more responsibility and to be pro-active, and attention to detail.

and attending several law fairs and careers talks to get a better insight into the legal profession and what working as a solicitor would involve. i found the work to be interesting, challenging and rewarding - exactly the kind of characteristics i was looking for in my future career, and the chance to work directly with clients also appealed to me as i have always welcomed the opportunity to meet new people.

What did the application process involve? i applied directly for a training contract at eversheds via an online application form and was then invited to attend an assessment day at the cardiff office. This involved a variety of tasks including an in-tray exercise, an interview and business analysis exercises with the opportunity to sit with a trainee for the rest of the afternoon. i also had to complete some online psychometric testing prior to the assessment day to test my numerical and verbal reasoning skills.

What type of work are you doing in your current seat? at the moment i am working in our legal Systems group as part of the complex Title Rectification and Professional negligence Team. our clients are mainly mortgage lenders and other financial institutions and i have experienced a wide range of contentious matters including general title rectification, subsidence, nuisance, and insurance cases to name but a few. There has been plenty of direct client contact, as well as the opportunity to attend court, draft witness statements, and prepare instructions to counsel along with other more general litigation tasks.

What do you enjoy most about your job and are there any downsides? Part of eversheds’ vision is to be a great place to work and in my experience this is certainly the case. even as a trainee you get the opportunity to have direct contact with clients and there is a real hands on approach to your training. The quality and range of work is first-class and as everyone is friendly and approachable all aspects of training are enjoyable. you also get as much responsibility as you feel comfortable with, but help is always at hand if you feel you need it. »


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age: 28 Degree and university: ba (Hons) in law and French. This was a joint major course during which i spent the third year studying French law and French at Université Jean moulin lyon 3 in lyon, France. Job Title: Trainee, martin Searle Solicitors

Why did you decide on a career in law? one of my earliest childhood memories was watching the US based legal drama ‘la law’. at a very young age i became fascinated by the legal issues and arguments that arose. as i matured, i began to realise that this glamorous portrayal of the legal industry was not an accurate reflection of the legal system. my interest in the law continued to develop and whilst at secondary school i attended a careers workshop run by local solicitors. i was able to increase my knowledge and awareness of the industry. i also made enquiries as to how i could pursue a career in the legal field.

after my degree i worked as an advisor at an advice centre and also did clerking at a criminal law firm prior to commencing the lPc. once i completed the lPc, i worked as a paralegal for a clinical negligence and personal injury firm before joining martin Searle Solicitors in January 2007.

What type of work are you doing in your current seat? i have recently completed my final training seat in the employment department. i assist the Head of employment on a range of contentious and non-contentious issues. i frequently deal with unfair dismissal and race/age/disability discrimination cases, and we act for both employer and employee clients.

What do you most enjoy about your job and are there any downsides? The aspect i enjoy the most about my job is interacting with clients on a day-to-day basis. i also get great job satisfaction especially when i have been involved in the successful outcome of a case.

The only downside to my job is that on rare occasions i have to deal with difficult clients. However, this comes with experience and makes the job more challenging.

‘the route to becoming a solicitor is very difficult and expensive, and should not be entered into lightly.’

Marsha Thompson

Victoria Sugden

What skills do you need to be a successful solicitor? a successful solicitor needs to be organised, personable and have excellent oral and written communication skills. a solicitor also needs to pay great attention to detail, and have a good sense of commercial awareness.

What advice would you give graduates wishing to have a career in law? you will need to think very carefully about whether this is what you really want to do. The route to becoming a solicitor is very difficult, expensive, and should not be entered into lightly. i would also urge graduates to obtain as much information as possible to enable them to make an informed decision as to whether they want to pursue a career in law. once the decision has been made, i would advise graduates never to give up, and not to stop until your goals have been achieved.

is there anything you would like to add? good luck to all those searching for training contracts. it can take a very long time but if you are determined, motivated and persevere, you will get there in the end. get whatever work experience you can while waiting for a training contract. also, it is very important to ensure that your application is tailored to the firm to which you are applying. Three-quarters of applications for the training contract i got were irrelevant to the firm.

age: 24 years oldDegree and university: law at Durham University. lPc at nottingham law School.Job Title: Trainee ec/competition, cmS cameron mcKenna

Why did you decide on a career in law? Having done various work experience placements at a young age, including shadowing a criminal barrister, i was confident that a career in law would give me both the variety of work and intellectual stimulation that i needed. During the summer holidays of my second year at university, i undertook four vacation placements, which gave me the chance to gain an insight into the daily workings of different departments and different law firms. During this time i realised that a career in a city law firm would

give me the interaction with people i wanted, and varied career opportunities.

What did the application process involve? i obtained my training contract with cameron’s after my second year at university. initially i did lots of research into the firm before i sent off my online application form, and completed an online verbal reasoning test. i was then invited down to london to attend an assessment day at the offices. This involved a presentation, interview and analysis exercise in the morning, and then i was invited to stay on for a group exercise, and a partner interview in the afternoon. although the day was tiring, the tasks enabled us to demonstrate a variety of skill sets.

What type of work are you doing in your curent seat? i am currently sat in ec/competition. it is quite a niche area of the law, but i have been able to get a mixture of different matters including cartel cases, procurement, ec mergers, and State aid issues. my work over the last few months has involved a lot of research and usually involves me scouring several competition authorities’ websites on a daily basis to keep up with the developing case law, not only in the UK, but also throughout europe.

What do you most like about what you do and are there any downsides? i thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to get involved in lots of different cases; it makes my days exciting and varied. in competition i have enjoyed being given tasks and having to research various different sources in order to find a solution to a problem. i am also grateful to be working with some of the greatest experts in the legal field and learning from their experience.

What skills do you think you need to succeed? There are lots of skills people can develop during their career in law, including the ability to be diplomatic, confident, supportive, and approachable. also it helps if you don’t take yourself too seriously and understand that your training contract will be a steep learning curve. Start applying for vacation placements as soon as possible. n


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RWbaRRisteRs | intrOductiOn

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Raising the baR

Getting paid to row with strangers: that is one way to describe

a barrister’s work. traditionally, barristers deal with courtroom

advocacy – that is, arguing their client’s case in front of a

judge. Barristers act on the instructions of solicitors, who occupy

a more client-facing, advisory role. However, the number of

disputes that make it to trial has been falling for several years.

What’s more, there has been an increase in ‘solicitor

advocates’, and some barristers have been taking on advisory

roles in an effort to diversify. the boundary between the two

areas is therefore becoming blurred, but it’s not quite time for

barristers to hang up their wigs: advocacy, whether in person or

on paper, is still the mainstay of the profession.

WoRking lifethe majority of barristers are self-employed, working out of

shared offices known as ‘chambers’ or ‘sets’. Once a junior

barrister has completed pupillage (see Becoming A Lawyer on

page 6), the next step is to secure a place, or ‘tenancy’, at

chambers. despite the freedom of self-employment, the hours

are usually long and antisocial, particularly for those just starting

out. Most barristers specialise in a particular legal area, such as

tax or crime, and build their practice around this. Employed

barristers work for private firms or for public institutions such as

the crown Prosecution Service.

the Bar council is the professional body for barristers. in

addition, all barristers are members of one of the four inns of

court: Gray’s inn, inner temple, Middle temple, and Lincoln’s

inn. the inns, based in central London, are responsible for

‘calling’ barristers to the Bar, and are a source of socialising and

training. However, this does not mean that you’re limited to the

capital. Almost a third of barristers, and half of all chambers,

are based outside London, according to Bar council figures.

Junior barristers in cities such as Birmingham, Liverpool, and

Leeds spend far less of their hard-earned money on general

living costs, such as rent and travel, than those in the capital.

Being a barrister is seen as a highly lucrative profession, but

income depends on various factors. At the extreme, Queen’s

counsel (Qc), the very top barristers, can earn in excess of £1

million a year, while junior practitioners at leading commercial

chambers might take home £80,000 plus. Yet those who

specialise in publicly funded areas such as family or crime can

expect considerably less.

What do barristers do apart from stride around looking angry? Real World takes a look at what’s beneath the wig. By Hannah Davies

• Number of students called to the Bar: 1,776 (51per cent male, 49 per cent female)

• Number of practising barristers: 15, 030 (66 per cent male, 34 per cent female; 11.3 per cent ethnic minority)

• Self-employed barristers: 12, 058• Employed barristers: 2,972• Geographic spread of chambers: 330 in London, 313

outside London• Main hubs for chambers outside London: Birmingham,

Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool and ManchesterFigures from the Bar Council, December 2007

CoMpEtitioNBlame Judge John deed, or maybe cherie Blair, or perhaps

there are lots of wig fetishists out there; whatever the reason,

the Bar is an extremely popular destination for graduates. if

you want to become a barrister, you will need a great deal

of determination. A recent report in the Lawyer revealed

that the number of Bar Vocational course (BVc) graduates

offered pupillage has dropped by 20 per cent since 2000.

this is owing to a 32 per cent increase in the number of

students taking the BVc. Even when a junior barrister does

secure pupillage, the competition does not stop there.

tenancies at the top chambers are fiercely contested. Some

junior barristers find themselves extending the term of their

pupillage – taking a ‘third six’ – as they have struggled to

find a place in chambers.

getting into be in with a chance, you need strong academic

qualifications: the minimum requirement is a 2.2 in any

subject, but many chambers expect a 2.1. Yet your degree

classification alone is not enough to make you stand out

from the crowd. Mini-pupillages – short periods of work

experience in chambers – are an excellent way of

strengthening your cV. these usually involve shadowing a

barrister, and will give you an unparalleled insight into the

profession. You should also consider getting involved with

your student debating society to demonstrate your public

speaking skills. n www.barcouncil.org.uk

REALW.LAW09.BARRISTER.indd 23 19/9/08 13:58:58


WoRking foR the public good

If working in the law sector while doing something tangible for your country

appeals, then the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), or Government Legal

Service (GLS), could be for you.

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REALW.LAW09.PUBLIC.indd 24 19/9/08 14:01:13

It is the main prosecuting authority in England and Wales and

works in partnership with other agencies such as the police

and courts reviewing criminal cases in order to see whether

there is a realistic chance for a conviction to be made on the

basis of the evidence available. It advises the police during

the early stages of the investigation, prepares cases for court,

and presents those cases at court.

Ken Macdonald QC, Director of Public Prosecutions, says:

‘We are the biggest law firm in the country and we are

increasingly designed to deliver justice to the community. I

want a world-class prosecuting service at the heart of the

criminal justice system helping to build a fairer and more

decent society – a public prosecution service, respected and

valued in those terms. This can only be achieved with the help,

support and commitment of our staff.’

working for the cPSThere are three main roles within the CPS: Prosecutors (lawyers)

who review and prosecute criminal cases as well as

undertaking advice work, case building and advocacy; CPS

Case Workers who assist the prosecutors with their casework by

attending court and liaising with witnesses and other

organisations within the criminal justice system; Administrators

who work within all the different departments of the CPS

including Finance, Learning and Development, and HR.

trAining: LegAL trAining ScheMeTraining and professional development are both encouraged

within the CPS, with the Law Society accrediting courses for

lawyers. The Legal Trainee Scheme includes both pupillages,

which last for one year, and training contracts, which last for

two years. However, if you have relevant prior experience you

may be able to apply for a reduction in your training period.

Because the CPS only deals in criminal litigation and trainee

solicitors are required to gain experience in three areas of the

law, they must undertake one or more secondments in private

practise outside CPS. However, pupils can serve the full 12

months with the CPS, but are encouraged to spend a month

of the first six in chambers. They then spend their last six months

working as prosecutors in the magistrates’ courts. If you

successfully complete your training contract or pupillage you

will be offered a post as a prosecutor. The starting salary for

trainees is £18,425 and is then reviewed annually. For more

information about the Legal Training Scheme contact legal.

[email protected]

trAining: LAw SchoLArShiP ScheMeOnce employed by the CPS you can apply for the Law

Scholarship Scheme, which offers a clear development route

from Administrator through to Crown Prosecutor, and pays

fees for the Professional Skills Course (PSC) for trainee solicitors.

For pupils it pays for the advocacy, forensic accounting, and

advice to counsel courses, as well as travelling costs. Study

can be part-time or distance learning, so you can still work

while you learn.

If you’d like to ‘try before you buy’, work experience,

mini-pupillages and job shadowing opportunities are available

for prospective trainees. For details contact your local CPS

office for details.

The Government Legal Service (GLS) has very close links with

the CPS, as well as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Its

only client is the British Government and virtually all UK

regulations are the work of the GLS. It employs around 1,900

lawyers and trainees who advise government ministers on

matters as diverse as education, tax, human rights, industry,

and finance. The GLS litigates in all UK courts, as well as in the

European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, and the European

Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

trAiningThe GLS offers both training contracts, which last for two years,

and pupillages, which last for a year. Annually, about 25

places are offered and you’ll need an upper second-class

degree to be considered. Although your degree doesn’t

need to be in law, you will need strong analytical and

interpersonal skills. Non-law graduates have to complete the

Common Professional Examination (CPE) and funding may be

available for this. Trainee solicitors spend six months in four

different seats over the two-year period before qualifying,

while pupils divide their one-year pupillage between the GLS

and chambers. The GLS pays your Legal Practice Course

(LPC), or Bar Vocational Course (BVC) fees in full, as well as

any other compulsory professional skills course fees and

provides you with a grant of about £5,000 – £7,000 for the

vocational year. Starting salaries for trainees in London are

between £21,300 - £23,900, with newly qualified rates in

London between £27,000 - £38,000. Please refer to the website

at www.gls.gov.uk, or email [email protected]

rwworking for the PubLic good | CPS

WWW.REALWORLDMAGAZINE.COM rw 25

the cPS was created by the Prosecution of offences Act 1985.

the cPS employs around 8,775 staff.

2,500 staff are lawyers.

30 per cent of employees are qualified prosecutors and more than 94 per cent of staff are engaged in frontline prosecutions.

every year the cPS deals with more than 1.3 million cases in the magistrates’ courts.

every year the cPS deals with about 115,000 in the crown court.

the cPS has three headquarters based in London, York, and birmingham.

crown prosecution service

government legal service

cPS: the nuMberS

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The Ultimate Law Guide, are an organization of qualifi ed solicitors, who trained at leading City law fi rms. We help would-be solicitors improve their chances of securing a training contract by using our fi rst-hand knowledge of the training contract selection process.

Breaking into the legal profession is no mean feat, and like many other talented aspiring solicitors, we found it very challenging to secure a training contract at fi rst. We could not fi nd a useful source of reference for us to turn to for practical guidance at the all-important early stages of our careers. Now we have successfully entered the world of law we want to give something back by helping to inspire the next generation of lawyers to raise their aspirations, and empower students to strive to achieve their career goals. We want to help students by sharing our knowledge and experiences to make them more suffi ciently informed about what is expected in order to achieve a training contract, and to then go on and enjoy a successful and rewarding legal career.

Our career guide, entitled the Ultimate Guide to Training Contract Success, assists aspiring solicitors by providing practical solutions to many of the challenges involved in trying to forge a legal career. Our Guide walks students through every aspect of the training contract recruitment process. It gives useful tips on how to write top-level application forms for the most competitive law fi rms, and offers an insight on what to expect as a trainee solicitor. There are chapters on

commercial awareness, networking and the questions asked at interviews and also case studies. We highly recommend that you read our Guide before you even think about applying! It will ensure you become better informed about what law fi rms are looking for and the legal landscape, which will increase your prospects of achieving a training contract.

We recently launched a Commercial Awareness Forum on our website www.ultimatelawguide.com in partnership with Practical Law Company (PLC). It provides students with free access to articles and podcasts on legal and business issues in order to keep abreast of commercial/legal developments during their studies, or on a gap year. This unique and innovative resource helps students (and current trainee solicitors) to understand the business of a law fi rm, and the environment in which law fi rms operate.

The Ultimate Guide to Training Contract Success costs £19.99 and is available to buy from the Ultimate Law Guide website at www.ultimatelawguide.com, and also from Amazon and leading book shops.

FREE COPIES AVAILABLE!

The Ultimate Law Guide will be attending this autumn’s leading law career fairs and you can obtain a FREE copy of The Ultimate Guide to Training Contract Success by visiting their stand.

Guiding tomorrow’s leading lawyers todayULTIMATE LAW GUIDE

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WoRking foR the public good | CAsE stuDIEs RW

Age: 33degree and university: i initially studied law at brunel university, graduating in 1996. i then spent nine years in the it industry before attending the college of law on a full-time basis and obtaining the graduate diploma in law, and bar Vocational course qualifications. Work title: Second six pupil, crown prosecution Service (cpS)

What type of work are you currently doing? i am currently a second six pupil. this means i have a provisional practicing certificate granted by the bar council which enables me to exercise rights of audience. i spend three to four days a week in court, doing trials and remand lists. this can be anything from opposing bail for a defendant charged with a serious offence, to a multi-day trial for criminal damage. Although it’s a cliché, in the crown prosecution Service no two days are ever the same!

What do you enjoy the most about what you do and are there any downsides? i enjoy being an integral part of the criminal justice system. At the heart of everything i do is a person who has been the victim of crime. i put into practice the skills i learnt at an academic level, and work towards delivering justice for all victims. the sheer variety of work i do means that today i am prosecuting three defendants in the Magistrates court for alleged criminal damage, and next week i might be preparing a case of actual bodily harm for the crown court. each day is an intellectual challenge with a new set of facts to master, and a different body of law to apply them to.

the biggest downside to what i do is the pace. it really is non-stop. no sooner is one case finished than the next one begins. i can walk into court in the morning expecting a trial to go one way, and by the end of the day it will have taken a different direction. that means i often have to think on my feet, and construct arguments and strategies to deal with the new developments quickly, and without much time to prepare.

Becky Owen

Shaun Round

What skills do you believe you need to succeed? An incisive mind is essential. it’s important that you can quickly sift through information and identify the issues in any given situation. once you have done this you then need to be able to apply the law in both practical and creative ways. You need to be flexible in your thinking, and able to see a problem from every angle. Most importantly you need to be resilient, both intellectually and physically. the law is a competitive field, and the hours of work can be very long. if you can get past that, the satisfaction after a good day’s work is worth it!

Age: 25degree and university: llb law at university of birmingham, bar Vocational course at inns of court School of lawWork title: pupil barrister, cpS

Why did you decide on a career in law? i always wanted a career where i felt like i was doing something good for the community as a whole. i believed i could do this through a career in law as ‘law’ influences everything and everyone in every community throughout the united kingdom. A career as a barrister, i believe, allows me to really do some good by protecting the public and sticking up for those who are not always able to do so themselves.

What type of work are you doing in your current seat? As a pupil barrister, my training is only for 12 months split into non-practicing and practicing periods of six months. the first six months is spent getting to grips with the work that the crown prosecution Service is involved with. this would involve observing charging decisions at the police station, completing case reviews in order to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed on the charges faced by the defendant, and also observing court proceedings including first appearances through to trial and even appeal. there was also opportunity in my first six months to practice my own advocacy skills in front of more senior lawyers.

the second six months is very much a learning curve, but an exciting one. once i hit the six month mark, i was immediately put into the Magistrates’ court to conduct court

proceedings. i initially dealt with the defendants’ first appearances before the court following charging at the police station. this might involve dealing with the entering of pleas, deciding whether a case is more suitable for the crown court or Magistrates’ court, and also whether the defendant should be released on bail or not. After a couple of weeks of this, i then progressed to dealing with traffic trials, and trials for offences which are non-imprisonable. during this time, i really learnt to sharpen my advocacy skills. My current responsibilities now include first appearances, traffic trials and also trials involving drugs offences, domestic violence, and theft which can include legal argument over admissibility of evidence. My court appearances are on top of the work i was involved with during my first six months, such as case reviews.

What do you most enjoy about your job and are there any downsides? it would definitely have to be the fact that i am in court four out of the five days a week. being on my feet in court, arguing my case, was the reason i wanted to be a barrister and now i get to do that pretty much every day, whether it is a remand list or a trial. i also love the variety that comes with the job as every case is different, and also the responsibility that comes with it such as making decisions that could affect the way a case is conducted. i find that working in the legal profession is a continual learning experience as the law is constantly changing, particularly in the criminal sphere, which i see as a major positive; you will never get bored, which is one of my first aims when looking for a job. i also enjoy the fact that i get to be involved in some high profile cases (even if only on a very minor scale). i hope to be involved in more of these cases, when i have greater experience.

the crown prosecution Service is a fantastic employer, that offers great training, support and incentives to all staff. i feel that completing my pupillage with the cpS has given me a solid basis from which to build a career as a criminal barrister. i believe the opportunities afforded by the cpS, in terms of court exposure, are far more than i would have had at the independent bar. n

‘each day is an intellectual challenge with a new set of facts to master, and a different body of law to apply them to.’


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convertingto law

Even if you’ve studied something other than law at university, that doesn’t mean you can’t train to be a lawyer. In fact, about 30 per cent of new trainees are non-law graduates who then go on to take a conversion course. If you’re considering a move into law read on to discover all about the Graduate Diploma in Law.

REALW.LAW09.CONVERT.indd 28 19/9/08 14:03:00

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RWconveRting to laW | the gdl

WWW.ReAlWORldMAgAZINe.COM RW 29

The graduate diploma in law (gdl) is also known as

the Common Professional examination (CPe) and is

offered by over 30 institutions in the UK. the

minimum entry requirement is a 2:2, but competition

for places is fierce and you may find you need a 2:1 to be

considered. It’s an intensive, one-year foundation course and

once completed, you then progress to either the legal Practice

Course (lPC) if you want to be a solicitor, or to the Bar Vocational

Course (BVC) if you want to be a barrister. Obviously, because it

is only a year long gdl does not cover all the subjects covered

by a three-year degree, but it does include:

• law of contract • law of tort • criminal law • equity and the law of trusts • land law • public law • eU law

depending on where you are studying, your course may also

include other subjects.

FUll-tiMe oR PaRt-tiMe?You can study for the gdl either full-time or part-time and

one of the factors you should consider when deciding which

to choose is the cost. Fees currently range from £3,070 to

£7,450, and you should budget for a further £6,000 to £9,000

for living expenses and rent. If you know you simply cannot

afford that you may like to consider the part-time route,

which entails study being spread over two years, which would

give you the option of working part-time in order to ‘earn as

you learn’. Also, if your paid work is relevant to the law it can

help improve your chances when applying for full-time jobs.

however, you need to be extremely disciplined in order not

to let your study slip.

the full-time course lasts 36 weeks, with at least 32 weeks

of tuition. You’ll be studying for at least 45 hours a week, so

you need to be dedicated and prepared to put in a lot of

work. Most people take the full-time option and there are

currently 4,600 full-time places on offer. You could get a

Career development loan to help with the costs, or other

possible sources of funds include a means-tested bursary from

one of the individual Inns of Court, or getting sponsorship

from a firm of solicitors as part of a recruitment package.

however, you need to be prepared well in advance for

sponsorship as most firms recruit two years ahead.

HoW to aPPlYIf you think gdl is for you then take care over your application

(applications for part-time courses are made via the individual

institutions, for the full-time courses you must go through the

Central Applications Board) for which you will have to produce

a personal statement including the reasons why you have

decided on a career in law, and previous experience. this is

an excellent opportunity for you to really consider whether you

have the stamina, determination, and drive to make a success

out of a career in law. Finally, the gdl qualification is only valid

for seven years, and if you haven’t gone on to do either the

lPC or BVC after this time, your gdl will be invalid and you’ll

have wasted all that effort and hard work.

For more information on where you can study for the gdl go

to the law Society’s website at www.lawsociety.org.uk n

‘The full-Time course lasTs 36 weeks, wiTh aT leasT 32 weeks of TuiTion. you’ll be sTudying for aT leasT 45 hours a week, so you’ll need To be dedicaTed and also prepared To puT in a loT of work on your sTudy.’

REALW.LAW09.CONVERT.indd 29 19/9/08 14:03:18


joining the paRas

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REALW.LAW09.PARALEGAL.indd 30 19/9/08 14:05:05

RWpaRalegals | introduction

WWW.rEALWorLdMAGAZinE.coM RW 31

A lthough they are not fully-

qualified solicitors or barristers,

you will find paralegals working in law firms as well as many

other institutions. their expertise makes them invaluable to

civil and criminal courts, to the public sector including

citizens’ Advice Bureau and the nHS, and to charities, trade

unions, and commercial companies. they can take over

surprisingly large parts of a lawyer’s workload including

interviewing clients and witnesses, attending court, doing

research, and preparing legal documents. in fact, the

more experienced paralegals in law firms may do

everything a solicitor does.

there are now 500,000 paralegals in the uK, as opposed

to 132,000 solicitors and barristers, and according to James

o’connell, chief Executive of the institute of Paralegals,

that figure is set to explode. ‘Paralegal is like the twenty-first

century’s great stealth profession,’ he states. ‘this is an

emerging profession and we’re going from being just junior

employees in a law firm, to becoming a distinct role and

career. Because we are in a transition stage nothing is set in

stone, however the paralegal profession is forming rapidly

due to socio-economic pressures.’

in the uK, a lot of solicitors’ hourly charge-out rates have

got so high (over £400 an hour) many people are just not

prepared to pay any more. By getting some of the work

done by a more junior employee law firms can charge less

for his or her time. ‘Hard economics are forcing law firms to

delegate ever more work downwards,’ explains o’connell.

‘Also, handling cases can be broken down into distinct jobs

many of which can be dealt with by paralegals. Another

reason is regulatory; the Legal Services Act, the solicitors

training framework review, and the reform of Legal Aid, are

all pushing towards increased use of paralegals. the other

reason is because these days we end up interacting with

the law all the time – parking fines, employment tribunals

– we are overwhelmed by law, especially if you are a

business, and so it makes economic sense to use an inhouse

paralegal rather than an outside consultant.’

paRa positivesAccording to o’connell this is a great option to choose if you

are looking for a less pressurised option where you don’t

have to work ludicrous hours. it’s also great for LPc (Legal

Practise course) graduates who haven’t managed to get a

training contract, and want to get a year’s worth of

experience before retrying for a contract. in fact, many law

firms are looking for permanent paralegals with the incentive

of a training contract dangling in front of LPc graduates.

‘Being a paralegal can be a job for life, but it can also be a

stepping stone to becoming a lawyer,’ he explains. ‘Also, this

career gives you amazing transportable skills that will get you

jobs in loads of other sectors.’

in order to succeed in this fast growing sector you need to

be accurate, you need to be clear thinking, you need to be

literate, you also need to have good social skills, and have a

professional approach. A good business brain helps too.

Although paralegals do not earn as much as lawyers this is

still a lucrative career. A recent salary survey by Hayes found

graduates entering the profession in London could expect to

earn between £20,000 and £23,000, rising up to £40,000 in a

few years. ‘You could rise to the level of Associate director,

or even run your own legal practise as a paralegal. At that

kind of level you can earn £90,000 a year,’ says o’connell.

there are now a variety of specific qualifications

available for paralegals and o’connell says the key to a

successful career in the sector is to just get your foot in the

door. ‘Graduates will find they have to apply to a lot of

firms. We suggest graduates should try approaching the

legal departments of big firms in their local area. our

research shows that most PLcs have at least five paralegals

working in their legal departments. Go and work for cPS,

benefits fraud teams at the local council, or at the nHS

doing litigation claims. Many people find these alternative

employees pay better and give better training than the law

firms do. there are half a million paralegals in the uK and

nine out of 10 don’t actually work in law firms.’ n

www.instituteofparalegals.org

Getting into law can be a hard, financially punitive, slog. However, there is an alternative to training to become a solicitor or barrister. You could join the growing band of paralegals, whose position within the legal profession is becoming increasingly important.

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sardines

salmon

www.sardinessalmon.com

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paRalegals | CAsE stuDIEs RW

Clare Louise Carter

Jennifer Choi

‘you need to master the skill of listening. you need the ability to sit down and detail everything your client is telling you.’

age: 23 Degree and university: studied at the University of glamorgan, law llB (HONs) full-time and also the lpC. Job Title: I am currently an employment law legal advisor for MJl Business support.

Why did you decide on a career in law? My secondary school focused on performing arts so many of my friends went into that field as that’s all we knew. I loved my art, music and drama, but it just did not seem enough to build a career out of. I had never studied law and my secondary school did not offer law at gCse or a level, so in all honesty I had no idea if I would like it or if I’d be good at it.

I knew that law would be hard work and a challenge, but the glossy prospectus pages detailing the elements of a qualifying law degree pulled me in, and I was set.all I knew was a career in law would not be repetitive, and it would keep my mind young.

What did the application process involve? The application process for MJl Business support involved a written application, consisting of my current CV and covering letter. I was then invited to attend an interview, where I met the Head of Department and two other legal advisors. I answered numerous questions ranging from my past experience, through to my studies, and how I would advise on certain situations. I was then invited to spend half a day in the role to see how I was in a practical situation, and how my skills shone in a working environment.

Can you describe what you actually do? I work for a HR and Health and safety consultancy. My role within the company is as an employment legal advisor. On a daily basis I advise companies on employment law issues ranging from contract queries to responses to eT1’s they have received. Our clients range from small local businesses, to huge franchises such as Domino’s pizza, and they can be anywhere in the country.My daily routine is never the same; it can range from visiting clients to go through contracts, or I advise on issues face to face, or even attending tribunals representing respondents in employment Tribunal Claims.

What do you most like about what you do and are there any downsides? In all honesty the best thing about my job is I’m doing what I love. going to work is not a chore and I enjoy every minute even the ups and downs. I absolutely love the fact that every day is different, whether it’s in the office advising clients on the phone, out visiting clients, or attending tribunal. You could never say that this job is a nine-to-five desk role. I work with a fantastic bunch of people and they make the job so enjoyable each day just disappears.

What skills do you think you need to make a success of what you do? I would say one of the most important skills that you need is determination. It’s a competitive world and you will find times when you just don’t seem to be getting interviews, and my advice is to carry on. If you have a true drive and passion for law no one can stop you doing what you love.

Once you get a job in the legal field you need to master the skill of listening. You need to have the ability to sit and detail everything your client is telling you so that you can provide the best service to that person, without allowing your personal feelings to get in the way.

What advice would you give candidates wishing to enter the law sector? The best piece of advice for anyone considering a career in law is not to underestimate the value of any work experience you can gather. Many companies provide unpaid placements which can be the tool to make you shine above all the other candidates.

a career in law means you never stop learning and it’s constantly changing, so you need to be prepared for ups and downs.

age: 22Degree and university: College of law, Chester, law llB (2:1)Job Title: Insurance assistant legal advisor, DWF

Why did you decide upon a career in law?I decided to pursue law because it makes use of both legal and non-legal skills I’ve

gained during my degree and work experiences. I was attracted to the fast-paced and competitive nature of commercial law, and I felt the variety of work from high-value corporate transactions to negotiations in contentious practice areas, presented interesting challenges. On my vacation placements, I found I enjoyed working in a legal environment and haven’t looked back since!

What did the application process involve?The application process was initially a CV and covering letter, followed by a first-stage interview consisting of a verbal reasoning test and an interview with two solicitors. Then, I was invited back for a second interview, which involved a presentation on a landmark insurance case in front of two partners and a solicitor.

Can you describe what you actually do?Insurance is a huge department in DWF, and my team specialises in recovering what insurers pay out from third parties who contributed to the damage. We each have our own caseload, which means we are responsible for the ongoing negotiation up to the case being settled or going to court, while keeping our own clients updated. This area has a huge scope and we regularly handle cases involving all sorts of disasters ranging from subsidence and water damage, to fire and floods.

What do you enjoy most about your job and are there any downsides? DWF aims to maximise everyone’s potential and in the short time I’ve been there I’ve been allowed to take on a lot of responsibility. I’ve been the sole contact for policy-holders, brokers, and forensic experts alike. Whilst that might sound like I’ve been thrown in at the deep-end, everyone from partners and fellow advisors to secretaries has given me enormous support and advice. For me, it is this close-knit network which forms the highlight of working at DWF.

What do you think are the most important skills you need to succeed in law? The ability to network and maintain relationships is a key skill for success, as it’s the one thing that will distinguish you from the masses of similarly qualified and competent lawyers. Being ambitious and responsive to market demands will stand your legal career in good stead. n



REALW.LAW09.THIRD.indd 34 19/9/08 14:09:54

RWlaW -- the thiRd Way | ilex

WWW.ReAlWORlDMAGAZiNe.COM RW 35

laW - the thiRd Way

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he wind of change is blowing

through the legal profession,’ says

Mark Bishop, President of the

institute of legal executives (ilex),

‘and the barriers that have

traditionally separated the various

branches of the profession are

beginning to crumble.

‘i believe it is far from inconceivable that in twenty years’

time the distinction between legal executive lawyers, solicitors,

barristers, and other legal professionals will have broken down.’

So what has being a legal executive got to offer the

would-be lawyer? ‘We can offer a fantastic range of

opportunities to people, including graduates,’ says Mark.

‘Membership of the institute of legal executives (ilex), means

you are a member of a leading provider of comprehensive

legal education.’

ilex offers a similar syllabus to a university law course and the

option to ‘earn and learn’ - to earn a salary while working within

the legal environment, thus avoiding being saddled with a big

debt. You gain loads of experience in the process, which stands

you in good stead in the very competitive jobs market that

exists today.

‘if you are starting out we can offer full or part-time training

at a higher education establishment, or distance learning via

our own ilex Tutorial College (iTC), which is probably one of the

leading providers of distance-learning courses in the country,’

explains Mark. ‘We don’t neglect further training for graduates

either. We offer a range of options for advancement beyond

the ilex level 6 Professional Higher Diploma in law, which is our

degree equivalent, through single subject courses, and further

training for both law and non-law graduates.’

The Graduate entry Diploma (GeD) is an alternative route for

law graduates to qualify as ilex Members. The Diploma has

been designed in conjunction with several university law

departments and can be completed alongside, or after, a

qualifying law degree.

ilex also caters for anyone considering a late career change

to law, and can offer study options for those who may find

university is not an option at their stage in life. The flexibility in the

courses to fit in with individual needs is a big plus for many.

‘ i believe the ilex way is becoming more attractive to a

growing number of graduates,’ states Mark. ‘The divide

between the work of a solicitor and legal executives is

narrowing all the time, and for all practical purposes there is

now very little difference between the two.’

For information on ilex go to www.ilexcareers.org.uk.

If you don’t have the resources or inclination to study and practise law in the traditional way, then you should consider training to be a legal executive. Mark Bishop, President of the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX), explains the options and benefits.

'T

»


Want a career in law?No training contract?

Choosing to be a Legal Executive lawyer is avalued and prestigious career move: Latestsalary surveys found jobs for up to £92,000a year offered in London for Legal Executivelawyers who qualified with ILEX.

Whilst salaries will vary according to locationand your chosen specialist area of law,starting salaries are usually up to £20,000a year, whilst fully qualified Legal Executivelawyers can expect to earn around £45,000on average across England and Wales.

The status and standing of Legal Executivelawyers continues to grow, with eligibilityto become partners in law firms and judgesfrom 2009.

So if you want to earn whilst you learn andavoid further student debt, ILEX is your firstchoice.

Contact 01234 841000or email [email protected] visit www.ilexcareers.org.uk

www.shu.ac.uk/law

>THINK DIFFERENTLY> COURSES THAT WORK FOR YOU

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The course gives non law graduates a route into the legal profession. It is also suitable if you are a law graduate without a qualifying law degree.

At the end of the course, you will have completed the academic stage of training required by the legal profession.

LLM Corporate Law and Strategy

This course is ideal if you are a company director, a company lawyer, a shareholder or an employee and you wish to develop your practical and technical knowledge.

The course gives you a better understanding of the modern workplace from a legal and corporate perspective.

Postgraduate law opportunities

MSc Forensic Criminology MSc Forensic Psychology

To find out more visit www.shu.ac.uk/law

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ilex | CAsE stuDIEs RW

Balbir Paul

Harbens Kaur

‘i feel very strongly about the need for justice, and the right for everyone to have their case heard’

Age: 36Degree and university: studied at Westminster University. i undertook ilex Higher level Six Diplomas in Contract law, Tort, Criminal law, Civil litigation, Family law, equity and Trusts, land law, Public law, and european law. i am currently halfway through the lPC at BPP School of law, and will qualify as a Solicitor in 2009.

Age: 32Degree and university: University of Wolverhampton. i studied my llB law degree for three years and also studied ilex and became a Member of the institute of legal executives when i was 25 years old. i continued to study ilex and gained employment in a law firm and was offered a permanent position as a paralegal. i then went back to university to study a Postgraduate Diploma which was the legal Practice Course (lPC) in order to become a solicitor. i continued to work in a firm as a conveyancer with my own workload being supervised by my supervisor. i worked whilst i built up my experience for five years dealing with my own case loads and went on to build my portfolio of experience and i sat the examinations and successfully completed the course. i was then able to apply for my Fellowship of the institute of legal executives with the wealth of experience i had attained over the years.

Why did you decide on a career in law? i was inspired by my experience in a law firm, i had an ambition to become a solicitor at the age of 16 when i worked at this firm. i joined what was then a Youth Training Scheme and i was offered the job of administrator, typing letters for the lawyers. i developed my knowledge of how practical procedures were carried out, and was able to follow cases through to their completion. i then left my place of employment to continue my professional development in order to undertake the llB law degree, ilex, and thereafter the legal Practice Postgraduate Diploma. i then went on to apply to firms for experience, and joined an agency whereby i assisted various firms as a paralegal.

What did the application process involve? Once i joined an agency i was interviewed and was offered a placement at several firms as a paralegal, and then was offered a permanent position in 2003 at a leading Black Country Firm, Waldron’s Solicitors, when i was offered the opportunity to undertake a training contract for two years. My seats involved

mainly Criminal litigation, Commercial property, Civil litigation, and Probate. i was then required to complete the professional skills course, which i did successfully. i then qualified as a solicitor, and a Fellow of the institute of legal executives in January 2007, and was then employed as a Criminal litigator. i left Waldron’s in September 2007.

What are you doing now? At present i am employed by a firm in the Black Country that specialises in Criminal Defence work. This firm is called HGH Criminal Defence Solicitors. i am employed mainly as a trial advocate in the Magistrates’ courts around the country. i work alongside very hard working lawyers who are on call out 24 hours a day in case someone requires our assistance at the police station. The work that i undertake at the Magistrates’ courts ranges from defending clients who have been charged with summary offences such as road traffic offences, common assaults, to either way offences which are offences that can be dealt with at the Crown Court, for example theft, handling stolen goods, S47 assaults, and burglary.

What do you most enjoy about what you do and are there any downsides? i enjoy advocacy the most because that’s what i do best. i enjoy trials where issues are not easily resolved, and i enjoy challenging evidence that gives rise to unlawful arrests, inadmissible interviews under S78 PACe, or any other procedural breach. i enjoy securing acquittals for my clients. it gives me great job satisfaction when i know justice has been served, and i enjoy meeting people from different walks of life.

Job Title: legal executive, Homerton Hospital NHS Trust

Why did you decide upon a career in law? i have family who practice in law, and also due to the fact that i always had an interest in ‘people’s rights’, and access to a fair hearing, especially for the vulnerable. i feel very strongly about the need for justice, and the right to have your case heard.

What did the application process involve? i had completed an ilex secretarial course, but my interest in legal learning had not been satisfied, so i enquired about the ilex courses for qualifying as a lawyer via the ilex website. i was sent the relevant information pack, which was informative, and described in a clear way the benefits of studying via the ilex route.

What type of work are you doing in your current seat? i am a legal Services/Claims Manager for an Acute london Hospital, working mainly on clinical negligence cases.

What do you enjoy most about your job and are there any downsides? i get involved in a wide range of different legal issues affecting the every day practices of our clinicians. This can range from dealing with Mental Health Sections, to representing the Trust at a Coroner’s hearing. i attend court as an advocate for the Trust, and i meet with clinicians taking statements, so the work is very wide ranging.

What skills do you think you need to succeed? Determination and believing in yourself. You need to be focused and aim to be a credit to yourself and the profession. You need to be approachable, so that clients can come to you with any type of legal problem big or small and know they have come to the right place, and that they’ll get the right support and guidance.

What would be your best piece of advice for graduates considering a career in law? Have a firm idea about the area you want to specialise in, and move in that direction, make contacts by attending seminars and talks. Study via the ilex route! There is so much competition for training contracts that it makes sense to become specialised in a particular area with ilex, and then proceed straight to qualification once you’ve done your exams. n


the northsouth divide

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Although there are plenty of areas where the law in Scotland is very similar to the

law in England (for example driving laws and consumer laws), there are also some

substantial differences between the law north and south of the border.

REALW.LAW09.SCOTTISH.indd 38 19/9/08 14:12:45

RWlaW in scotland | introduction

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in England it is solicitors

who undertake the

widest range of legal

work, while legal

executives work in their

own specialist areas such as

litigation, property or probate

alongside solicitors. Finally, barristers (also

known as counsel) are specialist

advocates with unlimited access to the

courts. in Scotland the system is

somewhat different.

Solicitors are the most numerous of

the legal professionals with around

10,000 in Scotland and they must be

members of the Law Society of

Scotland and hold a current Practising

certificate issued by the society. they

can give advice on all legal matters

and deal directly with their clients. in

the majority of cases they present their

client’s case to the court. Since 1992

they have been able to apply for

extended rights, becoming solicitor

advocates (see below). Solicitors can

also become notaries public who

record certain transactions and sign

specific legal documents.

Advocates are members of the

Scottish Bar and so are equivalent to

English barristers. Advocates must be

members of the Faculty of Advocates,

which in turn is part of the college of

Justice. they have a right to appear in

all Scottish courts, though most of their

work involves appearing in the higher

courts and giving specialist opinions on

legal matters. they are either junior

counsel or senior counsel (also known

as Queen’s counsel). they usually

receive instructions indirectly from

clients through solicitors, although they

can be instructed directly by members

of certain professional associations.

Solicitor advocates are solicitors with

extended rights and this new position

was created due to Scotland’s Law

reform (Micellaneous Provisions) Act,

1990. if a solicitor can prove to the Law

Society of Scotland they have sufficient

knowledge they can be granted the

right of audience before the higher

courts. Proof is usually provided through

the means of exams, experience of

practise, and further training. it is only

solicitor advocates and advocates who

are qualified to appear in Scotland’s

higher courts.

PRactisinG laW in scotlandMost people who wish to become

solicitors in Scotland study a Bachelor of

Law (LLB) degree in Scottish law. the LLB

degree can be studied as an ordinary

degree over three years, or as an honours

degree over four years. once you have a

Graduate diploma in Law (GdL), the next

stage is to apply for a postgraduate

diploma in Legal Practise available at

Aberdeen, Abertay, dundee, Edinburgh,

napier, Glasgow, Glasgow caledonian,

robert Gordon, and Strathclyde. this is the

next stage in the process of qualifying as a

solicitor in Scotland.

However, there is an alternative route

which involves a three year pre-diploma

training contract with a Scottish solicitor

and studying for the Law Society’s

professional exams. this is followed by a

two-year post-diploma traineeship.

non-law graduates from Scottish

universities need to complete the GdL

(one year full-time or two years part-time)

and then proceed to the Legal Practice

course (LPc) for solicitors, or the Bar

Vocational course (BVc) for barristers.

the BVc requires at least a lower second

class honours degree.

Because of the differences in the

law, a law degree from an English

university does not form part of the

qualification process in Scotland, and a

Scottish law degree is not recognised

by the Law Society of England and

Wales. if you have an English law

degree and wish to practise in Scotland

(or vice versa) you have to acquire

dual qualification by sitting the intra-uK

transfer test. in the case of graduates

with English law degrees this normally

covers conveyancing, Scottish criminal

Law, and Ec Law.

From this September dundee (already

the only Law school in the uK offering

degree programmes in both Scots and

English Law) is offering all its law students

the chance to become qualified to

practise in all of the uK’s jurisdictions. the

course of study will allow them to take all

the professional subjects required by the

Law Societies of Scotland, England and

Wales and northern ireland as pre-

requisites for qualifying in each country. n

For more information: www.dundee.ac.uk/law www.lawscot.org.uk

IJohn Geddesage: 24degree and university: llB (Hons), dip lP; University of aberdeen; First year Work title: trainee solicitor, Raeburn christie clark & Wallace, aberdeen.

Were you always interested in law as a career sector? no. i wanted to become an accountant until i did accountancy in sixth year and realised it wasn’t for me. after doing some work experience at my auntie’s law firm in Elgin, i settled on studying law; the clincher was sitting opposite a heroin addict in a court cell and hearing the story of how he had attempted to stab someone with one of his needles. For some reason this totally endeared me to a legal career.

What factors made you decide on your particular university/degree? once i’d set my sights on becoming a solicitor it was clear that i had to complete a law degree. the law school at aberdeen is highly regarded, i’m from aberdeen, and the majority of my friends were staying in the area, so it made sense to go to university here.

can you describe exactly what you do? it changes from department to department. the advantage of working in a multi-discipline firm is the diversity of work on offer. i’m currently in the corporate department and have completed six months in conveyancing, and have the opportunity to do seats in commercial Property, litigation, and Private client.

Would you undertake further study to help your career progression? i have no plans to go back to university other than to complete the Professional competency course (Pcc), which is a compulsory element of my traineeship. Five years of university followed by two years vocational training is enough for me!

What do you most like about what you do and are there any downsides? i love the diversity. it’s great getting exposure to such a wide range of legal problems and not being stuck doing the same thing for two years.

REALW.LAW09.SCOTTISH.indd 39 19/9/08 14:13:12

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G

Well schooled

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enerally speaking,

most law students

will go on to be

solicitors or barristers

and will require

further training after

graduating. Future

solicitors will need to complete the Legal

Practice Course (LPC) which usually runs

for one year when studied full-time, and is

offered by more than 30 institutions in

England and Wales. The good news for

students is that all providers have to

comply with written standards set by The

Demand for postgraduate courses in law is currently sky high, so it is advisable to start your research into programmes and providers as early as possible. Madhvi Pankhania looks at the options.

Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Even

better news is they carry out regular

individual assessments in six areas of

provision; from teaching, support, and

level of resources, to assessment and

staffing. Each of these areas is given one

of three grades:

1. Commendable practice

2. Confidence in the provision

3. Failure to meet the required level of

provision.

Impartial recommendations and clear,

useful information about each institution

can be found on www.sra.org.uk/lpc and

this is a good place to start your research.

Those wanting to train as barristers

must complete the Bar Vocational

Course (BVC) and must be admitted to

an Inn of Court. Much like the structure of

the LPC, every school that offers the BVC

has been validated by the Bar Standards

Board and monitored by the BVC

subcommittee of the Education and

Training Committee, which assesses the

quality of provision and delivery.

Information about the ten accredited

BVC providers can be found at www.

barstandardsboard.org.uk.

REALW.LAW09.SCHOOL.indd 42 19/9/08 14:14:08

RWWell schooled | postgrad study

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the regulators can offer lots of useful

resources to students, but which areas

should students pay the most attention

to? Final decisions should be based on the

course and institution which best suits

individual student requirements. students

should look at the teaching staff to

student ratio, and the number of students

on each course. this varies widely, as do

class sizes and teaching methods.

teaching may be provided in the form of

workshops, small and large group sessions,

and lectures. For example, Nottingham

Kaplan offers both large (85) and small

(18) group sessions; Bpp law school

provides lectures in groups of up to 252,

small group work (18) and skills training

(2-10); while the College of Law in guilford

has large groups (60) and two and a half

hour workshops of 20 students that pay

special attention to e-learning techniques.

It is also helpful to read comments

made by the regulators about the support

provision each institution provides for

students. the College of Law assigns a

personal tutor to each student, has a

student counselling service, and a ‘buddy’

scheme which is popular with students

without training contracts. the sra also

looks at learning resources. It notes that

London’s Kaplan Law school is located in a

‘well-resourced and attractive office

building located adjacent to the river

thames’ and mentions that the oxford

Institute of Legal practice has well-stocked

libraries, online resources, and good quality

course materials.

Bear in mind that courses like the LpC

and BVC not only have compulsory

subjects but also electives designed to

prepare students for work in different

practice areas. If you are planning to go

into high street or general practice, think

about joining a law school offering

relevant electives such as family law, or

employment law. If you would rather

work in the City then electives such as

advanced commercial litigation, debt

finance, or private acquisitions may be

more appropriate. If you haven’t yet

decided on a path after study, have a

look for schools that offer a range of

different subjects.

oTheR QUAlIFIcATIoNspostgraduate law qualifications are not

only restricted to the vocational BVC or

LpC as there are many universities

offering a range of more academic and

specialised law subjects. oxford has the

largest graduate research law school in

the English speaking world with 345

graduate students. popular courses like

theirs are oversubscribed - each year

they receive an average of 800

applications for just 150 places on the

Batchelor of Civil Law (BCL) or Magister

Juris (MJur) Master’s degree, and there

are an additional 40 places for research

degrees. teaching here differs from the

LLM at other institutions in that students

are given tutorials as well as the standard

seminars and lectures. With these

courses, graduates use their qualification

directly in practice or in other

employment after completion, but there

are opportunities to take on a research

project for another year and be

awarded an Mphil in Law. Look out for

specialised areas such as socio-legal

studies, criminology, and European and

Comparative Law.

a staggering 40 per cent of trainee

solicitors and a significant proportion of

pupil barristers qualify after taking a law

conversion course, having studied an

alternative subject at university. Many

schools recognise the demand for

conversion courses such as the Common

professional Examination (CpE) or

graduate diploma in Law (gdL) and

offer these separately, or in conjunction

to, their vocational studies. so for

example, if you are thinking about going

on to do the LpC, schools that guarantee

progression to this course after conversion

may be worth considering (the Bar

Council do not allow a similar route for

BVC students). Law firms welcome

applications from non-law students

because of the specialist knowledge and

skills students can bring. applications for

the gdL are via the Central applications

Board (www.lawcabs.ac.uk).

cosTCosts vary enormously between schools

with some charging £5,000 more than

others for the same course. With limited

finances available to students (there

are no student loans), it is wise to pay

attention to fees and to discover

whether the high prices are worthwhile.

the highest fees for the LpC are £11,550,

while barristers can pay as much as

£14,150. the costs dramatically

decrease outside of London where they

can be less than £7,000, and the size of

a school may also determine variations

as larger institutions can offer more

facilities per student. But higher costs do

not always mean better services; be

sure to see whether course materials

are included in the price and if there

are significant differences to justify the

tremendously high costs. a source of

finance may come in the form of

sponsorship from firms who will offer to

pay fees (both gdL and LpC) as part of

their training contracts. there are a few

scholarships available from the Law

society, Bar Council, Inns of Court and

Law schools and if costs are really

posing a problem, then part-time

courses may be a good solution.

FIRMs eXclUsIVelY seNdING TheIR TRAINees To oNe PRoVIdeR FoR The lPc

BPPAddleshaw GoddardcMs cameron McKenna llPFreshfields Bruckhaus deringerherbert smith llPJones daylovellsMacfarlanesNorton Rose llPsimmons & simmonsslaughter And MaysJ Berwin llP

colleGe oF lAWclifford chancelinklaters Allen & overyBerwin leighton PaisnerBarlow lyde & Gilbert Baker & McKenzie halliwellsWragge & cocobbettsWeil, Gotshal & Mangescleary Gottlieb steen & hamiltonPannone

»

‘a staggering 40 per cent of trainee solicitors and many pupil barristers qualify after taking a law conversion course.’



laW schools | CAsE stuDIEsRW

James. This seat has been immensely varied in the type of work I am able to get involved in. It ranges from simple debt recovery, to commercial and contractual disputes, professional negligence, intellectual property, education, and sports law. The tasks I am given are very varied, and enable me to play an important part in the cases I work on. Each day I am doing different things, so the seat is very exciting and interesting as well as providing an excellent knowledge base and learning experience.

What do you most enjoy about what you do and are there any downsides? I enjoy the variety and fast pace of my job. I don’t have time to get bored and each case is so different that they are all interesting in their own way. I particularly enjoy the fact this seat is contentious as it makes you feel very passionate about your work, and you can take pride in your achievements. I meet lots of different clients and enjoy the responsibility given to me. I get a variety of tasks each day ranging from interviewing witnesses, drafting, researching, and liaising with clients. Being a trainee generally is very exciting as you have the opportunity to try a variety of very different jobs.

as a trainee, you have to be flexible and ready to help out your team with all sorts of tasks which may be vital, or at times menial, but this makes it more varied and interesting, and I have not had a single case that I have not enjoyed or found interesting yet. other than this, the only downside is that you have to move seats when you have just got the hang of what you were doing in the current one!

Tracy Singlehurst-Ward

Nicola Gaukroger

‘vacation schemes are an ideal way of gaining an insight into the life of a solicitor, along with law fairs and also open days.’

age: 23University: cardiff University (llB law) and cardiff law school, centre for Professional legal studies (lPc)Work Title: Trainee in commerical litigation, hugh James llP

Why did you decide on a career in law? I chose law as a career at quite an early stage, at the beginning of my GcsE’s. In part, this was because it was suggested to me by careers’ advisors who saw that I was good at academic subjects where the skills would be transferable, for example history and english. I was particularly attracted to it however, because I knew it would be a challenge, and would set out a career path and targets for me from the very beginning of my studies. I had not studied law, but it struck me as so interesting that it would be a job that would never be boring as there is so much to learn. I would therefore be involved in a stimulating career, which would involve working with a wide variety of people.

What did the application process involve? The application process is very in-depth. Getting to university and onto the lPc is not such an onerous task, but applying for training contracts certainly requires dedication. I was very fortunate and was offered a contract with one of the first firms I applied to, hugh James. however, even to get to this I went through assessment days with some firms (with everything from negotiation skills tests to psychometric tests), interviews, and being asked to do presentations. The application forms used by legal recruiters are far more in-depth than for some other jobs, which I think reflects the competition in the profession. It was absolutely necessary to be ahead of the game and organise myself at an early stage as the firms I wanted to go to recruited two years in advance.

What are you actually doing? I am currently working in commercial litigation at hugh

age: 26University: Trinity hall, cambridge, history and social and Political sciences (predominantly Psychology)GDl: BPP, londonlPc: The city law school, london (part of city University london)Job Title: Trainee solicitor with Irwin Mitchell What do you actually do? I am just about to complete my second seat which is in the industrial disease team. Most of the cases in this department arise out of asbestos related diseases, especially Mesothelioma. My tasks

vary on a day-to-day basis but include the following: • Drafting Instructions to Counsel• Taking witness statements from clients or

their family members• Reviewing medical evidence • Tracing former employers and their insurers• Issuing proceedings• Drafting Schedules of Loss• Writing letters of claim

What did the application process entail? I made applications to about ten different firms and did vacation schemes at four of them. In order to obtain a place on the vacation scheme at Irwin Mitchell I attended an assessment centre. This consisted of a group exercise, a written task, a verbal reasoning task, and giving a five minute presentation to a member of the hR team. having been successful at this stage I was invited to spend a week in the employment department in london. Following this I was interviewed by a Partner and a member of hR.

What do you most like about what you do and are there any downsides? The variety of the work I do and a sense of achievement when I have worked on a file which settles. There aren’t too many downsides. Time recording can take a while to get used to. There are also a lot of deadlines so diarising everything becomes very important. What skills do you think you need to succeed? The ability to build a good rapport with clients is vital, as is the ability to work well with other members of your team. Good writing skills are also crucial as you will be writing a lot of letters! What advice would you give other graduates considering a career in law? To do as much research as possible and as early as possible. The larger firms recruit two years in advance and if you are fortunate enough to obtain a training contract at this stage, your GDl and lPc fees may be paid. Vacation schemes are an ideal way of gaining an insight into the life of a solicitor, as are law fairs and open days. These look good on a cV, and also provide an opportunity to test the reality against any preconceived ideas. n


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Through its unique Seminar Series and SEO Networking, SEO London will provide every student with access to senior partners at all sponsors of the programme, including Magic Circle, Top 20 UK and US law firms. Every student participating in the programme will receive in excess of sixty hours of individually tailored pre-summer training to ensure they outperform their peers and maximise their chances of success. In addition, every participant will also be allocated a senior industry mentor to help guide them through their summer experience. Historically, as a result of this exposure and support, more than 80% of the students that have interned through SEO London have gone on to secure full time graduate positions with sponsor firms.

In 2008 191 students interned through SEO London and for Summer 2009 more than 250 corporate law vacation scheme placements and investment banking internships will be available. The programme is open to penultimate year and final year undergraduates from ethnic minority groups currently under-represented in the City, specifically from Black or Asian backgrounds.

“SEO is unique in all respects. It provided me with the expertise and platform to interact with some of the UK’s top business people. It gave me access to training and supporters that made the critical difference between me being offered a full time position and not. Above all, SEO provides you with a sense of belonging to a motivated group of people with one vision and one drive: success! I strongly recommend it!” Ronald Chirochangu, SEO London intern

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LAWCAREERFAIRS2008University of AberdeenOctober 6th, 11am to 3pmElphinstone Hall, Kings College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen

University of BirminghamNovember 19th, 1pm to 3.30pmGreat Hall, Aston Webb Building, University of Birmingham Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT

University of BristolNovember 12th and 13th, 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol

Cardiff Law SchoolNovember 4th, 11am to 3pm The Cardiff Law Fair brings together a wide range of law firms and legally-related organisations. Recruitment to the bigger law firms takes place earlier than in other sectors, making this an ideal starting point for interested second or even first years. City Hall, Cathays Park, Cardiff

City University, LondonNovember 5th, 1.30pm to 5pmThe fair will be primarily aimed at Law students but will be open to students from other courses as well, who are thinking of pursuing a career in law. This is an excellent opportunity to meet the recruiters within this sector and find out what opportunities are available, what employers expect from you and how you can make the most of your application to them. Companies attending include Withers LLP, Bar Council, and Allen & Overy LLP. Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB

University of DundeeOctober 7th, 11am to 3pmThe annual Dundee Law Fair attracts some 25 Scottish legal firms who are looking to recruit Scots Law graduates. The event is also open English legal firms and public legal bodies.Bonar Hall, Park Place, Dundee, DD1 4HN

Durham UniversityNovember 24th and 25th, 12 noon to 3.30pm.Durham Students’ Union, Dunelm House, New Elvet, Durham

University of East AngliaNovember 6th, 10am to 5pm, Sportspark, University of East Anglia

University of ExeterNovember 26th, 11.30am to 2.30pmOver 60 employers seeking trainee solicitors will be exhibiting as well as Barristers‘ Chambers. This fair is particularly relevant for second years and students looking for Law vacation work. Great Hall & Lower Examination Hall, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4PZ

University of HullNovember 12th, 1pm to 4pm The annual Legal careers afternoon to be held on the Hull campus, giving students and graduates an opportunity to meet a range of solicitors, barristers and other legal employers. Lindsey Suite, Staff House, University of Hull

University of LeedsNovember 3rd and 4th, time TBCExhibitors include representatives from a wide range of solicitors firms and institutions offering professional law courses. There will also be a presentation from lawyers representing different areas of the profession.Parkinson Court,University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT

University of LiverpoolNovember 4th, time TBCMountford Hall, Guild of Students Mount Pleasant University of Liverpool Liverpool

LSENovember 25th and 27th, time TBCThere were 48 different organisations at last year’s LSE event and this year should be equally as busy. Senior Dining Room and Common Room, Old Building

Manchester UniversityNovember 20th, 12.30pm to 4pm Over 90 exhibitors including leading City, national and local law firms, course providers and professional bodies. Manchester Central (The G-MEX Centre), Manchester M2 3GX

Newcastle UniversityNovember 17th, 1pm to 3.30pmNewcastle Law Fair will take place at St James’ Park, the home of Newcastle United Football Club. Over 60 of the UK’s prestigious law firms, course providers and professional bodies will be attending.Bamburgh Suite, Level 4, St James’ Park, Newcastle upon Tyne

University of NorthumbriaOctober 16th, 11am to 3pmThis is a great opportunity for students to meet employers and organisations from the legal profession and related alternatives, including national and local law firms, barristers’ chambers and professional bodies. Open to law and non-law students from any institution. Northumbria University, Newcastle City Centre

University Of NottinghamOctober 23rd, 1pm to 4pmThe Law Fair includes firms and organisations who recruit both law and non-law students and LPC/GDL course providers. Seventy six exhibitors will be there on the day including

Addleshaw Goddard (London) CMS Cameron McKenna and College of Law (Birmingham).East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham

Oxford UniversityNovember 15th, 11am to 3pmExamination schools, Oxford

Queen’s University, BelfastNovember 5th, 2pm to 4pmThe Fair is designed to help students network with potential employers, develop career awareness and access vacancies for Training Contracts and Vacation Placements.Whitla Hall, Queen’s University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN

University Of ReadingNovember 5th, 1pm to 4pmThe University Of Reading School Of Law enjoys an excellent reputation and the number of law students attending has grown considerably in recent years. Traditionally at Reading, a high proportion of non-law graduates also decide on a career in law. Whiteknights Campus, University of Reading, RG6 6UR

University of St AndrewsTuesday 7th October, 12pm to 3pmTown Hall, Queens Gardens, St Andrews, FifeUniversity of Sheffield, November 26th, 1pm to 4pm: 75 organisations will be in attendance at this fair which is open to students from all universities (law and non-law students). The Fair provides the opportunity to meet lawyers and graduate legal trainees and to find out about professional courses, vacation work and training places. The Octagon Centre, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TQ

University Of SouthamptonNovember 20th, 6pm to 8pmThe Fair is run by the School of Law at the University of Southampton. Students from the University can discuss vacation and training contract opportunities with a variety of organisations.University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ

University of SussexNovember 11th, 12 noon to 3pmAn opportunity to speak to a wide range of legal employers (both London and local).Conference Centre, Bramber House, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QU

University of York28th October, 11am to 3pmThere will be 30 exhibitors at the fair and a number of employer-led presentations throughout the day to give you an insight into getting ahead in the legal profession. Goodricke College, Heslington, York, YO10 5DDw

REALW.LAW09.FAIRS.indd 47 22/9/08 16:22:53


RECRUITER FILE | 2009RW

Allen & Overy is an international legal practice with approximately 5,000 people in 29 major centres worldwide. Our clients include many of the world’s top businesses, fi nancial institutions, governments and private individuals. We are renowned for the high quality of our Banking, Corporate and International Capital Markets advice, but also have major strengths in areas such as Dispute Resolution, Tax, Employment and Employee Benefi ts, Real Estate and Private Client.

TRAINING CONTRACTWithin this broad range of expertise we offer a training contract characterised by fl exibility and choice – our training programme is widely regarded as the best in the City and continues throughout your career at Allen & Overy following qualifi cation. There is also the opportunity for trainees to undertake an international or client secondment during their second year of training.All our future trainees take the Allen & Overy-specifi c LPC at The College of Law in London. The course has been designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to be a successful solicitor.

The fi rm also now offers trainees the option of completing a litigation course. This means that trainees will no longer need to spend time in the fi rm’s dispute resolution or employment departments to gain their contentious experience if they are sure their interests lie elsewhere.

VACATION PLACEMENTS & OPEN DAYSAllen & Overy offers approximately 100 vacation placements across winter, spring and summer, and a number of open days throughout the year.

As well as practical work experience with lawyers and partners, our vacation placements and open days include workshops, presentations and talks. These are aimed at informing you about our work and helping you to develop the skills you need to be a successful commercial lawyer such as negotiation, presentation and interview skills.

For winter placements, fi nal year undergraduates, graduates and careers changers should apply from 1 October – 31 October 2008. For spring and summer placements, penultimate year undergraduates should apply from 1 October 2008 – 16 January 2009.

WHAT WE LOOK FORYou will need to demonstrate a genuine enthusiasm for a legal career at Allen & Overy, and a strong, consistent academic performance – you should have achieved or be predicted at least a 2:1 (or equivalent). At Allen & Overy you will be working in a team where you will use your initiative and manage your own time and workload, so evidence of teamwork, leadership and problem-solving skills are also looked for.

SPONSORSHIP & AWARDSGDL and LPC course fees are paid in full. For the Allen & Overy LPC in London, a £7,000 maintenance grant is also provided. For the GDL, £6,000 is provided in London and £5,000 elsewhere. We also offer fi nancial incentives to future joiners obtaining a fi rst class undergraduate degree or a distinction in the LPC.

APPLY NOW: www.allenovery.com/careeruk

COMPANY PROFILE

WITHIN THIS BROAD RANGE OF EXPERTISE WE OFFER A TRAINING CONTRACT CHARACTERISED BY FLEXIBILITY AND CHOICE - OUR TRAINING PROGRAMME IS WIDELY REGARDED AS THE BEST IN THE CITY.

Allen & Overy LLP

REALW.LAW09.RF.indd 48 22/9/08 13:19:05


RECRUITER FILE | 2009 RW

CMS is the leading organisation of

European law fi rms, which includes CMS

Cameron McKenna.

We advise on a wide range of

transactions and issues, meaning that our

clients benefi t from working with teams

that really understand their issues and

concerns. To ensure this we’ve launched

one of the legal sector’s most

comprehensive client feedback

programmes to measure just how focused

we are. This approach helps us get an

honest opinion on our performance and

has been recognised in a number of

prestigious awards including Client

Relationship Management Development

of the Year 2007.

Acting on this feedback we have

adopted a Sector approach to provide

clients with an industry-specifi c service and

deep sector expertise. Working alongside

our traditional Practice Group structure,

Sector Groups enable us to build teams

taking an industry, rather than a purely legal,

perspective. We believe it enables us to

offer more proactive and tailored advice.

Our Sector Groups are: Consumer Products;

Energy & Utilities; Financial Institutions &

Services; Hotels & Leisure; Infrastructure &

Project Finance; Lifesciences; Real Estate &

Construction; and Technology; and Media

& Telecoms (TMT).

TYPES OF WORKOur clients benefi t from an extensive range

of services which can be grouped broadly

into six Practice Groups: Banking and

International Finance; Commercial;

Corporate; Energy, Projects and

Construction; Insurance and Reinsurance;

and Real Estate.

TRAINING PROGRAMMETraining contracts last for two years.

During this time you will have four

six-month seats. You will be awarded a

priority seat when you start you training

contract and will undertake a compulsory

seat in either banking or corporate, and a

contentious seat.

Additionally it is expected that

graduates who join the fi rm will spend one

seat outside of our London offi ces. This may

include time in the UK at other regional

offi ces such as Aberdeen, Bristol or

Edinburgh or on a UK- based client

secondment. Outside of the UK, we have

numerous opportunities to be seconded to

one of our leading Central and Eastern

European offi ces including Bulgaria, the

Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland,

Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. A course of

language lessons before and during your

stay abroad, plus help with relocation, will

ensure the transition is as smooth as

possible during these six months.

VACATION SCHEMESWe offer undergraduates the opportunity to

spend two weeks at CMS Cameron

McKenna in London to fi nd out more about

our fi rm. The scheme allows you to spend a

week in two different practice areas, and

undertake various presentations, workshops

and social events.

Our vacation schemes run over

Christmas, Easter and summer, and are

open to anyone interested in pursuing a

legal career. We also run schemes at our

Bristol and Scottish offi ces so please refer

to the website for further details.

APPLY NOW: www.cmstalklaw.com

COMPANY PROFILE

WE OFFER UNDERGRADUATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TWO WEEKS AT CMS CAMERON MCKENNA IN LONDON TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR FIRM.

CMS Cameron McKenna LLP

REALW.LAW09.RF.indd 49 19/9/08 17:10:33

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Start at the topA Career in Law

When it comes to eggs, it’s more than just a question of etiquette. Edward VI certainly thought so. That’s why he decreed that any person found breaking a boiled egg at the sharp end would be sentenced to 24 hours in the village stocks.

Law or Non-law?

Law and business are full of surprises. Whether you are exploring the modern implications of existing laws, or working to find legal solutions to new situations, you’ll need to be open-minded, creative and commercial. At Allen & Overy, we are working at the forefront of today’s evolving legal landscape, helping to shape and frame the environment in which business, and life itself, is conducted.

Answer: Non-law

You don’t need to have studied law to become a lawyer, but business sense,curiosity and a commitment to excellence are essential.

Allen & Overy means Allen & Overy LLP and/or its affiliated undertakings.

www.allenovery.com/careeruk

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law special edition 2009

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