i want to do law........

So I'm someone who has just started year 12 and I feel like I'm screwed and all my doors are closed. I want to be a corporate lawyer in the future ( not because of the Suits Show or Harvey Specter, it's a good show but not why. Unfortunately, I did so badly in my GCSEs that I feel like I may not get to where I want to be. All I can do that I know I can put effort into is business double and health and social single. Is there any uni or apprenticeship even which would be better with a reputation or course good enough to 1. get me to this career path and 2. get me to thew point where I can work with and against the best?

Reply 1

Stiffy Byng

19

Your GCSE grades are unlikely to impede you if you obtain good grades at A level or in the IB, and obtain a place to study law or any other subject at a good university.

What do you think being a corporate lawyer involves? What interests you about working as a lawyer?

Reply 2

idk1234456938543

OP

2

Original post by Stiffy Byng

Your GCSE grades are unlikely to impede you if you obtain good grades at A level or in the IB, and obtain a place to study law or any other subject at a good university.
What do you think being a corporate lawyer involves? What interests you about working as a lawyer?

being a corporate lawyer involves what I know to be lots of paperwork, writing and tons of research on the client's competitors, the future of your client's business, etc. What interests me as a lawyer is how I will be able to get an opportunity to be the lawyer of a corporation whether as their general council or the one who helps with lawsuits. i wanna be that lawyer that gets to help them, that advises them. Do you know what I mean?

Reply 3

Stiffy Byng

19

Original post by idk1234456938543

being a corporate lawyer involves what I know to be lots of paperwork, writing and tons of research on the client's competitors, the future of your client's business, etc. What interests me as a lawyer is how I will be able to get an opportunity to be the lawyer of a corporation whether as their general council or the one who helps with lawsuits. i wanna be that lawyer that gets to help them, that advises them. Do you know what I mean?

In legal practice "corporate law" is a sub-division of the wider category of commercial or business law. In a large law firm, the corporate department may deal with matters relating to the formation, organisation, operation, and financing of companies, and may support client companies in relation to commercial transactions by advising, drafting documents and so on.

Other teams within the law firm deal with disputes (litigation, arbitration, mediation), and with corporate insolvency, the re-structuring of company debts, and so on. There are various other sub-divisions of commercial legal practice.

Large companies have in-house legal departments headed by a lawyer who is often called the General Counsel (not Council). He or she is the principal legal adviser to the board of the company, and is in charge of engaging external lawyers (law firms, or barristers practising from chambers) for tasks relating to transactions, disputes, and so on.

Barristers practising commercial law advise, draft documents, and argue cases in courts and before arbitral tribunals.

About half of the practising lawyers in the UK have law degrees. Others (me, for example) have degrees in other subjects.

Rigorous academic study in a competitive environment is a good preparation for becoming a lawyer. Becoming a solicitor or a barrister is quite a lengthy, expensive, laborious, and competitive process.

If you do well in sixth form and at university you should have a good chance of finding a career in the law.

(edited 3 weeks ago)

Reply 4

idk1234456938543

OP

2

Original post by Stiffy Byng

In legal practice "corporate law" is a sub-division of the wider category of commercial or business law. In a large law firm, the corporate department may deal with matters relating to the formation, organisation, operation, and financing of companies, and may support client companies in relation to commercial transactions by advising, drafting documents and so on.
Other teams within the law firm deal with disputes (litigation, arbitration, mediation), and with corporate insolvency, the re-structuring of company debts, and so on. There are various other sub-divisions of commercial legal practice.
Large companies have in-house legal departments headed by a lawyer who is often called the General Counsel (not Council). He or she is the principal legal adviser to the board of the company, and is in charge of engaging external lawyers (law firms, or barristers practising from chambers) for tasks relating to transactions, disputes, and so on.
Barristers practising commercial law advise, draft documents, and argue cases in courts and before arbitral tribunals.
About half of the practising lawyers in the UK have law degrees. Others (me, for example) have degrees in other subjects.
Rigorous academic study in a competitive environment is a good preparation for becoming a lawyer. Becoming a solicitor or a barrister is quite a lengthy, expensive, laborious, and competitive process.
If you do well in sixth form and at university you should have a good chance of finding a career in the law.

would you say extra and super curricular will help as well as work experience in places of both business as well as law firms as well as also any enrichments activities especially to do with social speaking

Reply 5

Stiffy Byng

19

The most competitive universities tend not to pay much attention to the extra-curricular activities of applicants but they may pay attention to super-curricular activities.

Law firms and sets of chambers may be interested in well-rounded candidates who have obtained work experience, done relevant voluntary work, and participated in activities such as mooting (simulated appellate court hearings), but such things don't outweigh academic credentials.

Recruitment may be university-blind. The quality of a candidate's academic experience and achievements are more important than the name of the university they attend or attended. The big name universities may in many instances provide a better academic experience, and that is why graduates of those universities often do well in competitive recruitment processes, although graduates of less well-known universities can of course do well also.

Reply 6

Trinculo

21

Original post by idk1234456938543

So I'm someone who has just started year 12 and I feel like I'm screwed and all my doors are closed. I want to be a corporate lawyer in the future ( not because of the Suits Show or Harvey Specter, it's a good show but not why. Unfortunately, I did so badly in my GCSEs that I feel like I may not get to where I want to be. All I can do that I know I can put effort into is business double and health and social single. Is there any uni or apprenticeship even which would be better with a reputation or course good enough to 1. get me to this career path and 2. get me to thew point where I can work with and against the best?

The more things you can tick off on the following list, the better:

•

be a girl

•

from a top university

•

with a first class degree

•

have an absolutely obscene work ethic

•

60+ hours a week

•

al desko lunches

•

have something they want. Preferably have Steven Spielberg on Linkedin.

•

Look like someone whose services they can bill. i.e. look like a professional

Reply 7

Stiffy Byng

19

Original post by Trinculo

The more things you can tick off on the following list, the better:

•

be a girl

•

from a top university

•

with a first class degree

•

have an absolutely obscene work ethic

•

60+ hours a week

•

al desko lunches

•

have something they want. Preferably have Steven Spielberg on Linkedin.

•

Look like someone whose services they can bill. i.e. look like a professional

This may be intended as a joke. In case you are at all serious.

be a girl [*]

Sex discrimination is unlawful. The word for an adult human female is woman, not girl.

from a top university [*]

University-blind recruitment is increasingly common. The value of study at a leading university is in the quality of the education, not the name of the university.

with a first class degree [*]

Useful, not necessary.

have an absolutely obscene work ethic [*]

A strong work ethic is required. It's not clear what you mean by obscene in this context.

60+ hours a week [*]

Long working hours are the norm in large law firms, although the hours vary from week to week depending on caseload.

al desko lunches [*]

This is the norm in (too) many office employments.

have something they want. Preferably have Steven Spielberg on Linkedin. [*]

The things that employers want are ability and potential.

Look like someone whose services they can bill. i.e. look like a professional

Ability is more important than looks. Staff are expected to dress in the usual professional way.

i want to do law........

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