Before you embark on the long and drawn out process of applying for a Training Contract you need to do your research, and decide exactly who you want to work for. Practising family law in a small regional firm will be very different from handling billion pound mergers and acquisitions. If you’re not cut out for the corporate world, be realistic and don’t apply to corporate firms, but if this is what you've always dreamed of you need to start considering the Magic circle.
Choose the Type of Firm that suits you best
Think about the culture of the firm in question and whether you would fit into it, socially, culturally and academically. Don’t let rich firm's glossy brochures sway your judgement. The best way to find out what is right for you is to embark on work experience, or even better a Vacation Placement. Recruiters and HR at top law firms see the benefits of experience as unrivalled. It’s not a prerequisite to work at a firm, but you will get a practical insight on the job and the company and learn what’s right for you by working with different teams, social groups and specialised work areas.
Get a Vacation Placement
It will be highly competitive to get a Vacation Placement (sometimes even more so than getting a Training Contract - there can be thousands of applications for less than 20 places. For this reason firms are very interested by candidates with work experience. It shows that you have something special to offer, and above all that their rivals (if you’re done work experience at different companies) are interested in hiring you.
Partake in Extra-Curricula Activities
Anything you do that is supplementary to studying shows that you are willing to learn new things and put yourself out. It also shows team work, organisational skills and that you might be a worthwhile person to have on board. So if you ran a marathon for charity, set up a break-dancing group or volunteer at the local Citizen’s Advice Bureau, use this to your advantage when applying for a job. If you still have the opportunity to get involved and do these things, the earlier you start the better.
Find out about the firm you are applying to
It is important to know what's happening right now within the firm you’re applying to. If a firm is in a phase of expansion it's likely to be a more dynamic and exciting place to work than one which is downsizing and losing clients. Search for press coverage to see if there is anything significant to note when you are thinking about your applications.
Be clear about your specialist interests
Make sure you clearly understand the industry into which you want to go. For example, corporate law is very different from environmental law. You should have an understanding of how the firm to which you are applying fits into the industry, who its main clients are, and what substantial cases they have been involved with.
Do you have strong enough grades to apply?
If you get a 2:2 when the firm requires a 2:1 then get in touch with the recruitment department before making your application and explain your circumstances. Get your personal tutor from University to confirm your situation and use any other collaborative sources of evidence that you can find. Law firms are not heartless and do understand that students do suffer from serious problems during their exams. Furthermore, law firms are clever. They want to interview the brightest candidates. They understand that there may be times when the best candidates are affected by issues out of their control and may consequently under perform. If you have other grades, qualities and attributes to back up your poor degree grade you are still likely to be called for interview.
On the other hand, if you do not have the best University grade, or even past grades, it might be a better idea to adjust your sights and apply outside the [Magic circle] and national firms. If you are constantly making unsuccessful applications, try applying to some firms in the tier below.
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