Summer placement - light at the end of the tunnel

It’s fair to say this has been a big week for me. The second of my three summer work placements is now underway, and I received confirmation on Monday that I have successfully achieved the 2:1 that I need in order to pursue my dream of being a solicitor (something which, until now, has been nothing more than a reverie).

I have always recognised the significance of getting the all-important 2:1 (because without it I seriously doubt whether I’d have been prepared to tackle the current market for training contracts!).

However, aside from the degree, second on my to-do list has been the prerequisite of securing some form of legal work experience. Essentially, given that I studied a non-qualifying law degree, I simply wanted to see what I was letting myself in for before forking out £20k in fees for the GDL and LPC!

For some weeks prior to my first placement I couldn’t help but wonder how I would be able to contribute to the work undertaken at a law firm, without any prior legal training or experience. However, with one placement under the belt and a second one up-and-running, I have discovered that although I haven’t been able to bring great deal to the table as far as legal know-how is concerned, I have been able to gain some valuable insight into what it is that goes on behind those closed doors.

Personally, making career choices has never been an easy task, and I must admit that there were times when I have wondered whether this has all really been worth it. There are times when I have questioned whether I could handle the stress of two more years in education, not to mention the mountain of debt that goes hand-in-hand with it. There are also times when I have wondered if my aspirations of being a solicitor are really true to me as a person, and so I am directing this blog at anyone in a similar position to myself. Knowing that I have now completed my degree and the optimism that I have gained from my first work placements, together, make it feel like for the first time this really has all been worth it. I can take a long and satisfying sigh of relief, because there’s finally light at the end of the tunnel.

Next on my list is the TC application deadline, meaning there’s still plenty of work that needs to be done. I am desperate to secure funding for my GDL and LPC, and so I need to make sure that my applications really are done to the best of my ability. To cap it off - until I have reason to believe otherwise - I’m just hoping I can keep this dream alive!