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Choosing a Law Training Contract Firm: Five Crucial Factors to Consider
Practice Areas
This is undoubtedly one of
the most crucial factors for you to weigh up as part of the process for choosing
a
training contract firm.
There is a big difference
between studying the law and practicing it. As a law student, it is easy to believe
that what you learn at university will correspond to the workplace. You may not find the books and lectures of a
particular subject especially interesting, but the same subject may be much
more dynamic and exciting when you are out in the field and working on real
cases.
Whilst the larger firms may
have departments that cover all practice areas, each department will be a
different size and carry its own reputation within the industry. Whether you are
looking to work in Corporate, Real Estate, Finance, Litigation, Employment,
Incentives or Competition, doing your research about the different departments
within your prospective firms will help you choose the best ones to apply to.
It will also provide you with invaluable credibility when it comes to the
training contract interview stage. You will probably not be given the exact combination of seats that
you would like in your legal
training contract. However, you can't go too far wrong
if you have chosen a firm whose major practice areas match those that you are
interested in.
Client Base
The
profile of a firm generally corresponds to the profile of its clients. Some
people prefer to work with high profile organizations, but will usually have to
contend with dealing with people from varying levels within the organization.
Smaller clients give you a chance to work more directly with the key people and
your input will be more visible.
Size
The practice areas and client base of a firm are very good predictors of
its size. Firms range from commercial
law practices working with major global corporations to high-street firms more
accessible to the general public. Of
course, there are many exceptions to the rule. Look closely so you won't be
surprised later on.
Large firms bring their own disadvantages as well benefits. The larger a
firm is, the more likely it is to take on a greater number of trainees. A high
profile firm can bring your CV strong brand value. On the other hand, if you
are working for a smaller firm, there will probably be fewer trainees. This
means that you may have more interaction with qualified solicitors at various
levels within the firm.
Location
For most
training contract
applicants, the choice boils down to the simple question: "Do I work in London,
or do I work for a local regional firm?"
This is something of a
personal choice, with implications that will affect your quality of life and
your career. The largest firms are based in London and the legal market which
circles the capital's financial services industry is one of the most lucrative
in the world. This translates into higher average pay packets for London
solicitors. Aside from the careers benefits to choosing London, trainees can enjoy
all the social and cultural activities that the cosmopolitan city has to offer.
However, the cost of living
is higher in London and you will have to content with the traffic and rush hour
crushes on the tube. Working hours are often longer at London firms and you may
find a more attractive work-life balance at firms outside of the capital. The
choice, as always, is yours.
Training Structure
Traditional
law training
contract structures place trainees in fixed placement periods in different
departments. However, there are variations in terms of the placement period,
number of departments to be rotated through and the amount and type of work
completed in each department. If you are undecided about which practice area
you want to work in when you qualify, you may want to apply to firms which will
place you in many different departments during your
training contract.
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