B.A. & LL.B. from NUIG and Completed the FE-1'S..What now?

pandas · 26-05-2010 01:13PM #1

I have B.A. and LL.B. both 2:1 from NUIG. And I found out yesterday I have now got all of my FE-1's.

What do I do now?

I have been looking at the NY Bar forum here that is one option but it doesn't look like it will be very worthwhile considering it doesn't appear to sway employers too much plus now you have to have a years practice in NY before you can do the QLLT here. Plus there is the whole issue with a visa!

Another option would be to go traveling for a year but that is not very productive now is it and it wouldn't get me any further with my career and i dont want to be still looking for an apprenticship in 5 years time! albeit i am only 22 i still don't want to be at this for too long i need to start making money soon and living off myself rather than my parents!

So any advice would be appreciated or ideas? I seem to have run out of optimism!

Thanks,

Diann

Ruby83 · 26-05-2010 01:29PM

pandas wrote: »

I have B.A. and LL.B. both 2:1 from NUIG. And I found out yesterday I have now got all of my FE-1's.

What do I do now?

I have been looking at the NY Bar forum here that is one option but it doesn't look like it will be very worthwhile considering it doesn't appear to sway employers too much plus now you have to have a years practice in NY before you can do the QLLT here. Plus there is the whole issue with a visa!

Another option would be to go traveling for a year but that is not very productive now is it and it wouldn't get me any further with my career and i dont want to be still looking for an apprenticship in 5 years time! albeit i am only 22 i still don't want to be at this for too long i need to start making money soon and living off myself rather than my parents!

So any advice would be appreciated or ideas? I seem to have run out of optimism!

Thanks,

Diann

Why don't you try looking for inhouse positions for the moment? I found that my experience inhouse really helped me to get an apprenticeship and I didn't even have any FE1s done. It is a bit slower at the moment but the recruitment agencies in Dublin keep calling me to see if I am considering leaving work as they have various inhouse roles open. It's worth a shot anyway

Arsenal1986 · 26-05-2010 05:15PM

It really depends on what kind of Law you want to practice in the end? Are you leaning towards Bigger, Commercial Firms or General Practice or something else?

Because depending on what your goal is, then different things would be appropriate. For example if wanting to work in a commercial firm then as the other poster said something in House would be perfect. The big Firms would love something like that, it'd provide you with excellent experience and stand to you throughout your career.

If unable to find paid work, then perhaps write to large companies that have in-house legal teams asking for work experience.

As there is a good few months before the big Irish firms recruit again, you should apply to the English firms in July when the deadline for their apps are.

They tend not to care that you may have to do the GDL first, they recruit on a much vaster scale than in Ireland pay much better - especially once you qualify. However, it is also obviously harder to get into. see Rollonfriday.com for more on this.

hada · 26-05-2010 05:49PM

I would second Arsenal's comments re if the commercial law route is what you want.

Definitely apply to some of the English firms. Look to lex100.com for more information re what firms to apply to etc.

Some recruit on a rolling basis, but the majority will start interviewing after the 31st July deadline - generally mid August - early September.

Also, be aware that the vast majority of interviews for big firms in London is done on an assessment day basis, basically a number of parts in a day. This generally consists of a verbal reasoning test, group exercise and interview with partners and/or HR. It may all sound scary, but it really shouldn't be, with a bit of prep and a lot of reading of the financial times.

There are quite a number of Irish over here working with the big firms, admittedly a lot of them started with masters in UCL/Kings/Oxbridge. So maybe that might be an option as well?

pandas · 26-05-2010 07:30PM

Are ye saying I should try and qualify in UK? I didn't think the FE-1s were worth anything over there? sorry if I am being awful ignorant of the area I am trying to get into but i didn't realise there were prospects for an Irish Law Graduate in the UK!

As for the area of law I don't really mind if I specialise or go into a general practice to be honest.

The in-house suggestion sounds good. What was the name of your recruiters in dublin if you dont mind me asking?

I would also be drawn to the UK option if I thought I could qualify over there relatively easy. I remember looking into it about a year ago now and there were a fair few courses I had to do before I could even apply for traineeship over there from what I remember, I must have that wrong.

Arsenal1986 · 26-05-2010 08:55PM

I'm not sure of the exact way it works but depending on what modules you did at undergrad, you may have do do some subjects on the GDL course (which is a year full time, but you'd at worst have to do only a small percentage of the course)

But firms, especially big firms there dont care if you have to do this, its not really a factor for them.

hada · 26-05-2010 08:58PM

You would probably have to do English land law, which can be down via distance learning. If you got a training contract, the firm would pay for it (it's a little over a grand for the module).

Things are competitive in London, so you really need to want to be a commercial solicitor, or at least be good a faking it. They invest A LOT of money in recruiting people, so they expect you to be damn good. It's a challenge, but it's worth it in the end, for definite.

Tom Young · 27-05-2010 03:28AM

pandas wrote: »

So any advice would be appreciated or ideas? I seem to have run out of optimism!

Thanks,

Diann

Ok, here's the deal.

The glass is half full ....

I can't replace your ideas or ideals, but I can say this.

Optimism, planning and forward thinking are very important.

Forget the detail.

Look at what you have achieved at your age, FANTASTIC! ..... now, you should consider heading off and doing some things that you might want to do, such as travel etc.

Otherwise, put your nose down and commit to your career with the vigour required to make it a rewarding element of your life.

That might be a stepping stone to something else or something/somebody, you may love .... you are the master of your own destiny.

Looking through some of the utter bollocks some people rant and rave about here on the tedious threads (New York Bar, PPC - XYZ, QLTT - TOSH) are about as inspiring as being offered a job as a dung beetle. Read them, store them up and then do your own thing.

Life is about living. Work to live, do not live to work! ... regardless how arbitrary that might sound.

Do me one favour, if you never do anything else - Never, ever lose your optimism. EVER.

Ta, ta.

Tom

Jev/N · 27-05-2010 06:25AM

Tom Young wrote: »

Ok, here's the deal.

(...)

Ta, ta.

Tom

A marvellous post, especially for 3:28 in the morning :pac:

On a serious note, do what Tom said. You're only 22 with everything already done, now you've a bit of time to enjoy yourself before being tied down for an extended period of time! Don't see it as a cop out

pandas · 28-05-2010 02:58PM

Ya Thanks Tom it was quiet inspiring!

You are right though I am kind of wallowing in self pity because of the lack of prospects at the minute and I have done quiet a lot for my age so your right I have to decide whether I am going to go full steam ahead with my career or take time out for a year and go traveling.

I should really get the ball moving and stop standing still..as you say life is for living!

Thanks Again!

Arsenal1986 · 28-05-2010 03:39PM

Tom is totally right, you are wicked young to have achieved so much - 2 degrees and the Fe-1s done by 22 is wicked impressive. Is the LLB 1 year? Either that or you were a child genius! on the original Q, I say def go for the English firms in July

pandas · 28-05-2010 03:58PM

ha no not a child genius I'm afraid. More like my mother got sick of me as a child and sent me off to school early..that and the LL.B. was one year! ha!!

Ya actually that might be a good idea the UK firms in July that would have some element of travel and relevant experience!

They take you on as a trainee though ya? I really have to get my as in gear and look into this!

Any pointers on where to start?

Arsenal1986 · 28-05-2010 04:37PM

Yep a trainee

Heres some info - Lawyer 2 B Career guide http://www.centaur2.co.uk/emags/thelawyer/l2b_careers_guide_2009/

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/commercial_solicitor_job_description.jsp

Rollonfriday is by far and awy your go to website on this. Excellent firm profiles here - http://www.rollonfriday.com/InsideInfo/CityFirms/tabid/68/Default.aspx and Training Contract info here - http://www.rollonfriday.com/TrainingContracts/tabid/85/Default.aspx

Don't stay too long on that forum though, unbelievable pessimism going around on it, theyll have you convinced that unless you went to Oxford and got a quadruple first you dont have a chance of getting a job!

pandas · 28-05-2010 04:41PM

Thanks very much arsenal much appreciated.

B.A. & LL.B. from NUIG and Completed the FE-1'S..What now?

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