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.

Chester Law firm presentation Wednesday 26 October at 1.30pm

SO, YOU’RE GETTING A LAW DEGREE ….

Your opportunity to get a valuable insight into getting the right career in Law.

Businessman and Law Firm Founder Mike Simpson together with Ruth Heap, Partner at Chester-based Law Firm, Hillyer McKeown, will give you a valuable 30 minute insight into the changing world of law and a surprising area of law that is set to be the big growth area of the next decade…! 

It will also give you an additional insight into how to get ahead for the all-important interviews!

Wednesday 26 October at 1.30pm in Binks CBK013

Please sign up to attend on CareerHub

Hope to see you there!

Bar Scholarships deadline is fast approaching (Friday 4 November 2016)

If you are considering the BPTC for September 2017 you can apply now for a Scholarship from one of the Inns of Court to help with the cost of the course.  Here's a few things you need to know:

• The four Inns of Court are:

        Lincoln's Inn
        Inner Temple
        Middle Temple
        Gray's Inn









The criteria they use for selection are:

• Intellectual qualities (ability to analyse complex information and identify essentials, judgement, perceptiveness, good memory - academic achievement generally being good evidence on all counts)
• Motivation (very high level of drive and determination, commitment to appropriate aspects of work at the Bar)
• Relationships (ability to get on with a wide range of people, diplomacy, ability to sustain relationships)
• Character (calmness under fire, ability to work hard for long hours and against deadlines, sound personal values and integrity)
• Impact (articulacy, persuasiveness, confidence, ability to suit conduct to the occasion)

• All the Inns have huge sums of money to give to aspiring barristers in the form of Scholarships
• You can only apply to one Inn.
• You do not have to join an Inn before you apply, but if you are successful in gaining a Scholarship you would then have to join that Inn.
• Inner and Middle Temple interview all candidates who apply to them for a Scholarship.
• Lincoln's Inn and Gray's Inn preselect on application before interview.
• The closing date for Scholarship applications is Friday 4 November - check the time of day on each Inn's website. They are different.
• Make sure you have read and understood the reference requirements.  They differ for each Inn, too!
• Remember, the Inns award Scholarships based on merit but it is in your interests to provide your financial information, too.

I am happy to help you with your application.

Springboard into Law at the University of Chester 19 October - sign up now

Want to kick start your legal career?

The University of Law, based in Christleton near Chester, is coming to the University of Chester to present:


‘Springboard into Law’ 





This event is tailored to offer practical insight into how to get started with vacation scheme and training contract applications:

• Insight looking at the current market
• Tips on how to shape your application strategy
• How to research law firms and match your skills to what employers are looking for
• How to apply for the Legal Practice Course

University of Chester

Wednesday 19th October         13.30 – 15.30

Westminster CWE219/2

Book your place:
Online through CareerHub

NationalLawLIVE - Apply now for this one-day student conference for aspiring lawyers Friday 2 December

NationalLawLIVE will be held on Friday 2 December 2016 in the conference centre  at the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) in Manchester. There is a competitive application process and successful candidates will be asked to pay a delegate fee of £24. Please see below for further details to this really useful event. Choosing which firms to apply to for a training contract is not a simple process and  should involve extensive research. There are a number of major firms which operate  across large swathes of the United Kingdom (and beyond) and across a number of offices.  Their practices usually encompass a wide variety of work and attract a wide variety of clients , meaning that they are extremely attractive to recruits who seek a range of experience  in their careers. But choosing between them is easier said than done and requires  careful consideration. If you are considering becoming a lawyer – and especially if you are a law student  about to start your second year or a non-law student commencing your final year –  you need to up your game over the coming months if you are going to fulfil your potential.  Some of the questions you might want to ask yourself are: Have you got what it takes to be a top lawyer? Do you want unrivalled, in-depth access to top firms? Do you want to observe what lawyers really do? Do you want to hear the stories of successful lawyers? Do you want to know what recruiters really think? Do you want to make your CV look better to firms? Do you need a way to stand out? Are you ready to grab an opportunity to succeed? If the answer to most of the above is ‘YES!’, then the NationalLawLIVE event in December  is for you. NationalLawLIVE is a full-day, full-immersion exercise in ensuring that you are the type of  candidate who has the knowledge, connections and technique to win a training contract at a  top firm. You will meet and interact with lawyers and recruiters, hear their stories and advice,  and gain a unique insight into how the business of law really runs. Selection for the event is a competitive process, just like getting a training contract. Receiving an  invitation to attend one of our events shows that you are on the right track. Find out more and apply at www.nationallawlive.com. Here’s what some of the delegates from last year’s event had to say: "An amazing, helpful day! I would definitely recommend this event to others. The law firm  representatives were extremely helpful in answering questions and providing advice." 1st year law student "Not only was the event extremely useful for meeting firm representatives and learning  important skills, I have finally realised which path in law is right for me. I don’t think I’ve been  more excited and positive about my career in law!" GDL student Best wishes The NationalLawLIVE team