high street practise - Training contract and trainee solicitor information and resources

cooky6 · #1 (**permalink**) 10th November 2007, 15:46

Hi again, i will be doing my lpc in 2009, hopefully at northumbria. Does anyone know any good firms which cater for criminal law? i am of the understanding that high street practises don't offer any intakes until on or after the Lpc, is this true? Does any one have any advice on what i should do interms of applying for a trianing contract if this is the situation? cheers

london-boy · #2 (**permalink**) 10th November 2007, 18:34

Sorry, can't help... but please don't take it the wrong way. Its "practice" when its a noun, and "practise" as a verb (at least in the UK). Just stuck out like a sore thumb in the thread title - better there than on a TC application!

Good luck with getting some substantive answers.

BigSisTa · #3 (**permalink**) 12th November 2007, 00:07

london boy- good eye for detail!

anyway re -criminal firms.

the whole criminal law thing and training contracts is a big mess right now after the carter reforms, so be sure you want to do crime first. there are some firms who have been granted LSC funding to give training contracts for future entrants, you can see a list of firms who will offer training contracts here:

http://www.legalservices.gov.uk/docs/ab ... 2007V2.pdf

note some of these firms offer crime so you can research which of these firms do crime depending on the location you wish to work

hope that's of some use.

DaveT · #4 (**permalink**) 12th November 2007, 21:02

Ben Hoare Bell is likely to be one of the few firms in the NorthEast left standing after the dust settles from Carter, so you could check them out.

Re TC applications, my shop (legal aid) recruits two years in advance, but I think that's quite unusual - most legal aid firms seem to recruit off the LPC. Check the firms' websites. Have a look on http://www.lawcareers.net as well.

One thing you can do in the meantime is get some voluntary work experience (CAB or something) - firms in this area of work tend to value commitment over academics.

cooky6 · #5 (**permalink**) 13th November 2007, 22:37

Hi, thanks for the replies, they have been really helpful. I do have a few irons in the fire for work experience next summer, is there anything else i could do to boost my chances? I am looking into cab, i am training with the witness protection scheme in march 08, and will be shadowing a solicitor in a local high street firm. Does any one know of any pro bono schemes which operate in the north east near sunderland? shame our uni doesn't have 1!