Law gap year - CRCC Asia Internships

sophieCA1990

I am a final year non-law student at a top 5 University, with places to do the GDL starting from September. However, I am thinking that I will take a year out before the GDL and am eager to make the most of my year off to give me a real help in securing Vac scheme/training contract. I have a couple of legal/finance internships, lots of voluntary work and work with legal charity, a couple of mini-pupilages.

My plan at this stage was to dedicate the year to researching law firms and applying for vac schemes/training contracts while hopefully working a job in a large company to gain some more commercial awareness. I was planning to also volunteer with CAB. I am also thinking about completing an internship with a company like CRCC Asia where they claim to match you with a law firm in China and you can do this for a month or two. It's very expensive but I feel it could be a really interesting addition to my cv. However, I am always wary of things where you pay a large amount of money to complete an internship for free.

Does anyone have any experience of internships with this company or any other? and do law firms look down on work experience organised through a third party company as such?

thanks :smile:

Reply 1

finalist! :O

I'm going a gap year before my LPC and my uni careers adviser suggested something along these lines (the Mountbatten institute). I'm still uncertain though. I've been to lawassessment days were people seemed to be talking about experience they'd paid for and were, seemingly, looked upon favourably.

Reply 2

sophieCA1990

It's so difficult to decide isn't it! I think the Mountbatten institute looks fantastic but I don't want to be away for a whole year. Were the experiences people were talking about law internships abroad?

Reply 3

finalist! :O

At the assessment day one girl was talking about work experience in a NY law firm. I'm opting to volunteer in Palestine with ICS which with funding from my union (if I get it) will cost £200. Fingers crossed I'll be working in a legal aid centre. I think the father from traditional legal work experience you go the cheaper it gets :smile: