Getting School Work Experience in top law firms?
Hi,
I am currently studying Highers in Scotland with the ambitious aim of going to study law at Oxford. I am currently looking at what work experience I can get in the next two years in order to see if a career in commercial law is what I want in the future.
I have noticed some people on TSR seem to have managed to secure school work experience at Magic Circle firms such as Allen and Overy and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer! How could people possibly secure such experience at this big name firms?! I was under the impression that Magic Circle firms did not offer work experience to school pupils. I am currently looking into Pinsent Masons who seem to be the only firm to actively say they want school pupils.
So HOW? Do these people know people that work for the firm? Or are they just firing off letters?
I am currently studying Highers in Scotland with the ambitious aim of going to study law at Oxford. I am currently looking at what work experience I can get in the next two years in order to see if a career in commercial law is what I want in the future.
I have noticed some people on TSR seem to have managed to secure school work experience at Magic Circle firms such as Allen and Overy and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer! How could people possibly secure such experience at this big name firms?! I was under the impression that Magic Circle firms did not offer work experience to school pupils. I am currently looking into Pinsent Masons who seem to be the only firm to actively say they want school pupils.
So HOW? Do these people know people that work for the firm? Or are they just firing off letters?
Original post by duggs95
Do these people know people that work for the firm?
Yes, or they know someone who works for one of the firm's clients. They don't offer work experience to school pupils normally.
Don't worry about getting experience at the top level too much. Most of my experience at your stage was in a tiny high street firm and it didn't stop me getting into a top commercial firm later on.
Generally they don't offer it.
People who have it got it either through blind luck or through contacts. Universities (and, if you apply for Training Contracts, law firms) know this so I wouldn't worry about it.
People who have it got it either through blind luck or through contacts. Universities (and, if you apply for Training Contracts, law firms) know this so I wouldn't worry about it.
It's virtually impossible 'cold', you have to have some kind of link either through friends and family or through people you've met at networking events.
Thank you for all your replies.
Yes, I think I shall go for the Pinsent Masons one and then grab some experience in a smaller firm. There are plenty of law firms in Edinburgh where I live. I plan on studying – and hopefully practising – in England but they shouldn't have a problem with that(?).
I guess these people must know people who have ties to the big firms but as one of you said I guess it doesn't matter too much for it to be in a top firm at this stage.
Yes, I think I shall go for the Pinsent Masons one and then grab some experience in a smaller firm. There are plenty of law firms in Edinburgh where I live. I plan on studying – and hopefully practising – in England but they shouldn't have a problem with that(?).
I guess these people must know people who have ties to the big firms but as one of you said I guess it doesn't matter too much for it to be in a top firm at this stage.
(edited 14 years ago)
I have secured a work experience placement at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and I am a school student so it is actually possible.
You don't need to do work experience with the big corporate firms to find out that you want to be a corporate lawyer. During sixth form, I did a week with a full service firm in Derby, which was pretty small and allowed me to do each day for the week in a different department. I did corporate/commercial, criminal, family, personal injury and conveyancing. Whilst I appreciate that the corporate stuff was a lot smaller than the MC would ever touch, it's the bases of contract etc that are important.
It was absolutely invaluable. Going to a purely corporate firm wouldn't have given me the understanding of the different types of law and their individual merits. I learned so much from that week and when I started university, I was pretty clear on what I wanted to look into in terms of careers.
No university or law firm expects you to go to a magic circle law firm, and quite frankly, I doubt whether many entrance tutors will really know much about the big law firms or care - some of mine never practised as a solicitor in the UK or at all.
The person above apparently managed to get experience at Freshfields - to get this at your age you'll need contacts and/or a bulldozer attitude that will either work absolute wonders and gain respect or completely smack you in the face when lawyers remember you for being irritating and arrogant. I'd say it's not worth the risk or wasted time/effort for something that is unlikely to have much effect.
My advice - try a full service local law firm. It doesn't have to be big. Getting experience in more than one area of law in s smaller firm will look FAR better on your CV/personal statement than just sticking to one area you can't possibly know you'll want to do in 4 years' time at a large firm.
The glitzy name isn't everything in this situation.
It was absolutely invaluable. Going to a purely corporate firm wouldn't have given me the understanding of the different types of law and their individual merits. I learned so much from that week and when I started university, I was pretty clear on what I wanted to look into in terms of careers.
No university or law firm expects you to go to a magic circle law firm, and quite frankly, I doubt whether many entrance tutors will really know much about the big law firms or care - some of mine never practised as a solicitor in the UK or at all.
The person above apparently managed to get experience at Freshfields - to get this at your age you'll need contacts and/or a bulldozer attitude that will either work absolute wonders and gain respect or completely smack you in the face when lawyers remember you for being irritating and arrogant. I'd say it's not worth the risk or wasted time/effort for something that is unlikely to have much effect.
My advice - try a full service local law firm. It doesn't have to be big. Getting experience in more than one area of law in s smaller firm will look FAR better on your CV/personal statement than just sticking to one area you can't possibly know you'll want to do in 4 years' time at a large firm.
The glitzy name isn't everything in this situation.
Hi, Was just wondering if i could have the name of the place you got work experience?
Original post by Happy1
You don't need to do work experience with the big corporate firms to find out that you want to be a corporate lawyer. During sixth form, I did a week with a full service firm in Derby, which was pretty small and allowed me to do each day for the week in a different department. I did corporate/commercial, criminal, family, personal injury and conveyancing. Whilst I appreciate that the corporate stuff was a lot smaller than the MC would ever touch, it's the bases of contract etc that are important.
It was absolutely invaluable. Going to a purely corporate firm wouldn't have given me the understanding of the different types of law and their individual merits. I learned so much from that week and when I started university, I was pretty clear on what I wanted to look into in terms of careers.
No university or law firm expects you to go to a magic circle law firm, and quite frankly, I doubt whether many entrance tutors will really know much about the big law firms or care - some of mine never practised as a solicitor in the UK or at all.
The person above apparently managed to get experience at Freshfields - to get this at your age you'll need contacts and/or a bulldozer attitude that will either work absolute wonders and gain respect or completely smack you in the face when lawyers remember you for being irritating and arrogant. I'd say it's not worth the risk or wasted time/effort for something that is unlikely to have much effect.
My advice - try a full service local law firm. It doesn't have to be big. Getting experience in more than one area of law in s smaller firm will look FAR better on your CV/personal statement than just sticking to one area you can't possibly know you'll want to do in 4 years' time at a large firm.
The glitzy name isn't everything in this situation.
It was absolutely invaluable. Going to a purely corporate firm wouldn't have given me the understanding of the different types of law and their individual merits. I learned so much from that week and when I started university, I was pretty clear on what I wanted to look into in terms of careers.
No university or law firm expects you to go to a magic circle law firm, and quite frankly, I doubt whether many entrance tutors will really know much about the big law firms or care - some of mine never practised as a solicitor in the UK or at all.
The person above apparently managed to get experience at Freshfields - to get this at your age you'll need contacts and/or a bulldozer attitude that will either work absolute wonders and gain respect or completely smack you in the face when lawyers remember you for being irritating and arrogant. I'd say it's not worth the risk or wasted time/effort for something that is unlikely to have much effect.
My advice - try a full service local law firm. It doesn't have to be big. Getting experience in more than one area of law in s smaller firm will look FAR better on your CV/personal statement than just sticking to one area you can't possibly know you'll want to do in 4 years' time at a large firm.
The glitzy name isn't everything in this situation.
Original post by lilzoldier
I have secured a work experience placement at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and I am a school student so it is actually possible.
howw please let us know
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