TheDemiurge wrote: » They've basically admitted that they want someone they can stomp all over. Be thankful you weren't selected.
Aprilsunshine wrote: » What do you guys mean? When did a firm say they wanted someone they could stomp all over? Glimmer of hope - I have no contacts and I got a big 5 job!! I resent that people imply that only those with these elusive contacts get traineeships.
legallad wrote: » Also could anyone offer advice on the advantages/disadvantages of summer internships??
Rhonda9000 wrote: » Agreed. 2 X "big 5" offer with no contacts.
Thanks to the recession, students are no longer calling the shots. What is more, for some it will be the first time they have to deal with rejection. Meanwhile law firms, which typically hire trainees two years before their start dates, are being forced to consider what to do with trainees who are due to join later this year or in 2010. The principal method adopted to tackle this problem is to ask future trainees to push back their start dates. The first firms to announce trainee deferrals were Newcastle-based Muckle and Ward Hadaway (TheLawyer.com, September 2008). But, as our table shows, an ever-growing number of firms are following Muckle’s lead while others, including Birmingham-based Wragge & Co, are reviewing their positions on trainee deferral. The majority of deferrals reported to date have been voluntary, but Lovells was forced to make them compulsory after not enough students volunteered. US firm Reed Smith has made its trainee deferrals compulsory in return for cash payments. Midlands-based firm Shoosmiths, meanwhile, has also warned future joiners it may be forced to make the deferrals compulsory. But in a more worrying move, the firm has also asked trainees to withdraw their training contracts. And, as first reported by TheLawyer.com (30 April), it is not offering compensation.
johnfás wrote: » Has anybody been sent a letter seeking deferral of a training contract yet? I have not heard of it happening yet but it seems to be the big thing in London at the moment and I have some friends who are prospective trainees with big Dublin Chartered Accountancy firms who have been offered €5,000 to defer entry for 12 months. It seems like a matter of time before this will happen to those of us who are prospective trainees with Solicitors firms. A perspective from England:http://l2b.thelawyer.com/training-contract-deferrals-force-generation-y-to-learn-patience/1000315.article
bella.donna wrote: » I've secured an internship for the summer with a semi-State that specialises in EU law. I organised it a few months ago when they advertised for interns. They then were looking for a full-time legal adviser; I got an interview but didn't get the job due to my lack of "office experience". When I was told I didn't get the job, I was told that there would be more jobs before the end of the year. So I'm doing the internship to get some work experience and if I get a job out of it, it's a bonus. I also did an internship earlier this year with a renewable energy company in Spain; I wrote a report for the company on the impact of Community law on the private renewable energy sector. Maybe people should target semi-State bodies and NGOs as an alternative to solictors? I know they're not ideal but at least you're getting experience in a quasi-legal setting.
TheDemiurge wrote: » I really envy all of you who are not getting apprenticeships. You still have an opportunity to do something with your life that's positive, not weighed down by people constantly pulling out of you and getting into calamitous debt which so many lawyers do. Being a lawyer is like joining a band of militants; there's no easy way out of it. Once you're suckered in, your a sitting duck for so many vested interests to take pot shots at you. I suppose I'm talking here about those of us who are self-employed. You can't just "walk away"; you have an endless stream of tidying and chasing up on files to do and undertakings to comply with. Also, you have to have "run off cover" in place for six years after you leave; for me, that would be a sum of 6,375 Euro per year for the first two years at least, and God knows what after that. And legal practices are not a marketable commodity. In Britain, the Law Society are being really f**king evil towards small practices; firms that couldn't afford the massive insurance hike are being intervened by the Society; the tidying up work is being farmed out to another firm of the Society's choice; the bill is presented to the intervened firm, and a petition for bankruptcy of the intervened solicitor is made. As he is usually a sole trader, that means he loses his house. The complaints system is one of double jeopardy; a client can complain, entirely cost free, all the way to the Supreme Court, and can go two routes simultaneously, to the Law Society, and also the Disciplinary Tribunal. No one realises the extent to which solicitors are exposed and unrepresented. I know why I did law, and I'll admit it: I saw it as a secure profession that was essentially a "buffer" and a tool to be used in a hostile world where the weak go to the wall. Now that I'm operating within it, I see that I and many others like me are actually the one standing at the edge of the plank. You have to experience it first hand. IMHO the obsessive compulsive desire for an apprenticeship is unhealthy, and can lead to terrible regrets later on. I remember thinking the world would end if I didn't get an apprenticeship, now I cringe when I think what a stupid t**t I was. From my group of friends in Blackhall, and I'm counting around ten people here, all of them have left law except for me, and that day is coming very fast. It takes a while for the reality to dawn, but I'm going to positively move forward from now on, and make an effort not to be so bitter, and rebuild an alternative career any way I can. I'm not spending the rest of my career in such a patently vulnerable and unprofitable position. Rant over!
bob_lob_law wrote: » Hello all - first time poster myself. I'm applying for a few TCs this season as I'm sure a lot of you are as well. I haven't done the FE1s so I'm applying to the top five but also looking for suggestions for any other mid sized firms that recruit people without the FE1s (so ideally for 2012). As a smaller operation how do Maples act in this regard? Also was wondering re Byrne Wallace? I applied to AC last year and got to the group stage but didn't get a second interview. I've developed my cv quite a bit since then so i'm going to reapply but was wondering if anyone has successfully reapplied to them? What are peoples thoughts on the whole group recruitment process - do they have an idea of who they want to interview and other people are just making up the numbers? If I didn't get to the second round last year does that mean they didn't like my personality or what? Maybe they were offended with my choice of favourite film?! Any insights would be much appreciated. I don't have any peers training in Dublin so if anyone would like to PM any other insights into recruitment this year, deferrals, number of trainees being taken on etc. etc. I'd really appreciate it! Cheers.
Arsenal1986 wrote: » I remember being at a number of drinks evenings organised by the big firms where partners and HR ppl were advising ppl to just do all 8 in one go as they 'are not that difficult'!
Arsenal1986 wrote: » The majority of the firms just outside the big 5 would recruit you without the FE-1s done. I'm talking here about Mason Hayes and Curran, Byrne Wallace, Dillon Eustace and Maples and Calders. Others like Eugene F.Collins I wouldnt be so sure about whther you need Fe-1s but I would think you dont. Any firms smaller then them its probably a good idea to have them done but may not neccesarily rule you out. It's actually quiet strange (well from the perspective of someone who only recently did the Fe-1s) but alot of the big firms don't really see the FE-1s as difficult. I remember being at a number of drinks evenings organised by the big firms where partners and HR ppl were advising ppl to just do all 8 in one go as they 'are not that difficult'! Regarding your group interview with ACs - you are def reading too much into it! It will be absolutly no bar to you getting another interview with them that you have already had one. Friends of mine have been called three consecutive times for interview with them. It hard to know what way they work it, I'd be inclined to think that naturally from the CVs they'd be leaning toward certain ppl in a group interview before it starts but an excellent performance could convince them to take someone quiet average on paper to individual interview. Remember that if you are getting to interview then the academics and work experience are up to scratch and in that regard you are good enougb to get a job there, they then just want to see who'd be the best fit amongst other things. The second round interview with ACs is much less daunting, very informal, no challenging qs etc. ACs is the only firm that uses the group format so if that dosnt suit you, don't despair. Any other Qs, any specific qs about particular firms feel free to ask or PM me. I interviewed with all the Big 5 bar MOP last year so familiar enough with most of them!
christ on a bike! wrote: » A bit of a dillema here I've just been offered a TC (yahoo!), but it's without pay (boo!)
