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Training Contract Applications: 3 Mistakes to Avoid &hellip >>
Tread Safely on the Path to Getting a Training Contract and Becoming a Solicitor
Getting into law is no easy task. It is a long journey that is
embarked upon by would-be solicitors, and not without difficulties. You can
make it though, with our guide to the road ahead. With our help, you'll avoid
the potholes and sail smoothly to your destination.
You
key selling points are the qualifications you hold. Do not lose sight of this.
Whilst there may be much noise made about the multitude of aspects which make
up a CV, your top priority before entering law must be to study. Fortunately,
with good academic results the path to that coveted job as a solicitor is
relatively straightforward.
After
graduating (if your degree is not in law then graduate diplomas are offered at
numerous institutions), you will need to sign up for a legal practice course
(LPC), which will teach you how to apply your academic training to real-world
issues. Following this will be a
training contract at a solicitor's firm, at
the end of which you shall finally be qualified as a solicitor.
This
is your main route to becoming a solicitor, but there are other things to bear
in mind.
It
will help you on your way if you begin to think about a specialism as soon as
possible. While you are still studying, research the options available to
solicitors, and consider which one would be the best fit for you. By the very
nature of their work, solicitors work in a wide variety of settings, and it
will help your focus to have a more specific ambition. Typical fields of law
you may consider specializing in, aside from criminal and family law, include
banking and finance law, human rights law, intellectual property law and media
law.
Gaining
work experience is crucial to your future career. Internships and placements at
law firms are a key part of any solicitor's CV. Work experience demonstrates
enthusiasm and commitment. If an
employer scans your CV, and it is bereft of
anything but academics, they are going to wonder if the candidate has a real
commitment to the law. Go out of your way to show them that you have done the
time and put the work in. More unorthodox activities, such as blogging about
law will show that you have a personal stake in the profession. Bloggers like
BabyBarista (regularly featured in the Times) and Legally Blonde in London have
proved an asset to their creators long after they landed their
solicitor training contract.
Don't
get derailed before the last stop. Give genuine thought to filling in
training contract application forms. Law firms are fond of these due to the lack of confusion
compared to CVs of wildly varying lengths. These forms ask more probing and
effective questions of the candidate, so really think about your answers. They
don't have to be show-stopping, but they do have to be well written.
It
pays to do your research before any trip. Have all of the information you need
in front of you when applying. Know all of the application deadlines. Do
thorough research into what each firm in particular is looking for - don't just
send out a standard CV ten times. The websites of the firms themselves are
often useful in this regard. Another tip is to use staff at recruitment fairs.
It can be intimidating to try and collar one, but
employers usually send staff
who have themselves been recently recruited, so they are fonts of information.
Have
local knowledge. Know-how about the specific area of law you are interested in
can be invaluable. For example, there is a current glut of jobs for solicitors
in the area of intellectual property law, as companies seek to protect their
patents and copyright both overseas and against Internet pirates. Knowing where
the opportunities are could make all the difference.
Know
the language. The amount of jargon in law is formidable. If you want to really
impress at your
training contract interview, and at placements during your degree, you need to be
brought up to speed. Knowing your ECHR from your IPO or GDL will take some
work, so make sure you really understand the terms in question to avoid any
potential embarrassment.
Take
our advice. Have faith in your own ability and work hard. If you follow these
steps and work to the utmost of your ability, your career as a solicitor will
soon become a reality.
Written by Nicholas White
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