Legal Careers

Law Jobs and Finding Work After Graduation

Unemployment is a common reason for students to stop pursuing a career in law. It is true that many law graduates struggle to find suitable work upon graduation. But this frequently occurs when students are only focused on achieving the best marks and not taking any attempt to get legal experience. While it is vital to have a theoretical understanding of the law, it is as important to be conversant with real-life settings and situations. Some students assume grades will determine their value in the job market after graduation. But such expectations are ridiculous. If you want to increase your employability after law school, do not leave it until after you graduate to start your job search. This article looks at the legal careers you can pursue.

Start looking for a job before you graduate

One of the worst errors that law students make is waiting until graduation to obtain legal work. They feel they should only study hard and achieve a good degree to get the best jobs. Even if their grades aren't great, students who have worked at a legal firm throughout their studies are more likely to earn employment offers. Why is this? Actually, most legal firms do not want to give you basic training on the job. Even if you are taking a legal internship, they want you to be conversant with the legal procedures and processes. That is why they favour individuals who have a mix of academic credentials and practical legal expertise. So, where can you obtain legal job experience while studying? Among the alternatives are:

  •  Do voluntary at the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and Law Clinics

  • Do an internship at a law firm

  • Do a summer placement at an international law firm

  • Do voluntary work with a charity

Law work experience and studying

Now that you know there are several chances to explore if you are eager to work, you may wonder “Can I study and work at the same time?”. Many students feel they cannot work part-time in any law-related employment while studying since they would not be able to balance studying and working. But this only occurs if you do not use all the academic resources accessible, particularly a law tutor. You may not be able to combine working and studying if you try to accomplish everything on your own. Fortunately, legal students who wish to work and study may get plenty of assistance. Here are some ways we can help your work-study balance:

  • Essay writing with a law tutor will help you improve your scores quicker. You will save time on law school projects and research after you understand the proper research and writing procedures. This will give you plenty of time to get legal job experience.

  • Consult a law tutor who will help you with your assignments. It will be considerably faster after you understand the proper research and writing strategies. Then you will have plenty of time to get legal work experience.

  • Rather than writing up your own notes after each lecture and correcting them before tests, you will be provided professional revision notes from your law tutor. You will save time and avoid the stress of not knowing what to prepare for your examinations. You will have more energy for legal work with more time and fewer worry.

  • For difficult assignments, you may get expert essay plans through your law tutor that outline the major terminology, cases, legislation sections, and significant points to include in your essay. Even if you're struggling with a certain subject or topic, this sort of service may help you save time and yet get a good grade.

The aforementioned ideas can help you save time and study smarter so you can invest it in your legal career. Also, bear in mind that working in the legal profession teaches you things that no theoretical university course can teach you. This experience will help you not only locate the ideal job after graduation, but also maintain it and perform effectively in it.

Working at the Magic Circle law firm

Many students also believe they must work at one of the “magic circle” law firm, which are the world's top legal firms in terms of personnel strength and income. The “magic circle” firms renowned and resources make it easier for law schools to urge students to apply. Get into a ‘magic circle' law firm after graduation and you will assist your law school's graduation numbers. Working in one of the ‘magic circle' legal firms may not be the ideal choice for you.

A large law firms requires workers to work long hours, leaving little time for socialising, exercising, or just resting. Unless you have prior experience in this sort of setting and know it is a good match for you, you may not be able to take the stress of continual competition and effort. Yes, you may learn a lot in a fast-paced setting, but at the expense of your physical and sometimes even mental health. If you do not believe a “magic circle” law firm is suited for you, you may search for employment in other legal roles. You may select the professional route that best matches your credentials by learning about the legal occupations available. This article will identify and distinguish between legal jobs.

What kind of lawyers are there?

A lawyer is a generic term that describes member of the legal system who may aid and advise clients on legal matters. Paralegals help solicitors or barristers and provide entry-level legal training. The term lawyer is used interchangeably with solicitor, and barrister, although there are important distinctions. Solicitors work in law firms or private practises and assist clients on legal concerns. Barristers, counsel with clients, but are more likely to represent them in court. A firm or organisation employs a solicitor. Barristers work alone for their clients and are instructed by a legal firm. These three legal titles provide distinctive career options and pay distinctions to people who hold them. Even before considering work experience you need to decide in which area of law you want to work (you may need some experience before deciding this). Below we look at the different area of law in which you can work and in different capacities.

Contracts lawyer

A contract lawyer assists individuals or corporations with contractual issues. They may advise a client decide whether or not to sign a contract, or to negotiate a redraft and amendments or how to challenge one that has already been signed.

Corporate lawyer

A corporate lawyer works for a corporation, counselling executives on business actions that potentially result in legal action and defending the firm in the event of legal action being brought against them. Additionally, they are accountable for using their skills to draft and revise Company contracts to guarantee compliance with applicable regulations.

Bankruptcy paralegal

Bankruptcy paralegals help insolvency lawyers advise clients on their financial situation, determine their eligibility for bankruptcy, the best kind of bankruptcy for them, and how to file.

Litigation paralegal

A litigation paralegal assists trial lawyers in court preparation. They prepare papers, interview witnesses, and perform more research before the trial.

General practice lawyer

A general practise lawyer is a High Street solicitor that does not specialise in any single field of law but rather advises and defends clients on a wide array of legal matters and actions. This sort of lawyer may have particular interests but is also capable of handling general legal matters.

Associate Solicitor

Associate Solicitor is an entry-level position that is often seen in law firms. They assist in represent clients in court, aid clients in negotiating contracts, and mediate business conflicts. Associate Lawyers work in a variety of practise areas, including business, real estate, family, and copyright.

Immigration lawyer

Immigration lawyers assist clients who are experiencing difficulty with residency and Home Office applications, visas, or documents for citizenship. Additionally, they may be used when a client's present paperwork is in question or when a person is requesting refuge in the UK.

Intellectual property lawyer

A lawyer specialising in intellectual property is engaged to assist an individual client or business with challenges with intellectual property rights and trademarks. They may confer with a customer who feels their intellectual property has been utilised without adequate copyright protection, or they can be hired to assist someone who want to use a company's intellectual property or brand.

Family lawyer

A family lawyer may assist clients in a variety of family-related concerns. They represent clients in divorce procedures, child custody disputes, and child support demands.

Personal injury lawyer

A personal injury lawyer is responsible for assisting clients who have experienced injuries, whether in a vehicle accident or on the premises of a business. They argue their client's case in order to get recompense for their injuries.

Trademark paralegal

A trademark paralegal works under the supervision of a trademark lawyer and is responsible for assisting clients in filing claims for trademarked names and logos. They are responsible for aiding trademark lawyers in preparing trial proceedings against individuals or companies that have stolen a client's trademark.

Civil Litigation Lawyer

A litigation barrister or solicitor is engaged to represent either the defendant or the claimant party in civil proceedings. Their role is to lead their client through pre-action and post-trial proceedings, defending their case, arranging settlement, and coordinating appeals.

Employment lawyer

An employment lawyer may be engaged to assist a business in resolving an employee conflict or to assist an employee in resolving an employee conflict with their employer in the Employment Tribunal. They are often retained to assist in resolving employee contract issues or to defend a client alleging unfair dismissal or discrimination by their employer.

Corporate Barrister

A corporate barrister works on behalf of a business, advising executives on best practises to employ to avoid legal difficulties. They may assist with the creation of paperwork, the filing of reports, and the reading of staff handbooks to ensure that clear instructions are in place. Additionally, a corporate barrister will represent a business in court.

Conclusion

Is it hard to get a job after law school? It may be if you exclusively focus on grades and academic achievement throughout your studies and ignore getting a part-time job to acquire work experience. But gaining legal experience by following the above guidelines would surely boost your chances of securing a law-related job after graduation. We hope this article has made it easier for you to choose which area you want to practice. You can accomplish it with a little support and good preparation. Good luck!

Previous
Previous

Horizontal Direct Effect

Next
Next

the “market access” Test