Training Contract / LLM

roisinduibh

Hi, I am currently looking for a training contract with a solicitor. I have a Degree in Legal Studies with Taxation, and did a PDip in Peace and Conflict Studies (which I found was a bit of a waste of time). I did an internship with a human rights centre which lasted 10 months. After this I worked in a small office for a few years and then got into organic horticulture. So my C.V is a bit left of centre, which I dont think helps!
I completed the FE1's last April and did a bit of work experience in a solicitors office, but I have just found it impossible (four years trying!) to break into the legal profession - even on a voluntary basis!! I am now applying for an LLM and would like to ask your advice on which one is the most impressive (from a recruiting solicitors point of view) or would give me the best chance at securing an apprenticeship? I know there are lots of people in the same position as me, if anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it...thanks

_JOE_

In my opinion you should look at more practical based postgrad studies, as there will be an overflow of graduates doing a commercial masters in the hope of gaining a training contract...
You already have a varied background, why not try and apply it to something like arbitration...UCD run an arbitration diploma which i have done myself and found very useful...It would give you the possibility of pursuing a career in an evolving area, and it would do you no harm on your cv in seeking a contract...

r14

Seems to me you're going to have a tough time getting a traineeship with some of the courses you've done. Your C.V. has a very human rights slant and that's not going to go down well with commercial firms. You will have to address that because it will be picked up on.

One of my friends was in an interview and they asked him when he changed his mind about being a barrister and decided to become a solictor - all because he had done criminology in final year

You really need to do something commercial to show you are serious about being a commercial solicitor. JOE's idea about the arbitration diploma is a good one but an LLM may look better on the C.V. I think you need to decide what type of qualification you want. Do you want a practical diploma or a more broad LLM focusing on Commercial law.

My opinion is that the LLM is a bit more prestigious, but you would really have to avoid any human rightsy subjects and focus on commercial law.

I think your best bets for LLMs are TCD, UCD and UCC (althought their LLM has less commercial subjects that the others). Whatever you do steer clear of the criminal or human rights Masters if you want a chance with a commercial firm because you will find them hard to justify.

One other thing you could think of instead of the LLM is to do the tax exams, especially given your primary degree. Firms really love people with these exams. I think they would really help you in getting an apprenticeship but they are a lot more hard work than a Masters.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Jev/N

Before I give any advice or opinion on LLM/Apprenticeships, the OP never specified they wanted to apprentice with a commercial firm?

panda142

I'm sitting my finals at the minute. Got accepted into the LLM so starting that in Sept and going to sit the FE1s in October.

Considering sitting the tax exams in August. A lot of work I know, there goes my Summer! Havent registered just yet so anyone any advice for me??

r14

Jev/N wrote: »

Before I give any advice or opinion on LLM/Apprenticeships, the OP never specified they wanted to apprentice with a commercial firm?

Sorry... should have specified. I talked about commercial firms because I don't think there's much chance of getting trained with a criminal or a human rights firm, and from what I hear you really need family ties if you want to get trained with a small firm.

Duffman

Others will disagree but my opinion is that an LLM is not going to help you get a job unless perhaps it is a very good one. An LLM from an Irish university is not a very good one and your undergraduate law degree is far more impressive. It's a lot of cash to spend on something that will not benefit your career directly.

The fact that you have a varied CV should not be a disadvantage when applying for a TC at a commercial firm. If anything, it will help you stand out among other applicants. It's all about the spin you put on it. If you suggest that your experience in human rights was with a view to becoming a human rights lawyer, they will clearly wonder what you're doing at a corporate law firm. On the other hand, if you present this as something you did to pursue an academic interest or take time out to work in the voluntary sector with a view to training later, that creates an entirely different impression. Your undergrad had a taxation element after all.

It sounds like you have a varied CV and lots of experience. I would sooner look at how you can improve your application form than apply for an LLM.

Commercial firms won't care too much about what you actually studied. Law degrees (and I include LLMs in commercial subjects here) will not prepare you practically for anything that you will do as a trainee. What they do care about is grades and how well you did in whatever you studied.

johnfás

I don't think you are at a particular disadvantage either - I got an offer from one of the big commercial firms in the last round of interviews and I don't have a law degree. At interview they were more interested in my general take on the world than they were on whether or not I had studied law - they saw from my academic marks, my extra cirricular background and my results at my DIT Postgrad Diploma and the first round of the FE1s that I was competent to do the job and therefore were more interested in what sort of person I was and how I would suit their firm.

I had alot of voluntary experience with various bodies and naturally they latched onto it at interview with questions like "but we often work for the 'bad guys' " and asked how that can be compatible with a certain outlook on the world that they felt I may have. It is the way that you respond to questions like that which makes you stand out.