Work it out
updated on 12 July 2011
A recent blog on the Law Society Gazette's pages raised a number of issues about work experience in the law. And quite honestly it was frightening to hear what's going on out there - from both the employer and student perspectives.
So here's the lowdown (or 'lawdown' as I just inadvertently typed).
Why is it necessary?
You know how fierce the market is for aspiring lawyers, so you need to be ahead of the game. Firms put a huge amount of resource into recruiting trainees and want to be sure they get the best people, who are right for them. By gaining some practical experience, you can demonstrate an aptitude for a legal career and possibly develop some skills. By doing it in your own time and (usually) unpaid, you show that you are committed to developing yourself and your career.
Many firms now say that they won't consider anyone who hasn't got work experience. That policy may not win any diversity awards but it's the harsh reality for employers who have to sift through thousands of applications. And remember that some firms actively recruit trainees from the vac scheme pool so you have to be in it to win it.
You also need to be clear about what your own reasons for doing it are - it's not just about ticking a box. Reasons might include:
- to find out if a particular area of law is what you want to do;
- to find out if the firm is right for you (eg, in terms of size, location or people);
- to broaden your experience across the law; and/or
- to find out if law is for you.
All of these are valid reasons; getting something on your CV is not. You'll be asked about your experience at interview so you need to be ready to say how you benefited from it.
When should you start?
It's never too early to start thinking about your career and how you are going to succeed in the competitive world of law. You might have spent a week in a law firm when you were at school and while it's unlikely that you got any real experience of the law, it may have fired your enthusiasm. You will at least have found that it's not all like Silk and Law & Order UK - even less The Good Wife.
Although formal schemes tend to be aimed at second and third years, you should be thinking about gaining experience in your first year and trying to steal a march on your competitors.
As a potential trainee, the recruitment process starts as soon as you have your first contact with the firm - ie, when the firm hears from you. This first contact may be with a receptionist or telephone switchboard operator, by letter or email, or in person at a law fair or careers event at your school, university or college.
The main thing is not to waste the opportunity, approaching it as "just work experience". Rather, you need to present yourself as a potential employee and impress those you meet.
Where should I apply?
'Why do you want to work at this firm?' - you'll almost certainly be asked this question at an interview for a training contract and you should also be able to answer it for work experience applications too. It's not good enough to say, 'I wrote to 25 firms and you were the only one that replied' (believe me, it happens!). You can guarantee that you won't get any further with that firm.
It's tempting to fire off emails to every firm on LawCareers.Net and see what comes of it, but that way lies danger. You need to tailor your application to the firm, just as you would for a training contract.
So consider these questions: (i) what will I get from this firm, and (ii) am I really interested in working at this firm?
What will I get from it?
'What's in it for me?' is an important question. There's no point in spending your valuable time doing something that you already know bores you rigid and that you won't be pursuing as a career. However, if you have an open mind you might just learn something useful, make some good contacts for the future and enjoy yourself. If you're really unsure about a particular area of law or location, then a week spent working in that environment will help you to make the decision.
Am I interested in this firm?
If you're not, then why are you even thinking of applying? Even if you are successful in getting a placement (which is unlikely with a less than positive attitude), you'll hate it and that will come across to everyone. It's also unlikely that you'll be able to say anything positive about the experience when you have to.
So don't just take any experience - it has to be the right experience for you.
What's it all about?
Work experience is a broad title for a whole host of opportunities ranging from shadowing to paid internships.
Vacation schemes
Many firms run formal vacation schemes, with securing a place being as competitive as securing a training contract. Most of these are for second- and third-year students but several firms are now targeting first years, including Hogan Lovells, which plans to pay them for a week-long placement and Herbert Smith, which offers two-day open days as tasters for first-year students (see "Law firms take aim at first years").
If you are looking for one of these you need to be aware of the timetable and how to apply.
Shadowing
Shadowing is often easier to get and if you're determined and focused, you can get a lot out of it. It's easier for the firm because all they have to do is let you follow someone round - generally to court and possibly in some client meetings. What you need to do is ask lots of questions (without making too much of a nuisance of yourself) and make sure that you really are learning and getting something from the experience.
Internships
These are big news now with the coalition government in all sorts of confusion about them. Basically 'internship' is the new buzzword for work experience - it comes from the United States and the fuss is all about how people get internships and whether interns get paid.
Internships vary in quality and quantity. If you get into a large firm or organisation for a few weeks or months, you may feel that you're being treated like an unpaid slave - and depending on the length of time and the type of work, you may be able to claim compensation.
But that's not a great start to your legal career; so research the firm and be clear about what you can expect from them and what they will expect from you. Two weeks in the photocopying room is not a useful experience; if that's what they want, they should be paying for it and you should be looking elsewhere.
Mini-pupillages
These offer work experience to aspiring barristers and are pretty much essential if you're going to be looking for pupillage. The advice above on vacation schemes applies to those looking for mini-pupillages as a form of work experience. Because of the sheer number of applications, some chambers will only consider you if you definitely want a career at the Bar.
Marshalling
This is work experience with a judge and is even harder to get than a mini-pupillage. If you have already joined an Inn (ie, BPTC students), the education and training people at your Inn will be able to tell you about opportunities they have. It's not essential, but still carries a certain kudos, as it's still quite rare.
Informal experience
Depending on where (geographically) and in what area of law you want to work, there may be little opportunity for formal work experience.
If your interest lies in crime then the best experience you can have is to spend a day in the courts - both magistrates and crown. It's free, it's often entertaining and it will give you a real insight into the work of the lawyers, magistrates, judges and juries. If you hang around you'll get known and might be approached by a friendly usher who can introduce you to some of the lawyers - and then you're in and it's up to you to impress. You can also identify the lawyers who may be happy to talk to you about their work.
How do I get it?
There are several ways in, from networking to full-blown application process. Initially - and in the early years up to second-year LLB - you can call in favours from family and friends. What you might get from this is a bit of shadowing - it's all good experience.
While training contracts and pupillages must be advertised and are subject to open and fair competition, there are no rules about work experience - so call on your parents' friends with impunity!
The careers service at your university, college or law school will have contacts and may also have arrangements with local firms. Just a note here on the careers service - it's there for you, it gives free advice and you really should be making the most of it.
And while we're looking at college services, most have a mentoring scheme which links you up with practitioners or a pro bono clinic where you can get experience working on real cases. Mentoring can lead to shadowing and work experience, and working in a pro bono advice clinic counts as work experience.
It's not unheard of for students to secure a placement by direct contact, particularly for marshalling or shadowing. If you meet a lawyer at a law fair, careers talk, at court - or even at a party (they do go to parties!) - be upfront and ask. They can only say no but if you don't ask you'll never know. It's also good practice in speaking up - or 'advocacy', as we lawyers call it.
If you are interested in the big firms' vacation schemes then you need to read up about what's involved and how to apply. There'll be a lot of competition but if you get in you'll get an experience that is really worth something and you'll be ahead of the game when it comes to the training contract application.
What happens next?
You should note what you've learned from what you've done - remember you will probably be asked about this in your training contract or pupillage interview. But, it's not just about what you've learned but also how you have used what you've learned. For example you spend two weeks in a commercial property department and hate it. You may have learned a lot about commercial property but your biggest learning point is that you don't want to work in commercial property!
If you did enjoy the experience and want to be considered for a training contract at the firm, then keep in touch. A quick email to the person you were working with or to the training or recruitment partner, saying what you got from it and how it fired your enthusiasm, will do you no harm when your application lands in their inbox.
So, to sum up:
- You definitely do need to do work experience and it's never too soon to start looking.
- Don't do it just for the sake of it; it has to be the right experience for you and your professional development.
- Think beforehand about what you will get from it and reflect afterwards on what you did get from it.
Lesley Williams is the proprietor of Lark Associates, providing learning support for law students and career coaching for young professionals. She is also the former, award-winning, training principal at the Crown Prosecution Service. You can contact her on [email protected].
