Hi I am due to complete my LPC in June this year and i still haven't managed to obtain a paralegal position or a TC. I have been looking for a job for nearly 2 years (the whole reason why i chose to do the LPC part time was so that i could gain more experience) and have had many interviews but am never offered the job due to lack of experience. So i have approached many firms and organisations asking for unpaid work experience but i either don't hear anything back, or one very small high street firm did offer to take me on but the firm quite literally had absolutely no work for me to do - waste of time as i couldn't add anything on to my CV!!!
My point is, is that if every firm already expects you to have experience but no one is willing to take you on to give you experience then how am i to obtain the experience...hence this is a Catch 22 situation!! Surely the whole point of having a training contract is so that firms train you and provide you with experience, therefore, i don't understand the need for so much previous experience!!! I do have about 3-4 months legal experience that i obtained during my law degree when in the summer hols i done unpaid work experience but this is not enough it seems, have tried going back to this firm for more experience but no luck there either!!
I am seriously starting to regret ever wanting to be a lawyer, it seems i'm going to be stuck in this cycle for ever!!! HELP!!!
It's competitive being a lawyer. Deal with it. It's going to get worse with the legal services bill. You don't need work experience to be a trainee. You need experience to compete with the other trainees who can show that they were exceptional enough to get the experience. The whole point of the recruitment process is to weed out the weaklings who won't stay the distance.
CAB, Free Representation Unit, Inquest, Law Centres (if any still exist) should be begging for some smart kid to turn up and give them a hand with the copying or phones or collating which is essentially what you would be doing if you were a trainee anyway.
Network (i hate managment speak) use contacts, friend of a friend of a friend. If you haven't done literally everything why should a firm shell out it's cash on you?
law is not a charity no matter what fairytale nonsense they tell you on the lpc and at uni.
Well thank you for pointing out to me that being a lawyer is competitive...i would never have guessed!! So tell me if i put on my CV that i was say at a legal advice centre answering the phone, photocopying and collating (and that's all i ever done there), would this seriously be enough to get a paralegal position? I think not as i already have this experience which is on my CV!
I think you need to expand upon tasks undertaken, e.g.:
- developed excellent communication skills through attending client meetings, providing initial advise via the telephone and in person
- developed the ability to prioritse my workload and manage busy deadlines
- prepared documentation for the Immigration/Employment Tribunals etc
Saying you have answered calls and photocopied will not suffice. If you cannot get any experience anywhere else, go back to the Law Centre and ask for more responsibility.
Paralegal jobs are now becoming more competitive - you have enough time to get something sorted before you finish the LPC. Get your CV and covering letter checked by the careers service, most importantly be flexible as to the type of firm your applying for. You can always move after you have gained some experience.
Thank you Ruk for your reply, I have noted your comments and will amend my CV/covering letter appropriately, although i have had it checked by the careers service at the college of law, and do get as far as an interview just no further.... Positive comments such as yours are much appreciated...
if I put on my CV that I was say at a legal advice centre answering the phone, photocopying and collating (and that's all I ever done there), would this seriously be enough to get a paralegal position? I think not as I already have this experience which is on my CV!
It is patently obvious that you would not just stick down 'I did a bit of dossing around'. You would phrase it as client contact, advising, assisting senior fee earners with complex matters, researching, preparing files and negotiating.
As for the COL, BPP, Misc Other careers service, yes they are quite good but do you really want to be sending an identical C.V. from everyone else in your college and pushing yourself as a grey man.
Quote:
Originally Posted by shabana77
thank you for pointing out to me that being a lawyer is competitive...I would never have guessed!!
To be frank I am utterly convinced that you wouldn't
To be frank with you, I find you quite rude and obviously not able to tell when i'm being sarcastic. I have OBVIOUSLY done everything you have have suggested and alot more....goes without saying. One other thing, when a client comes to you with a legal problem, do you respond by saying "Boo Bloody Hoo"? To think that this is coming from a so called professional! The problem with some but not all lawyers nowadays is that once you're qualified, you forget what it was like trying to get to where you are today. Quite frankly, if being qualified means becoming arrogant and downright rude, then i would rather not ever qualify!
I have OBVIOUSLY done everything you have suggested and a lot more....goes without saying.
Then why are you asking how to get legal work experience when you seem to have it all worked out and are able to get legal work experience!
Quote:
Originally Posted by shabana77
One other thing, when a client comes to you with a legal problem, do you respond by saying "Boo Bloody Hoo"?
I am not a charity, I am not the CAB and I am not a yes man. If a client comes to me with some ridiculous problem (boundary disputes anyone?) I will be honest and say "look, this is not worth the hassle, you will bankrupt yourself with litigation for no reason let it go"
Quote:
Originally Posted by shabana77
The problem with some but not all lawyers nowadays is that once you're qualified, you forget what it was like trying to get to where you are today. Quite frankly, if being qualified means becoming arrogant and downright rude, then I would rather not ever qualify
The problem with university graduates is that they have had their heads filled with insane hippy nonsense about how they can do anything all the way through school. Molly coddled by simpletons who couldn't do it and now teach it. So we have this abundance of thick kids who suddenly find themselves up against genuinely hard working and clever people quite prepared to kill to get ahead.
Unless you are currently picking out which of your class mates has a bit of a limp or will not be missed then you can forget a career in law.
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How can i gain legal experience...Catch 22!!
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