totallylegal

Trials, Tribulations and Training Contract Success

By Chris Hoole 

Chris is a trainee solicitor at Walker Morris in Leeds.Before joining Walker Morris Chris studied English Law and European Law at University where he focused on cyberlaw and cybercrime as part of his dissertation. Since University, Chris has worked both in Dubai and Hong Kong.

Whether you're a second year law undergraduate, GDL student or postgraduate in business and French, if you' ve chosen a career in law, at some point you will have to face the daunting task of training contract applications and interviews. Having graduated from the University of Leeds, before securing my training contract at Walker Morris, I endured my fair share of application forms, interviews and assessment days.

The trials and tribulations of working in-house

 When I was offered a job to work in-house for a telecommunications company almost immediately after completing my LLM, I grabbed it with both hands. That was eight months ago, and although there have been fleeting moments of doubt, I certainly don’t regret accepting the position. Looking back, it’s been an interesting – and at times, painful – journey but I’ve learnt an awful lot in the process.

Working in-house brings a number of unique challenges distinctive to private practice – for better and worse. On the plus side, it’s certainly easier to relate to the client, as your interests are much more closely aligned. Having just one client who is 100% on-board with what you’re doing also has a number of upsides. It’s a pleasure not having to try and routinely handhold the client and walk them through the details of your course of action in a matter, explaining why you’ve done X and not Y.

The Borneo Dilemma

I previously wrote about how Advocates for International Development (A4ID) had launched their Newly Qualified Lawyers' Programme, as one way in which firms show their Corporate Social Responsibility.

As Michael Smyth of Clifford Chance said in a feature I wrote for In-House Lawyer, “it is considered as part of the metrics for bonuses, and certainly it is a factor in determining the ‘A’ list for partnership”.

Smyth, (then), was concerned in case “the glamorous end of the work in terms of international pro bono supplants community based activity which is more attractive to the younger lawyer”.

There are those, like him, who feel that many lawyers doing voluntary work within the confines of their firm’s CSR policy can do good work at home; others, like A4ID, feel they should offer lawyers the chance to use their professional skills.

Doing good work abroad is good for NQs and firms alike

Every New Year starts with good resolutions. Lose weight, drink less, give up smoking, work smarter, as we try to make ourselves better people.

Some, however, may consider helping others as their challenge for 2010. There is no shortage of opportunities to do so; LawWorks, for example, thrives on such solicitors, and City law firms, like Clifford Chance, are recognised for their staff emphasis on corporate responsibility at home and abroad.

Newly qualified (NQ) lawyers in City firms may feel that they have little to offer here, facing as they do changing retention rates, salary freezes, and increased uncertainty.

Yet one initiative launched by Advocates for International Development (A4ID) in partnership with Challenges Worldwide (CWW), deserves attention from NQs. At a well-attended launch at CMS Cameron McKenna’s offices, delegates at the evening session heard about the launch of the Newly Qualified Lawyers' Programme.

"I’m a Newly Qualified lawyer … please help!" (FREE bottle of bubbly for the best response)

There are so many Newly Qualified lawyers out there, yet so few jobs to match. Figures are continually growing; 2009 saw a dramatic rise in NQs and I am sure early 2010 will be no exception.

I imagine that 2009 and the first part of 2010 will not go down in history as the very best time to qualify as a lawyer – in particular, a lawyer who wishes to specialise in any field that was not in any way contentious. I’m thinking of commercial property, M&A…and when was the last Public listing?

Opportunities post qualification

If you are about to come to the end of your training contract, you may be asking yourself ‘What happens now?’. If you are due to qualify shortly, you’re about to come to a major point in your career. Qualification is the first of the big "career watersheds" and it may be a worrying time.

While it’s natural to be apprehensive - in fact, we’d be a bit surprised if you weren’t – it is also time to give yourself huge congratulations! Right now, you should feel good about where you are. You’re about to qualify as a solicitor and there is absolutely no doubt that whatever you decide to do in your professional life, this achievement will open doors for you.

Sometimes the amount of information a newly qualified solicitor has to consider can be so overwhelming you may feel like you don’t know where to start. So, we’re going to start the ball rolling for you with a list of things you could, and probably should, be thinking about.

Moving post qualification

So, you’ve decided to move – what should you be thinking about?

As you come to the end of your training, you’ll probably have lots of questions and concerns about the choices available to you. Questions such as:

• Can I specialise in an area that I haven’t worked in during my training contract?
• What are firms looking for? How can I best sell myself when considering the type and breadth of my training?
• Should I go in-house?
• Do I settle for the firm where I’ve been offered a position, or do I hold out for the job I want?

Climbing the ladder

Entering or progressing in the legal sector, particularly in the current economic climate, may seem like a daunting task for some. With the recession impacting employment prospects in numerous industries across the country, it could seem like the first step onto the law employment ladder is out of reach at the present time. However, for those who are willing to put in hard work and go beyond what may have previously been necessary, there are always opportunities available.

The first option is taking a work experience place at a legal firm. This may be particularly appealing to students on a law course or those who have recently graduated from university, as there is a strong chance they are struggling to find employment and these schemes can offer valuable experience that will be useful when it comes to moving into a legal carrier a few months down the line.

Elspeth Farrar, vice president of the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services, explained that taking a work experience placement is an excellent way of getting ahead in "some of the very competitive areas" - of which the legal sector is most certainly one.

Becoming a Legal Secretary or Legal Executive

Legal secretaries often play an essential role within a law practice, almost as if they are the glue holding the organisation together. Although no formal legal training is required to become one, those taking up positions in the sector must have a firm grounding in secretarial-based occupations, from a relatively junior level to more responsible administrative work.

The position also involves a wide range of legal and business issues, meaning that those employed in such roles should possess not only strong secretarial skills but also a working knowledge of the law and the procedures comprising everyday practice. Such things as attending court, preparing forms and statements, liaising with clients and typing legal documents are an integral part of a legal secretary's responsibilities.
 
Courses on the subject, which are taught at many higher education institutions across the UK, aim to ensure that candidates have the necessary skills in place to be able to cope within a legal environment. For example, alongside City and Guilds, the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) provides a range of qualifications for legal secretaries, among other professions, which are designed to create a national standard for people working within the legal industry. No entry requirements are demanded in order to gain a place on the course - although a GCSE in English Language at grade C or above is considered desirable - and the content is judged on various assignments throughout its duration.