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).