Nick Weaser is a history graduate who has just completed the LPC at the College of Law
Getting experienced - Catch 22
“Catch 22: a paradoxical situation in which an individual cannot avoid a problem because of contradictory restraints or rules”. Budding law applicants may be familiar with this position having attempted to attain that first legal placement.
Source: Luis Esnal via Flickr
Repeatedly being told by numerous law firms that they cannot offer you work experience unless you have prior experience leads to an impossible scenario. So what is the answer to this problem? Unfortunately the answer lies in shamelessly using any contacts that you have in order to get that first placement under your belt.
Regrettably the saying “it’s not what you know, but who you know” is still relevant in today’s legal profession. Whilst it may no longer be so in the context of attaining a training contract, as firms are adamant that each applicant is assessed on merit, it certainly remains relevant with regards to that elusive first work experience placement. It is for this reason that one must put aside one’s pride, belief in self-sufficiency and self-reliance, and seek assistance from friends, friends of family, or brief acquaintances from by-gone days. I can say from my own experience that you will be surprised with just how willing others will be in helping you make that first step towards the training contract.
Three years ago, I was the one sending email upon email requesting a mere couple of days experience at any firm in the City. I continuously found myself banging my head against a brick wall as I received that all too predictable response. It wasn’t until I was having dinner at a friend’s house that I plucked up the courage to ask the host’s father whether he would consider taking me on for a few days. He was more than happy to oblige. Whilst the work placement itself was priceless in exposing me to the inner workings of a commercial law firm for the first time, it was the effect that it had on subsequent applications that was equally as valuable, if not more so. For the first time in my short legal career, I felt that my CV was now granted the due attention and consideration that it deserved.
The importance of that first law placement cannot be understated: The contacts that you possess will provide you with that much needed leverage in order to progress in this testing profession.
Next week: The vacation scheme
Readers' comments (2)
l | 2-Aug-2012 9:21 pm
This is a perfect illustration of why the legal profession is called 'elitist'. Using Mummy and Daddy's connections to get a foot in the door. I do not understand the point of this article - it seems to be celebrating and encouraging the elitism of the law - getting a foot in the door at the expense of those from non professional backgrounds.
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Beth | 6-Aug-2012 10:21 am
I agree it's a depressing commentary on the state of the legal profession, but I'm slightly heartened that it was the blogger's own connections (though his friends) rather than his parents' that got him the foot in the door.
When I was struggling to build my own legal CV, I went to speak to the careers advisor at BPP whose main piece of advice was to use my contacts. She was stunned to learn that I didn't have any. I am not originally from the UK and while my middle-class parents have plenty of lawyer friends in my home country, that was of no use to me here.
I actually went away from the careers advisor on the verge of tears because she had basically told me that without personal contacts I had no chance at a legal career.
Since then, I have made my own connections through joining the professional organisations in my areas of legal interest. They exist in every field of law and often have talks where there is an element of networking at the end (often with free drinks!) so you can meet experienced practitioners. Many have free/reduced price membership for students.
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