Second and Third Year Advice

The next two years at university are the best, busiest and most exciting years you will have. They are a time for you to discover new opportunities and have new experiences which potentially guide your future career plans and applications.

If you want to become a solicitor…

Many law firms of all sizes offer vacation schemes (think of them as official work placements from one to three weeks duration). This generally leads to the opportunity of having some form of a training contract interview, which if you are successful, results in you gaining a job offer for when you finish university. If you are considering applying for vacation schemes, first you need to decide what type of firm you might want to eventually work for. If you want to work in London doing commercial work, then there are many firms to apply to. However, if you want to work in a regional firm or in a different area of law, the number of vacation schemes you can apply for is more limited (there are still lots, do not be disheartened). 

You should then make a list of which firms you are going to target. I spent hours trawling through firms’ websites to see which firms I liked the look of, and the deadlines for applications. It is also really important that when researching and applying to firms that they do an area of law that you are interested in because there is no point applying for a firm you are not interested in. Moreover, having a genuine interest in a firm and their practice will help your application stand out as it it easier for you to show your passion for something you like.

Now that you have narrowed down where you want to work, you should try to seek out ways to create some sort of link to that particular firm. A great way of enhancing your application is by applying for open/insight days at the firm before applying for the vacation scheme. This is a great way to make your application stand out and also shows that you are dedicated to the firm from an early stage. However, this is not the only way, often firms have online events or work experiences open to anyone (found on their websites) designed to give a further insight into their firm which are a great way to show your genuine interest within an application.

When making your applications, you should ask your Careers Advisor (Chris Wilkinson) to check your CV and to provide interview practice – this can help prepare you especially if you’re not familiar with the process! Lots of firms now use a Watson Glaser -style test (logic and reasoning) as part of the vacation scheme and training contract application process. This is something that you just need to practice over and over again and there are many resources to do so online.

Here is a practice test that you may find useful: Practice Test

If you are unsuccessful in your second year in securing a training contract, do not worry! – just ask for feedback on your unsuccessful applications, and you should learn and develop enough to have a good chance in your third year! Remember, it’s not the end of the world if you do not finish university holding an offer. These things take time.

If you want to be a barrister…

Becoming a barrister can feel incredibly complicated and overwhelming. Here are my top tips if you think the Bar might be for you.

Go to Bar and Mooting events

The first point of call would be to join Bar and Mooting, and go to their events! They’ll be discussing what being a barrister is like, will bring in some barristers to network, and will help you understand scholarships, conversion courses, and much more. Use these events to your advantage, and network as much as you can.

Try out Mooting and Advocacy Sessions

Mooting is a simulated court environment, where you will be given a problem to analyse. You will have to research the relevant law, prepare written submissions, and present an oral argument to the court. It’s the perfect way to practice your oral advocacy and gives you a taste of what it means to be a barrister. Check out our Bar and Mooting page for more information, and just give it a go! It can feel really scary at first, but the Mooting society is a welcoming and inclusive community.

Apply to Mini-Pupillages

Mini-pupillages are like Vacation Schemes, but for the Bar. They usually last 3 days but can be 4-days or a week-long. As highlighted above, research is key: make sure you know the chambers you’re applying to and don’t try and copy and paste! Chambers will appreciate a thought-through application, in an area that you are interested in. (plus, you will learn much more from it!).

If you don’t want to do either…

It’s okay to not want to go into the barrister/solicitor route! There are so many other options out there for you. I would recommend trying out some pro-bono activities, as well as coming to our panel events: you’ll find some in-house lawyers, and hear from different organisations (government, CPS, NGOs…). Other tips: talk to tutors about what you like, (as they come from all career paths, and often have a lot of insight on work experience) and choose modules in which you are interested in!

The Executive Committee, 2023/24