Ultimate Law Guide - Careers Advice

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Careers Advice

The right careers advice can make all the difference, and ULG are experts in the field. We hope our ever-expanding collection of exclusive articles will be just what you need to help get your career on track for success!

The legal recruitment market

Law firms seek to recruit the very best and brightest talent available in order to remain at the forefront of a fiercely competitive market. We walk you through what you need to know about the market and your place in it.

The route to becoming a Solicitor or Barrister

A flow diagram: a timetable for each stage of the journey to becoming a solicitor or barrister.

Getting started - legal education and training

Before you embark on a legal career, every would-be lawyer must carefully consider each stage of the journey to becoming a lawyer: the A-level (LNAT) stage; University: LLB Law degree or Non- Law degree, Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) and if you wish to do an Masters in Law (LLM).

Apply yourself - application forms

What does it take to prepare a top-level application form? Law firms/chambers want to know why you have picked them ahead of any other competitor, so you must carry out a great deal of research and carefully tailor your application to each individual firm / set of chambers.

What skills are required to become a lawyer?

Aspiring lawyers must be able to demonstrate certain discernible skills to equip them to succeed in legal practice, and to operate effectively in the ultra-competitive professional and business world.

Demystifying commercial awareness

Commercial awareness is frequently highlighted as the key characteristic sought by law firms; the graduate recruitment managers of law firms often report ‘a lack of commercial awareness’ as the reason for rejecting many otherwise bright students. So do you know what commercial awareness is? Or, more importantly – are you commercially aware?

Vacation schemes and legal work experience

Vacation placements increase your chances of securing training contract success. How do you secure a vacation placement? What do vacation placements entail? See our case study: A student’s Easter 2009 vacation placement. We also provide top tips and advice on what alternative opportunities there are for acquiring commercial / legal work experience.

Becoming a Solicitor

We provide careers advice on the role of a solicitor; what it takes to become a solicitor: the various types of law firms to choose from, a breakdown of the Training Contract and a case study on life as a trainee solicitor at a leading law firm. We then provide a brief outline of what happens at the end of your training contract on qualification as a solicitor.

Becoming a Barrister

We provide careers advice on the role of a barrister; we focus on what it takes to become a barrister: the importance of getting mini- pulliages – work experience, tips on applying for Pupillages and we provide a breakdown of what you have to do during the Pupillage and tenancy.

Solicitor vs Barrister

Are you at a crossroads in your career journey? We provide guidance to help you decide whether you would like to be a barrister or solicitor?

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Careers Advice