First-year law students: First-year law students

In this episode we give you lots of tips of things to do in the first year of your law degree in order to launch your career. We spoke to Jane Wood, Course Leader and Principal Lecturer at Nottingham Law School, Maaya Sachdev, President of Warwick Law Society and Charis McGowan, Emerging Talent Coordinator at DWF.

How do I become a lawyer?

The Beginner's Guide to a Career in Law

Essential reading for those starting out

Feature

Year 12/13 and first-year opportunities: open days and insight schemes

Most trainee-hiring law firms run work experience schemes and events specifically for year 12/13 and first-year students. So, if you’re seriously considering becoming a solicitor, you’ll be doing yourself a big favour by getting involved at this early stage of your career – if not just to identify whether a career in the legal profession is for you. Use this list of law firms offering opportunities to year 12/13 and first-year university students to get you started!

Key questions

How can I get work experience in my first year of university?

"I’m a first-year student, how important is legal work experience and do you have any advice for securing some?"

What types of lawyer are there?

Solicitor, barrister and paralegal - find out about the different branches of the profession

When do I start looking for a job?

It's never too early to start thinking about your future career. Here are the main employer deadlines

Do first-year exams matter?

If they don't count towards my final degree, does this mean law firms won't see my exam results as important?

In this week's newsletter

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Meet the Lawyer

Daniel Millard

Daniel Millard, an associate in Cooley (UK) LLP’s cyber/data/privacy team, speaks about the important role work experience had on his career, his decision to pursue a career as a technology lawyer and how his team intersects with the rest of the firm in this Meet the Lawyer profile.

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Commercial property/real estate

“Due diligence is always a vital component – it involves reviewing title and property searches, identifying what the main issues are in the context of a particular transaction and then drafting a report for the client to consider and refer back to in future if needed.”

Meet the Recruiter

Rachel Chapman

Head of early talent Rachel Chapman shares the most common ways candidates let themselves down, what you need to know about Trowers & Hamlins LLP and all the ways the firm prioritises diversity and inclusion.

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Getting started

Your first-year university checklist

Here's a list of things you should be doing in your first year at university

Career paths

Take a look at our simple timetable of the different legal career paths

What you need to know

From vacation schemes to law fairs, here's what to focus on this year

Looking beyond exam season

Some inspiration for you over the summer!

Blog posts and other insights

LCN Says

Alisa Gray - Why non-law students make really great lawyers

Alisa Gray

It’s a little-known fact that approximately half of solicitors in the UK come from non-law backgrounds. If you're a non-law student considering a career as a solicitor, your unique skills and insights aren’t just welcomed – they're highly valued because the legal profession appreciates diverse experiences and perspectives.

Sponsored by

Toby Pitchers

Blog post

The future of modern recruitment and what it means for you

LCN Blogs The future of modern recruitment and what it means for you Toby Pitchers Many of you may have had a similar experience when it comes to the application process – sending application after application with no response. Training contracts, pupillages, paralegal or clerk work for far too many of us seem to be going the way of the dodo.

LCN Says

Rona Ankrah - Mastering commercial awareness as a trainee lawyer

Rona Ankrah

In this LCN Says, we speak to Rona Ankrah from Mayer Brown International LLP about building commercial awareness. Read this article for insights on how you can demonstrate commercial awareness in interviews, how Mayer Brown helps trainees to develop their commercial awareness and how Rona approaches learning about clients’ businesses.

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The LawCareers.Net Podcast

From researching firms to building your commercial awareness, listen to The LCN Podcast for everything you need to know about becoming a lawyer

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Solicitor practice area profile

Intellectual property (IP) is an umbrella term for a variety of different rights which protect intellectual creations, such as inventions, brands, designs, and literary and artistic works.