ÌÇÐÄTV

Gain legal experience and search for graduate roles

Securing a law firm vacation scheme and/or a mini-pupillage at chambers is a great way to gain insight into a career as a solicitor or a barrister. Vacation schemes and mini-pupillages are posted on websites like LawCareersNet, Chambers, TargetJobsLaw, AllAboutLaw, on the University's myAdvantage platform and on firms/chambers websites (details of training contracts, pupillage and other legally related jobs are also listed on many of these sites).

Competition is fierce so check out other ways to gain relevant experience:

Smaller regional and high street firms might be willing to offer work experience following a speculative approach using a targeted covering letter and CV. To find small firms use and

The following links are examples of websites with vacation schemes, mini-pupillages, training contracts and pupillage with deadlines for application.

Solicitor

Vacation schemes

Training contracts

A specialist A.I. algorithmic data mining platform for law providing law graduate jobs, paralegal and training contracts with details on qualification route (LPC/SQE):

Barrister

Mini-pupillage

Pupillage

Other legal learning opportunities

is a platform providing free virtual internships that are available to anyone. They have a wide range of programmes available including Law. Whilst these programmes may not have the prestige of traditional vacation schemes and mini-pupillages they provide an opportunity to gain an insight into law firms and law in practice. Look out for virtual legal internships offered by other organisations (e.g. University of Law, Bright Network's ).

Applications

Law firms

Law firms typically recruit more than two years in advance for training contracts. For some law students this means starting to make applications for training contracts during your penultimate year often at the same time as you are trying to secure vacation schemes. Graduates from other disciplines typically apply during their final year. Large law firms have a multi stage application process and you need to successfully navigate each stage before proceeding to the next one. Many (but not all) use psychometric assessments after the application form Including Watson & Glaser (critical thinking assessment). Successful applicants will usually have gained some law related work experience (demonstrates commitment, insight and motivation). Those who don’t secure a training contract can continue to apply it just means there will be a gap between finishing university and starting the next stage of training.

• Chambers Student:
• TargetJobs Law: , ,
• LawCareersNet: ,
• Commercial Law School:
• Assessment Day: (note some of these are free and some incur a cost)
• The Lawyer Portal:
• Student Opportunity/careers: Aptitude and Psychometric Testing

The Bar

Competition for pupillage is even fiercer than for training contracts. Applicants may face rejection and those determined to pursue a career at the Bar may need to gain further experience before reapplying for pupillage. Applicants need to have completed several mini-pupillages as well as gaining other relevant experience. Recruitment for mini-pupillage is often on a rolling basis. The Pupillage recruitment cycle runs from approximately January to May each year with adverts live in December of the year before. Applications are made between January and February with offers made in May (based on the 2020-2021 cycle). Scholarship funding for the bar vocational course is provided by the 4 Inns of Court (Gray's Inn, Lincoln's Inn, Middle Temple, Inner Temple).

• TargetJobs Law:
• The Lawyer Portal: &
• Pupillage & how to get it:
• Chambers Student:
• The Bar Council:

Interviews and assessment centres

Many law firms use video interviews before inviting you to a face to face interview and/or assessment centre. Smaller, midsize firms and barristers chambers may use a more straight forward approach and invite you to face to face interview following a successful application (note this may include other assessment processes e.g. formal presentation, case study, advocacy or group exercise).

• Student Opportunity/careers: approaching psychometric tests and succeeding at interviews and assessment centres; Video Interviews

Law firms

• Shearman and Sterling:
• TargetJobs Law:
• Chambers Student:
• AllAboutLaw:
• LawCareersNet:  
• Trainee Solicitor Surgery:
• YouTube:

The Bar

• Chambers Student:
• TargetJobs:
• Pupillage and how to get it:
• The Lawyer Portal:
• The Secret Barrister:
• University of ÌÇÐÄTV: Inns of Court Scholarship Interviews Questions

Law conversion courses (non-law graduates) and professional legal education (LPC/SQE and bar vocational course)

Solicitor

On 1 September 2021 the route to qualifying as a solicitor will change with the introduction of the SQE exam. Students starting degree courses (law and non-law) after September 2021 will need to take the SQE. The SQE is an examination that tests the application of legal knowledge to client contexts (SQE1) and legal skills (SQE2). Both law and non-law students will need to prepare for the SQE. For non-law students this will including taking a law conversion course (also required for entry to the Bar) as well as completing SQE 1 & 2 preparation prior to sitting the SQE exam. Whilst law students will already have an understanding of the legal theory they will need SQE preparation to enable them to understand how to apply their legal knowledge (SQE1) and to develop the skills required for professional practice (SQE 2). For information on law conversion courses, the SQE, and SQE preparation courses use the links below.

• - Solicitors Regulation Authority
• Law conversion courses: LawCareersNet -
• SQE preparation courses: LawCareersNet -

Barrister

From September 2020 anyone pursuing a career as a Barrister who has not already started the BPTC must complete one of the new Bar courses (vocational component of the training for the bar) approved by the Bar Standards Board (current BPTC students have until 2022 to complete the course). Previously (BPTC) there was a centralised application system. This is no longer the case and applicants for the bar vocational course now apply directly to the course provider and can make any number of applications. A list of providers of the bar vocational course can be found on the Bar Council’s website.

• Bar courses: Law Careers Net - ; Bar Standards Board -