law work experience
I am in year 12 at the moment and have been unsuccessful with finding in person work experience and doubt I will be in future-would I still be able to get into top universities for law such as Bristol and Warwick if I don’t haven’t in person law work experience but instead virtual work experience and other extracurriculars
Reply 1
hey babe, in person work exp for things like law is quite difficult to get, same with medicine, which is why online work experience is valued the same as in person
Reply 2
Original post by marieatienza
I am in year 12 at the moment and have been unsuccessful with finding in person work experience and doubt I will be in future-would I still be able to get into top universities for law such as Bristol and Warwick if I don’t haven’t in person law work experience but instead virtual work experience and other extracurriculars
yea i totes agree, law ones r so difficult to find and i have no connections..
Reply 3
Original post by marieatienza
I am in year 12 at the moment and have been unsuccessful with finding in person work experience and doubt I will be in future-would I still be able to get into top universities for law such as Bristol and Warwick if I don’t haven’t in person law work experience but instead virtual work experience and other extracurriculars
Law degrees at Bristol and Warwick are academic courses not vocational. Work experience isn't required and an over-emphasis in your PS on work rather than academic interests in law will make it worse not better.
Don't worry about getting WE for law university applications - spend your time finding out more about the academic topics you'll be studying during a law degree and which areas you find interesting.
Reply 5
Original post by marieatienza
I am in year 12 at the moment and have been unsuccessful with finding in person work experience and doubt I will be in future-would I still be able to get into top universities for law such as Bristol and Warwick if I don’t haven’t in person law work experience but instead virtual work experience and other extracurriculars
IMO it's not necessary as finding mini-pupillages in high school is quite challenging. However, UK unis enjoy reading a very academic/targeted personal statement, and you'll often be exposed to specific verbiage or topics of interest to write about when attending such work experience. This is not to say that the same knowledge cannot be taken from reading law-specific books (The Legal Analyst by Ward Farnsworth is great for a conceptual grasp of law content). I did a short mini-pupillage at a Chambers and I'd say it was a great learning experience and a way to solidify your motivation to pursue law! I've not heard of virtual WE though, what would you be doing online?
For context, I got into both the universities named, and a few other notable unis ❤️
Reply 6
Original post by marieatienza
I am in year 12 at the moment and have been unsuccessful with finding in person work experience and doubt I will be in future-would I still be able to get into top universities for law such as Bristol and Warwick if I don’t haven’t in person law work experience but instead virtual work experience and other extracurriculars
Hey there,
Honestly, please don’t worry too much — you're definitely not alone. In-person legal work experience can be really tough to get, especially in Year 12, and top universities like Bristol and Warwick don’t expect everyone to have secured placements in law firms before applying.
What they’re really looking for is genuine interest in the subject, strong academics, and evidence that you’ve taken initiative to explore law — and it sounds like you’re already doing that through virtual work experience and extracurriculars, which is absolutely valid.
In fact, virtual programmes (like the ones offered by Forage, Springpod, or law firm insight days) still show admissions tutors that you’ve actively taken steps to learn about the legal profession. Combine that with wider supercurriculars — like reading, attending lectures or talks, joining debate or mooting societies, or following legal news — and you’ve already built a really solid foundation.
When it comes to your personal statement, focus on what you’ve learned from your experiences — not whether they were in-person or virtual. Reflecting on what you found interesting, what challenged your thinking, or how it confirmed your interest in law will go a long way.
So yes — even without in-person work experience, you can 100% still be a competitive applicant for unis like Bristol and Warwick. Keep doing what you’re doing, stay curious, and use every opportunity (big or small) to develop your understanding of law. You’ve got this!
Reply 7
Original post by marieatienza
I am in year 12 at the moment and have been unsuccessful with finding in person work experience and doubt I will be in future-would I still be able to get into top universities for law such as Bristol and Warwick if I don’t haven’t in person law work experience but instead virtual work experience and other extracurriculars
Work experience won’t give you any advantage for university applications to study law — you’re applying to study law as an academic discipline, not become a lawyer. Reading around the subject, LNAT performance (for Bristol), essay competitions, watching lectures/having researched the courses/degree, etc. will probably help you far more than spending a week in a commercial law firm.
Edit — best of luck with your applications!
(edited 3 weeks ago)
Original post by marieatienza
I am in year 12 at the moment and have been unsuccessful with finding in person work experience and doubt I will be in future-would I still be able to get into top universities for law such as Bristol and Warwick if I don’t haven’t in person law work experience but instead virtual work experience and other extracurriculars
My experience of applying this year has shown that nothing matters apart from top grades and LNAT.
Reply 9
Work experience isn't going to make any difference one way or the other, you will be fine.
Original post by marieatienza
I am in year 12 at the moment and have been unsuccessful with finding in person work experience and doubt I will be in future-would I still be able to get into top universities for law such as Bristol and Warwick if I don’t haven’t in person law work experience but instead virtual work experience and other extracurriculars
I got oxf interview, Durham and Bristol offers. I had done 2 loads of work experience at very local firms (none of the big ones) BUT only included a brief sentence on my work experience. So I really would not worry it is irrelevant, at an Oxford open day at Brasenose the guy doing the talk said he saw work experience as a reflection on your background rather than your ability to study law as pre-uni it is down to contacts so I wouldn’t worry. Focus on getting familiar with a a book or interesting piece of legislation to fit into your PS instead.
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