14 months until I begin work as a Trainee solicitor - what to do until then?

F

Fabregas

Guest
Hi guys,

Basically am in the not awful position of having 14 months to fill before I start my TC with a big 5 firm in Dublin. I intend to go travelling for 4-6 months just before I start but am at a loss as to what I should do until then. Ideally I would like to do somthing during that time period that would be career enhancing.

The options I am looking at at the moment are

1. NY Bar exam
2. A Postgraduate Diploma - the available options seem to be in mediaition, employment law or media law. These would not be with a fantastic university (all the good universities seem to run courses just during the normal academic year.) Am thinking about this one - .
3. Improving my Language skills - Mandarin perhaps
4. Some kind of Business/finance postgraduate certificate.

I was just wondering what would ppl think would be the best?
 
#3 sounds best to me, by a long way! Mandarin will take considerably longer to perfect than you have bu learn the basics then travel around there for your 4-6 months.
China is a huge market and even if you decide to leave Law in the future, having Mandarin will be a massive advantage over those who got hammered in Oz for a year before entering law courses....and that's a lot of people.

Sayonara, Fabregas-san. :)
 
I would take 2 months travelling through asia and the balance in australia working and travelling. you wont have that opportunity again
 
I agree with mooney 76, you've done a lot of studying and are young, have no commitments so take the time to see the world as once you are qualified and 'married' you may never have such an opportunity again. Travelling and experiencing new cultures is an invaluable education in itself.
 
Hi guys,

Ideally I would like to do somthing during that time period that would be career enhancing.

By all means travel for a month or three. Regarding employment, I would look for a job completely outside the law, but which might give you some useful perspective(s) in the future.

Find a job in a sector of the economy that interests you. Unfortunately , jobs are thin on the ground but if you are eager and cheap, you should find someone to take you on. Just offer yourself on a 12 month placement at small money and you might be surprised what becomes open to you.

For example - if you think you might like to handle EPA defence work ( a small but lucrative niche) get a job now in some company that deals with environmental monitoring\compliance ( even just as a general gofer);

If you think that you might like to work in labour law, maybe try to get a job ( or a low\no-wage placement, if you can afford it) working for a trade union.

you get the idea

I would not ignore selling second hand cars, working in an insurance company call centre ( dealing with claims ideally), working for a waste contractor; working in a quarry etc. etc. Basically, you want to cultivate contacts outside the law and in sectors which need legal services
 
By all means travel for a month or three. Regarding employment, I would look for a job completely outside the law, but which might give you some useful perspective(s) in the future.

Find a job in a sector of the economy that interests you. Unfortunately , jobs are thin on the ground but if you are eager and cheap, you should find someone to take you on. Just offer yourself on a 12 month placement at small money and you might be surprised what becomes open to you.

For example - if you think you might like to handle EPA defence work ( a small but lucrative niche) get a job now in some company that deals with environmental monitoring\compliance ( even just as a general gofer);

If you think that you might like to work in labour law, maybe try to get a job ( or a low\no-wage placement, if you can afford it) working for a trade union.

you get the idea

I would not ignore selling second hand cars, working in an insurance company call centre ( dealing with claims ideally), working for a waste contractor; working in a quarry etc. etc. Basically, you want to cultivate contacts outside the law and in sectors which need legal services


Thanks for this, some excellent suggestions that I hadn't thought of.
 
Hey sorry to be posting this around but I was wondering if anyone knows anything about training with Maples and Calder? if anyone has first hand knowledge or knows of some reliable info i'd appreciate it by a PM

thanks in advance

Dont know what they are like to train with but have used them and they seem very professional etc. I understand good few of the partners and associates are ex A&L. Also, think there are opportunities to spend a few months in their Cayman office.
 
Why dont you look on the fas website at those graduate work placement programme jobs (they have wpp or something like that beside them as a code). They last about 6 months, you'd be paid decently, could probably study a bit alongside them and gain some work experience.

e.g.
http://jobbank.fas.ie/servlet/Watis?SESS=1579_15&SERVICE=CRITERIUMBROWSE&TEMPLATE=WWW_JS_VAC_CRITERIUM_BROWSE.HTM&ROW=4&BACK=TEMPLATE%3DWWW_JS_VAC_CRITERIUM_OVERVIEW.HTM (http://jobbank.fas.ie/servlet/Watis?SESS=1579_15&SERVICE=CRITERIUMBROWSE&TEMPLATE=WWW_JS_VAC_CRITERIUM_BROWSE.HTM&ROW=4&BACK=TEMPLATE%3DWWW_JS_VAC_CRITERIUM_OVERVIEW.HTM)


http://jobbank.fas.ie/servlet/Watis?SESS=1579_19&SERVICE=CRITERIUMBROWSE&TEMPLATE=WWW_JS_VAC_CRITERIUM_BROWSE.HTM&ROW=20&BACK=TEMPLATE%3DWWW_JS_VAC_CRITERIUM_OVERVIEW.HTM
 
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