Legal apprenticeship: any tips on trying to find a trainee solicitor job

FE1Fever

I have been , as most here have, trying to get an apprenticeship for some time now. There does not appear to be a magic formula.



The advice on this board is very useful, but unfortunately there is no straight answer to your question.
 
Without a doubt go for the financial institution. You only need to look at the legal vacancies pages on any of the recruitment web-sites. All the top firms are crying out for funds and banking lawyers. Any exposure to, or knowledge of, those areas will be of much more benefit than experience in a very small practice.

On the other hand, my work experience was in a restaurant so i don;t speak from personal experience. Any job you do has skills that can be transferred to a big commercial firm - e.g communication, team work etc. Except perhaps, ironically enough, working in a small legal firm. It may be harsh, but the big firms are not going to be bowled over by the fact that you answered phones/photocoied/dictated in a small practice.

The most critical point of getting a job is impressing at interview. I'd recommend getting some professional training. I'd recommend Carr Communications. An interview is similar to your driving test in that you can;t just turn and hope to wing it without preparation. Anybody who turns up thinking they can wow the interview panel with their personality is at a major disadvantage to those who prepare properly.
 
To be quite honest, I doubt it. I was also at a presentation for Beauchamps Solicitors for interviewees and every single person I spoke with had legal experience. The reason why I chose a bank in the interim was due to the fact that I was sitting the FE1's at the time and required regular 9-5 hours and weekends free for study. Also, I'm not sure of the sustainability of the wages firms provide to those effectively seeking work experience....however, if I could have afforded it at the time, my preference would have definately been for legal experience.
Best wishes in your search! Am told everyone gets an apprenticeship eventually so am sticking with that mantra!!
 
BTW should have mentioned - if you have applied to a firm before and didn;t get an interview, NEVER mention it if you reapply the next year. There are literally thousands of applications each year, and i can assure you that they are not all kept on file.

You're much better off starting from scratch. Look at it like Pop Idol - there's always people who have failed from the year before who try to give it another shot....usually with no success. If you brand yourself as having been rejected there before, you are setting yourself up to be rejected again.

This question is often asked on application forms. Why? To weed out serial applicants. If the question comes up on interview, answer it truthfully and focus on all you have acheived since first applying.
 
Not true Niall, I specified that I had applied before and was still called for interview, am of the opinion that again, shows perserverence.
In all truth, none of us can give a hard and fast rule in regards to applications/interview, each application requires an individual and I don't think you exhibit your individuality by trying to be someone you think you ought to be for the sake of selection.
 
Fair enough Sabina. I'm just talking from my own experience as a trainee in one of the big 5. I can't think of any of my contemporaries that had prior legal experience (bar work experience in this actual office as a summer intern). Older applicants (i.e. 25+) invariably came from working in finance - e.g funds, banking.
 
Thanks for all the advice.

niallp you should start giving seminars on this subject!

and yes i know those who've said you'll get an apprenticeship, i'm sure I will - in fact I've been offered one but I'm being picky for a number of reasons; location, area of work, retention etc. I know a lot of people give out about wanting to be in one of the big5 but thats where my interests lie, plus the thought of mainly doing wills and conveyancing in some one man shop is not appealing.
 
A well known family of settled travellers famously lived on that road and named an album after it!

[broken link removed]
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sabina said:
Hi djhoose, also have interviews for Frys and Mops but pre-interview receptions are on 3rd and 4th January respectively, perhaps was a typo?
EI123 would recommend Law & Accounting in Limerick; it's a double qualification and seems to be well respected within the legal sphere. Course also offers you a seven month placement in yr 3 within a legal firm (subject to interview of course!!).
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Are you sure Sabina, I have rechecked my letters and they both clearly state that their pre-interview receptions are on at 6pm 4th of Jan... I am going to ring fry's to confirm if that is the case tomorrow anyway...
 
In response to FE1Fever -the 'tiny solicitor's firm' is far likely to offer you exposure to relevant work.
 
fe1fever said:
Thanks for all the advice.

niallp you should start giving seminars on this subject!

and yes i know those who've said you'll get an apprenticeship, i'm sure I will - in fact I've been offered one but I'm being picky for a number of reasons; location, area of work, retention etc. I know a lot of people give out about wanting to be in one of the big5 but thats where my interests lie, plus the thought of mainly doing wills and conveyancing in some one man shop is not appealing.
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I have to laugh when I see comments like this from people who obviously haven't a clue what they're talking about!
 
meaning?
I was offered an apprenticeship in a very small firm somewhere 'in the country'. I have a comm degree and am interested in the financial/tax side of law - i'd get absolutely no experience of that side of things in this place, also rentention chances would be low, and it would be very difficult to try and get into tax/banking law coming from that background after I'd qualified.
i don't necessarily want to be in the top 5 but certianly a medium-large commercial firm if that doesnt happen; then certainly I would take what was offered, but out of choice I'd prefer to work in a relevant area.

so what exactly is your problem with my comment???
 
Hi djhoose, could you confirm on forum when you confirm pre-interview receptions? (sry, can't call in office here!!) My letters had 3rd and 4th and am presuming that they wouldn't have same date for two of the top 5? Also confirmed dates when sending e-mail confirmation of attendance. Thks, and...good luck!
 
sabina said:
Hi djhoose, could you confirm on forum when you confirm pre-interview receptions? (sry, can't call in office here!!) My letters had 3rd and 4th and am presuming that they wouldn't have same date for two of the top 5? Also confirmed dates when sending e-mail confirmation of attendance. Thks, and...good luck!
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Hi sabina, i rang fry's the are actually having a separate pre-interview reception before each day of interviews so if your interview is on the 4th your reception is on the 3rd, my interview on the 5th but i asked if i can attend the reception on the 3rd instead of the 4th which was no problem, so i might meet you there.. good luck
 
fe1fever said:
meaning?
I was offered an apprenticeship in a very small firm somewhere 'in the country'. I have a comm degree and am interested in the financial/tax side of law - i'd get absolutely no experience of that side of things in this place, also rentention chances would be low, and it would be very difficult to try and get into tax/banking law coming from that background after I'd qualified.
i don't necessarily want to be in the top 5 but certianly a medium-large commercial firm if that doesnt happen; then certainly I would take what was offered, but out of choice I'd prefer to work in a relevant area.

so what exactly is your problem with my comment???
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Did you not know when you applied to the firm that they were a 'small firm somewhere in the country' and if so why did you apply to them or am I missing something here?
 
Re: Legal Apprenticeship?

mallow said:
... people do hate solicitors, we tend to tell taxi drivers we work in the bank to avoid speeches ...
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AAARGH. Here I am ploughing through 1200 pages of McMahon and Binchy's "Law of Torts". What is it all for . . . .:eek:
 
BTW
Am I correct to assume that a holder of a heavily law focused degree such as a BCL or LLB etc will have an easier time dealing with the FE1's (and possibly find it easier to secure a training contract?) than somebody with a non-legal degree?? Looks like I 'll be starting in UCD this Sept. And help & advise (or regrets?) greatly appreciated!
 
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Hi,

I dont mean to dishearten you but i would advise you to think twice before choosing a law degree. when you come out of college your options are actually more limited then you think (for instance if you have a BCL you cant do a H dip as it is not a degree recognised by the the dept of education). Most people choose the solicitor/barrister route and they are not easy. I am currently a trainee solicitor and would have to say that finding an apprenticeship in the current climate is nearly imposseible plus we all have to worry that with so many people going into law- will there be enough jobs?

But if your'e determined to go into law then a law degree is a great help for the FE1's. On the other hand it seems all the bigger firms are interested in people from more diverse backgrounds...
 
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