"Shape your aspirations" - training session by BPP University Law School Wed 7 December 1.30pm

A 2 hour workshop which examines where you will fit into a changing legal world

Shape Your Aspirations - Training Session

Wednesday 7^th December 2016

1:30 – 3:30pm, Chester Parkgate Road campus, Best CBB017

This workshop is beneficial for all Law students, when starting your search for the ideal legal career.

• Understand the changing legal marketplace, range of law firms and legal employment opportunities.
• Consider the impact of technology on legal practice in its many forms
• Analyse your strengths and personality type to find the perfect fit for your future aspirations.                                                                                Research law firms, chambers and other employers                                                       effectively.

"This is a chance to find out more about yourself. By doing this workshop you can start to see how your personality and strengths might fit into different roles within the legal sector"

Sara Dodge, LLB graduate 2016 University of Chester

If you are an aspiring legal professional, attend one of these informative and engaging workshops hosted by BPP University.

They are designed to help you plan and achieve your career aspirations.

Book now on CareerHub. This session is part of the Enhance Your Employability programme. For more details visit www.chester.ac.uk/eyetraining

So you went to Manchester Law Fair - what now?

                                                          

It was Manchester Law Fair this week.  If you went, I hope you enjoyed the experience and came away with a lot of useful information as well as a few freebies!  There is a limit, however, to how many reusable water containers one person needs!


What are you going to do now?

• Look through that recyclable bag of information and dig out any business cards you collected.  Keep them in a safe place and add notes so you can remember who said what to whom!

• Research the people you met on their firms' websites or ask to connect with them on LinkedIn. Say you enjoyed meeting them at the Law Fair.  It's important to carry on with the networking you have now started.

• Reflect on what you have learned from the Fair - has it opened up new options to consider?

• What have you learned about yourself - do you need to change your strategy for applications?

The Law Fair heralds the opening season for applications for Work Placements or Vacation Schemes in larger commercial Law firms for Easter and Summer 2017.  Many firms are also now accepting training contract applications for September 2019.  Yes, that's right, these are the Law firms who recruit 2 years in advance.  If you can get a Work Placement at one of these firms next Summer, you will be well on your way to being shortlisted for a training contract in 2019. Large commercial Law firms also often pay LPC fees as well as providing maintenance grants.

How does it work?

Search on Lawcareers.net or in the Training Contract Handbook 2017 (available now from the Law School or Careers and Employability) for the list of firms offering Work Placements.

Prepare a shortlist of firms you may be interested in applying to.

Do your research on those firms before you apply, and pay particular attention to application details. Some firms will let you upload a CV and cover letter as part of your application.  Other firms will only want their application form completed.  Always follow the instructions!

If you did meet someone from a firm at the Fair, make sure you mention them in your application.

Make sure your CV and cover letter, or application, represent you in the best possible light. Pay attention to spelling and grammar and, remember, I am happy to check all applications in a drop-in session or by email (p.hardie@chester.ac.uk).

It's National Pro Bono Week!

What does Pro Bono mean and how can being involved in it assist you with your legal career?

Pro bono is a Latin phrase meaning "for the public good".  In a legal context it has now come to mean providing free law advice to those people who cannot afford to pay for it.

Why should you try to get involved?

Firstly, it's a great opportunity to get involved in a local community project and use your legal knowledge to good effect.  There are lots of ways you can do this, whether by volunteering at your local Citizens Advice or a Law Centre.  There are also sometimes advocacy opportunities at charities such as Age Concern.  Cheshire West, Cheshire East, Halton and Warrington Youth Offending Service is currently looking for volunteers to support young people who have come to the attention of the police as a result of anti-social/ offending behaviour. For more information please contact careers@chester.ac.uk 

 

Secondly, you'll be using that legal knowledge under supervision, so you can put into practice the knowledge you've learnt from your degree and develop existing skills as well as acquire new ones, such as team working and communication.

Thirdly, you can use your experience of pro bono work to develop your CV.  Employers really like to see evidence of any volunteering activity and, if it's related to Law, so much the better!  You can use your experiences to give examples on application forms and at interview.

Now's the time to get involved, especially as it's National Pro Bono Week!

Manchester Law Fair is now less than 2 weeks away

Manchester Law Fair 2016 is taking place at Manchester Central Convention Centre on Tuesday 15 November from 12.30 - 4.00pm.

This is one of the largest Law Fairs in the country and is open to both Law and non-law students from any university.



This fair is an excellent forum for students and graduates to have discussions with firms of solicitors about their opportunities for vacation placements and training contracts, to talk to training providers about their law courses or to find out about careers at the Bar or in other areas of Law.

Online registration for the Fair is now open.

Sign up on the Law School noticeboard at 67 Liverpool Road for the free coach to take you there!

Details of the exhibitors and the link to online registration are available at:
Law Fair Exhibitors

Go to the Law Hub on Moodle to see my presentation on how to prepare for the
Law Fair.