Description: Olivia is on her way to becoming a family law solicitor and shares tips on how to obtain a training contract.
Anyone looking to become a solicitor will know that gaining the academic qualifications is only the first step. Next, they need to secure a training contract. But getting one of these jobs at a top law firm has always been notoriously difficult.
There are thousands of applicants vying for a very limited number of jobs. Some who have only just completed a law degree and are looking for a firm to sponsor them through the LPC. And others that have already undertaken the LPC training year and are now looking for a route to qualification.
The perquisite for applications is often straight As at A Level and minimum of a 2:1 degree, but beyond this, applicants need to be able to prove that they are worth the investment. Most of the candidates with top grades will look good on paper, but to catch a recruiter’s eye, you need to be able to show that you bring more to the table.
Three ways you can do this are by
- Getting experience
- Showing commercial awareness skills
- Knowing exactly what you want
Getting Experience
The best way to gain an insight into life at a top law firm, is to gain a place on a vacation scheme. But, given that many firms recruit trainees through these schemes, sometimes, getting on the vac scheme can be just as hard as getting the TC.
So, it’s worth writing to firms as early as possible during your first year at university and asking if you can come in for work experience during the holidays. Not only will these experiences get your foot in the door, but they’ll give you a taste of legal life as well as something to talk about when you come to writing your vac scheme and TC applications.
Another really good way to get some experience and stand out from the crowd, is through pro bono work. Local Law Centres or the Citizens Advice Bureau are always looking for help and volunteers. Not only do these opportunities look good to prospective law firms, but volunteering can also help you develop fundamental analytical and communication skills.
Commercial Awareness
Commercial Awareness is a frequently thrown around term, but many applicants don’t actually know what it means. For a long time, I thought it meant that I had to be prepared to answer questions on articles from the Financial Times. But, when firms say that they are looking for a candidate to show commercial awareness, what they really want, is for applicants to have an understanding of how industries and businesses work, and how this could affect their business and their clients.
While keeping track of global economic events may seem like a daunting task, you can find discussions of relevant topics made easily accessible on legal blogs and social medias. Whether that is through legal Instagram accounts, or by following current lawyers on LinkedIn, people are always sharing relevant info, and if you look in the right places, it shouldn’t be too tricky to stay up to date.
Knowing what you want
Finally, during both the application and interview stage, one of the most important questions you’ll be asked is, ‘why this firm’. This is because not all firms are the same and there is a huge difference between the way big city firms and smaller regional firms, for example, operate.
Firms want to know that you haven’t just copy and pasted the same CV to them all and will quiz you on why they specifically appeal to you. Do you want to be part of a big trainee intake? Does the fact they have offices all around the world interest you? Or maybe, you’re drawn to the fact that they’re a smaller firm because you want to be able to get to know all of your colleagues.
Whatever your reason for applying, make sure you know why you want to be there and why you think you’ll fit in. After all, you’re not just trying to convince them to hire you, but you also need to know that you’ll be happy working there for the next two years.
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