Day in the life of a Trainee Solicitor - The University of Law, Chester 18 July 2018

If you've ever wondered what life as a trainee solicitor might be like, why not find out by attending this free event at The University of Law, Chester on Wednesday 18 July from 10am to 4pm?

Book your place now here

Government Legal Department Legal Trainee Scheme opens for applications on 2 July

The application process for the 2018 Government Legal Department (GLD) Legal Trainee Scheme (LTS) opens on 2 July.

The deadline for completion of the application form is 12 noon on Friday 27 July 2018.

There are 75 trainee solicitor and pupil barrister places being advertised this year for those ready to start their training in September 2020 and 2019.  

The majority of trainee places will be based in London. However, 2 Trainee Solicitor places being offered by GLD (to start in 2020 and 2019) are based in Leeds.

This year, GLD is offering 13 trainees the opportunity to complete their entire training contract within GLD’s Commercial Law Group (working across the different commercial law teams).

Most of the available places will be offered by GLD but there are also some places available at HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), National Crime Agency (NCA) and Competition & Markets Authority (CMA)
You must have, or be predicted to obtain, a minimum of a 2:2 in an undergraduate degree. This does not have to be in Law.

For more information please click here

National Law Fair at the University of Law, London Moorgate Campus, Friday 22 June

The University of Law is holding its National Law Fair at its London Moorgate Campus this year on Friday 22 June from 12 noon to 4pm.

This is a great opportunity to talk to legal organisations and law firms about their training contracts and placements and to get advice on the legal recruitment process.

For a list of legal organisations and firms attending and to book your place please click here

After the event, the University of Law will be hosting a VIP networking drinks reception for Student Law Societies across the UK, taking place from 4 - 6:30pm. A great finish to a really worthwhile event!

What next after your Law degree? What are your options with postgraduate study?

Many of you now coming to the end of your undergraduate Law degree may be thinking about           postgraduate study for next academic year or beyond.

This can be divided as follows:

Vocational Study related to your Law degree

This, at present, comprises the Legal Practice Course (LPC) for aspiring solicitors or the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) for intending barristers.

LPC

If you are considering applying for the LPC for September 2018 there are still places available at most providers.

There is no official closing date so providers will keep their course lists open for as long as possible.

If you study the LPC LLM, MSc in Law, Business and Management, or the new MA Law at the University of Law, you could be eligible for a £10,609 postgraduate loan from the Student Loans Company.  Similarly, BPP Law School offers the LLM Legal Practice, which would also qualify you for a postgraduate loan.

How to apply

If you are applying for a full time LPC, you use the Central Applications Board website Lawcabs
You are allowed to make up to 3 choices of institution.  Bear in mind, that if you are a Law student at the University of Chester, you are guaranteed a place at the University of Law centre of your choice, provided you get at least a 2:2 in your undergraduate degree.

BPTC

Applications for the BPTC have now closed for September 2018 and will reopen for 2019 in late November. Check for updates on the BarSAS website.

You will also have to pass the Bar Course Aptitude Test before starting your course. See
Bar Standards Board for further information.

You must also join one of the Inns of Court before enrolling on the BPTC.

Don't forget, there are large sums of money available in scholarships from the Inns of Court. 

• The application deadline for scholarships is always the first Friday in November in the year before you wish to commence the BPTC.
• You can only apply to one Inn.

Both the University of Law and BPP Law School offer the BPTC LLM course which would make you eligible for a Student Loans Company Postgraduate Loan.

Academic study related to your Law degree

LLM

You might be thinking about going on to Masters study and, in particular an LLM.  This could be a good idea if you really want to focus on a particular area of law, such as Human Rights, and intend to forge a career using that expertise.

A few points to remember about studying a Masters:

• It can be expensive, though a Student Loans Company Postgraduate Loan of up to £10,609 could help you with the finances. See Find A Masters for details.

• If you had received a postgraduate loan for an LLM you would not be eligible for more funding from the Student Loans Company in order to study for an LPC or BPTC LLM

• You can often study part-time enabling you to work at the same time as studying

• You need to be motivated to study your chosen specialism at a higher level.  Even if you are doing a taught Masters as opposed to a Research Masters (known as an MPhil) you will be expected to carry out hours of study outside of lectures.

• Think again, if you are considering a Masters to make up for a poor result in your undergraduate degree.  Employers will see through this and look at your original degree result first!

Have you thought about becoming a Chartered Legal Executive Lawyer?

There is an alternative to the traditional route of Law degree, followed by Legal Practice Course (LPC) and training contract in order to become a qualified solicitor.

It involves, instead, studying for the CILEx Graduate Fast-track Diploma (GFTD).  As a Law graduate you are eligible to apply for this course and you don't need to study any more Law subjects.

You do need to acquire the legal practice and professional skills elements of the GFTD, along with satisfying the qualifying employment requirements.  This is a 3 year period when you could be working as a paralegal in legal practice, in the legal department of a company or in local/national government. Because you can study by distance learning at times to suit you, ideally you will be working as a paralegal alongside studying.

What is the difference between a Chartered Legal Executive Lawyer and a Solicitor?

The answer is, very little!  The main difference is that Chartered Legal Executive Lawyers only study one legal practice subject at an advanced level so they need to choose an area they wish to specialise in.  With the LPC, students study a range of compulsory subjects. However, in the end, all lawyers, no matter how they qualified, tend to specialise in just one legal practice area.

Chartered Legal Executives can become partners in Law firms and also apply to be appointed as judges.

One of the main advantages of studying the CILEx route is cost.  The total cost will be about £3,500 as opposed to around £12,000 for the LPC.

Want to know more?

Go to the CILEx and CILEx Law School websites.

Voluntary in-house legal experience in Liverpool - Summer 2018

Please see below for details of how to gain in-house legal experience:

In-House Legal Experience (Voluntary)

Gain valuable work experience with a full service in-house legal team.

2-3 week long work placements with Princes, a first choice international food and

drink group.

We would like to offer students of the University of Chester Law School a chance to

gain experience with a fast paced in-house legal team which provides a variety of

legal services across the Princes Group.

Responsibilities to include;

• Working closely with the Group Legal team consisting of 9 individuals who

have responsibility for 14 manufacturing sites across the UK, Italy and

Mauritius and 5 offices across Europe based in Netherlands, France, Poland

and Italy.

• Assisting with claims liability investigations;

• Reviewing commercial contracts and Import documentation;

• Conducting legal research in various jurisdictions;

• Liaising with our colleagues across the business including UK manufacturing

sites.

We are looking for individuals with;

• A genuine desire to gain in-house experience;

• Excellent oral and written communication skills;

• Not afraid to ask questions;

• Excellent attention to detail;

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office;

• Ideally with European language skills.

This is a voluntary position lasting 2-3 weeks depending on availability. Placements

will be available between 4th June and 28th September 2018.

Working hours are Monday-Friday 08:45-17:00 at our headquarters in the Royal

Liver Building, Liverpool.

In return, we offer genuine hands on experience, a positive working environment with

a friendly and hard working team, valuable insight into how a global in-house legal

department operates.

Princes is committed to equality of opportunity. All applicants will be judged solely on

their merits.

To apply send your CV and  cover letter to

legal@princes.co.uk

Careers and Employability Graduate Head Start programme now open for booking

The Graduate Head Start programme for 2018 is now live on CareerHub for students to book. 

Graduate Head Start is a tailored programme run by Careers and Employability designed to help final year students take their first steps on the career ladder. The programme starts with a Graduate Head Start day which covers:

• ·        An elevator pitch exploring strengths, achievement and motivations
• ·        Writing effective application forms
• ·        Commercial awareness
• ·        How to job search
• ·        Answering tough interview questions
• ·        Developing a Careers Action Plan

Personalising your Programme

At the end of the Graduate Head Start day, students put together their personalised package of career support. They can choose from:

·        Online CV review

·        A 1:1 guidance appointment with a career consultant (45 minutes of in-depth individual      careers guidance)

·        Online training

Upcoming Graduate Head Start days are:

·        14^th May

·        20^th June

·        2^nd July

·        25^th July

All Graduate Head Start days run from 9:15am to 4:30pm and take place in Careers and Employability on Parkgate Road campus.

Click here to book your place.

Please note that the Graduate Head Start programme is only open to final year students and graduates from the University of Chester up to three years after graduation.