1. Penultimate Year Law Career Planning Darren Johnson Careers Adviser

2. ∂ Why Now? Crucial Year : If considering Barrister/Solicitor career path Alternative careers – Internships/STEP/other work experience Career Planning is a process – requires time Reminder of Resources and Help from the Careers Advisory Service

3. ∂ Considering A Career As a Solicitor /Barrister Exploration: Occupational Role – skills and qualities – use reports and contacts of Durham alumni from CAS Organisation – size/specialisms/location/clients Self Make comparisons - be realistic Weigh up the Risk – competition and potential cost of postgraduate training (BVC/LPC)

4. ∂ Competition Solicitor 2007 6,012 training contracts 5,921 LPC passes Note: Up to a ¼ of T.Cs go to conversion (mainly Bar) and still previous LPC candidates applying Barrister – 34% of successful BVC candidates obtained pupillage Hence the importance of vacation scheme/mini pupillage/other legal related experience

5. ∂ Timetable - Solicitor Penultimate Year Before Xmas and into New Year (many deadlines by 31 st January, some earlier) apply for vacation schemes – don't forget Open Days too! Between end of Easter and July 31 st (majority of law firm deadlines) research and apply for training contracts

6. ∂ Timetable Solicitor Final Year October - Dec 1st – apply for LPC (lawcabs.ac.uk) Spring – apply for membership of Law Society

7. ∂ Timetable Barrister Penultimate Year Michaelmas /Epiphany Term – apply for mini-pupillages (lawcareers.net) Epiphany Term – apply to chambers who recruit 2 years in advance (www.pupillages.com)

8. ∂ Barrister Timetable Final Year Michaelmas – Apply for BVC (bvconline.co.uk) Apply for Inns of Court Scholarships by 1 st week of November Epiphany – Apply for pupillages (www.pupillages.com) – OLPAS / Non OLPASwww.pupillages.com Attend pupillage fairs & apply to chambers recruiting 1 year in advance

9. ∂ Prepare For The Fair Research the firms attending Make a list of who you want to target Plan RELEVANT questions to ask - creates a professional and lasting impression - builds rapport You gain maximum benefit from your interactions Practise asking questions Demonstrate a positive attitude

10. ∂ Questions – some tips Training and development - early years and beyond qualification. What makes a strong application? How can you best impress at the interview?

11. ∂ Training Contracts/Pupillages What do employers want? Strong academics – Achievement – drive and determination Soft Skills- persuasion/negotiation/customer focused/attention to detail/problem solving/teamwork Commercial Awareness

12. ∂ Useful Events http://www.dur.ac.uk/careers-advice/forthcomingcareerevents/ http://www.dur.ac.uk/careers-advice/forthcomingcareerevents/ Employer Presentations – Taylor Wessing LLP, How NOT To Get a Training Contract, 11 th Nov (Today- Collingwood – 6.30) Law Firm Applications-Basic Blunders & How To Avoid (18 th Nov ER142, 12-2pm ) Law Fair – 24 th and 25 th November 12pm-3.30pm, D.S.U Commercial Awareness Workshop, Nabarro (4 th Dec), BPP Law School (9 th Dec)- Interview Skills Workshop

13. ∂ Useful Sources for Training Contract/Pupillage Limited Copies At Law Fair: Training Contract and Pupillage Handbook Target Law Legal 500/Chambers and Partners www.lawcareers.net www.solicitors-online.com www.chambersandpartners.com www.pupillages.com

14. ∂ Transferable Skills Gained From Law Degree Communication – confident, concise and precise (written/verbal) Ability to pay close attention to detail Research, analyse and extract information logically. Problem solving Knowledge of law/legal systems www.prospects.ac.uk > Prospects Planner / MyPotentialwww.prospects.ac.uk

15. ∂ Alternative Careers To Solicitor/Barrister – Durham Law Graduate Destinations 2006 Law Commission Research Assistant Constituency Assistant for MP Police Trainee Chartered Accountant Law Librarian Executive Officer, Home Office European Commission Teach First Marketing P.R Recruitment Consultant (Banking and Finance Commercial Lender – Alliance and Leicester

16. ∂ Other Popular Career Areas For Law Graduates U.K wide Property Consulting Legal Publishing Investment Banking Civil Service Fast Stream Human Resources Lecturing Company Secretary HM Customs and Excise Compliance

17. ∂ Internships Structured employer based schemes Work similar to that of a graduate trainee Last up to 10 weeks Offered mainly by large national/multinational employers Can lead to the offer of a graduate scheme

18. ∂ Internships – Deadlines! Most sectors deadlines by end of January – mid February Some sectors such as finance/consulting deadlines mid-late November www.prospects.ac.ukwww.prospects.ac.uk > Communities> Work Experience www.durham.ac.uk/careers-advice/vacancies http://www.eurobrussels.com/internships.phphttp://www.eurobrussels.com/internships.php - NGO/Think Tanks/EU Institutions etc Target and Prospects Publications free from CAS STEP – smaller employers – www.step.org.ukwww.step.org.uk

19. ∂ Early Graduate Deadlines Many in Michalemas term of final year Remember to check our website for vacancies early on in Michalemas term 2009 Also www.milkround.com / www.eurograduate.comwww.milkround.comwww.eurograduate.com European Legal Related Internships – The Hague http://www.icc-cpi.int/recruitment/cc1g/Rec_admi_Stage.html European Commision – http://ec.europa.eu/stages/index_en.htm Council of Europe - http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_resources/jobs/11_Traineeship_opportunitie s/ http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_resources/jobs/11_Traineeship_opportunitie s/ (current deadline 15 th Dec to start following June)

20. ∂ Cover Letter Demonstrate enthusiasm for the particular set/firm Length – 1 page A4, typed unless stated to be handwritten Structure Introduce yourself –stage of study, why you are applying, if advertised vacancy, where you observed this. Why them Why You Ending Paragraph – when you are available for interview Remember basics, no room for spelling errors ! Read it back to yourself as if you were the recruiter, does it impress?

21. ∂ CV – a self marketing tool No more than 2 pages A4 Keep content relevant Include personal details and relevant skills/achievements (academic and extra curricular), work experience, positions of responsibility, interests State your contributions where relevant Font no less than 10, consistent headings Easy to read, concise, effective use of space Spell Check! Get it checked – CAS Applications Advice/Quick Queries

22. ∂ On-line Applications Career focused questions – do your research- show genuine enthusiasm /commitment and understanding Answer the questions fully – DON`T WAFFLE - S.T.A.R quality Never go over a word limit if stated Provide strongest examples from your life experience – if possible give different examples from life experience for competency based questions www.selectsimulator.com

23. ∂ Help from CAS Applications Advice Quick Queries Guidance Consultation Events Lunchtime Talks CV/Applications/Interviews Information

24. ∂ Careers Advisory Service 49 New Elvet (next to D.S.U) Term Time – 10am – 5pm Vacation – 10am – 1pm 2.15pm – 5pm Tel: 0191 334 1424/1437 careers- advice@durham.ac.uk www.durham.ac.uk/careers-advice