Advice for 5th year student.

Ken.

My daughter started 5th year this year. She has expressed an interest in going for law in college. What advice can you give me for her to help her along?. Her subjects are the 3 standards,French,accounting,biology,home economics and cpse.

Just trying to give her a leg up.

234

Just to get the best grades possible so she can get into whatever course she wants. In terms of subject choice, none are inherently helpful when it comes to studying law in college.

Getting a few days work experience in a solicitor's office, or shadowing a barrister might be helpful as often the perception of what a lawyer's daily routine is like is very different from the reality.

Ken.

She has a weeks work experience coming up in the new year. I must start scouting now and nail her down a place. Cheers for that.

ken

ken wrote: »

She has a weeks work experience coming up in the new year. I must start scouting now and nail her down a place. Cheers for that.

The Bar run a transition year programme. You might wanna look into that.

Ken.

She's not doing transition year unfortunately.

ken

ken wrote: »

She's not doing transition year unfortunately.

Pardon me I dunno how I missed the 5th year reference.

Nonetheless worth contacting the Bar for contact details of appropriate people to have her shadow if you have no direct contacts there

Ken.

I'll do that. thanks.

chops018

I'd advise her not to do pure law. Whilst I enjoyed it for the most part, I wish I had of done Law and Business, or something like that. It would have given me more options.

NormalBob Ubiquitypants

Are they doing cspe as a leaving cert subject now? 8 subjects seems a lot. Personally I would recommend history as a subject.

hullaballoo

In terms of the LC, there may be some practical value in doing some of the more business-related subjects like accounting and economics. I wouldn't recommend Business as a subject because it's too subjective to score highly in, whereas accounting and econ are more numbers-/formula-based so easier to pick up points. The value of these subjects won't really come into play until she's in practice. Putting a bit of work into English can be advantageous as well as it forms the basics of being able to write well, although what constitutes writing well at LC level as against writing well in law exams are very different. Nonetheless, it may help to establish a basis for understanding different writing styles.

While I mention the above, I'm just suggesting that they might be of extremely marginal benefit to her way down the line. If she shudders at the thoughts of doing those subjects or does not have any aptitude for them, then she ought to pick subjects she is interested in. Unfortunately, the system is still a points-based one and it is incredibly difficult to do well in a subject you dislike or just don't get. Given the marginal impact these subject choices will have on the rest of her life, she would be best just picking the ones she thinks she'll like best and do well in.

Manach

If she keeps her language skills in French, then this would be a benefit for European Law work, as French (as I was told) is the key language at the European court level.

page1

I would advise against pure law and instead look at law and French or business and law. An advantage of doing law and business is that she will have an alternative route to go down should she decide law is not for her.
Best of luck.

Pro Hoc Vice

page1 wrote: »

I would advise against pure law and instead look at law and French or business and law. An advantage of doing law and business is that she will have an alternative route to go down should she decide law is not for her.
Best of luck.

I would give the exact opposite advice.

You daughter could contact the Law Society in the college she intends to go to. Arrange to meet a few students in the college and get advice. Also visit the local District Court, try and speak to some younger solicitors who may have more time. Have your daughter write to some local solicitors and barristers details can be found on http://www.lawsociety.ie/Find-a-Solicitor/Solicitor-Firm-Search/ and http://lawlibrary.ie/members/

It would be best in my opinion that your daughter drafts a letter personally for each person she intends to write to and ask for advice and if possible work experience.

Also when in the local court, call in to the office and ask could she have a a bit of time to chat to the staff just to get information.

Can I ask where in the country you are.

page1

Pro Hoc Vice wrote: »

I would give the exact opposite advice.

Why?

Many solicitor firms prefer to take on trainees that have a business and law degree. If you can't get a traineeship or a few years into your law career you decide that you don't like it, it will be easier to change to a different career with a mixed degree than a pure law one.
A pure law degree is not necessary for either solicitor or barrister route so what is the advantage of doing one?

Ken.

The problem with work experience is she can only do a half day Wednesday or weekends until she does her week in (I think) February.

Pro Hoc Vice

ken wrote: »

The problem with work experience is she can only do a half day Wednesday or weekends.

Holidays!

Pro Hoc Vice

page1 wrote: »

Why?

Many solicitor firms prefer to take on trainees that have a business and law degree. If you can't get a traineeship or a few years into your law career you decide that you don't like it, it will be easier to change to a different career with a mixed degree than a pure law one.
A pure law degree is not necessary for either solicitor or barrister route so what is the advantage of doing one?

A personal preference.

Ken.

Pro Hoc Vice wrote: »

Holidays!

Never thought of that. Few days off at Halloween coming up shortly. Perfect time to start.

hullaballoo

ken wrote: »

The problem with work experience is she can only do a half day Wednesday or weekends until she does her week in (I think) February.

Tbf, that's accommodated for with any work experience students I've seen shadowing barristers. They can only attend during school hours so even on the other days, once 3.45pm came along, off they went.