BLP Results

Business Law and Practice results are in. I am disappointed to announce that I got a 67. Although this is much higher than the 55 I predicted myself, I was always going to be disappointed because I felt that I should have got a distinction. Realistically, I knew straight after the exam that it was not going to happen. This time around, I didn't earn it... but to get a distinction in the mock makes the grade that much more difficult to swallow.

There is little time for dwelling though. We are fast approaching the end of our electives and the beginning of the next round of exams. I was a bit of a nerd yesterday and stayed late to do some extra work- I am putting all my efforts into getting a distinction for my Employment exam! I must say that I am absolutely loving the Employment elective- wrongful dismissal, unfair dismissal, discrimination, TUPE- so much to get your teeth into. I  have always been a big fan of employment law though so I guess it's possible that I am a little biased.

RESULTS PREDICTIONS AND ACTUAL RESULTS

So I thought it would be good for me to reflect on my results and how well I actually did in comparison to what I thought:

BLP            55     67

Wills           70     100

PLR            C       C

Quite a difference. Maybe in future I won't be so hard on myself.

I hope you all did well in your exams :) and good luck with the upcoming ones. 

Lonely at the Top

*Warning: this is a distinctly "moany" post. Proceed with caution*

As another of my friends gleefully announces that he/she is moving to Thailand/having a baby/getting married I can't help but wonder why I feel like my life is at a stand still. I am a 23 year old woman, succeeding at most of the things I am putting my efforts into, and yet I still can't help but feel like I am stagnating. 

It made me wonder whether this could be one of the big downfalls of pursuing a career in law. After all, even if you don't take a year out, you study everything full time, and begin your TC immediately after you have completed the LPC- you still have 4 years of study before any sort of gainful employment. As most of you will know, I have had a year out AND I am studying the LPC part time so for me that has been extended by 2 years.

On top of that, of my lovely friends from school only 1 of them decided to go to university. So among the 11 of them that I still regularly see, I often feel like the odd one out *cue teeny tiny violins*. They all have 5 years of career-ladder climbing, house-buying and relationship-progressing on me. 

When one of them announces the next big event in their lives we all "ooh" and "ahh"- clearly understanding the importance and magnitude of these huge life milestones. But their days of exams and lessons and late night cramming are all but a distant memory so that when I proudly announce I passed the latest round of hellish examinations, they congratulate but can't really understand what it means. When I moan about TC applications, work experience and the neverending pile of work to be done- they all nod in agreement but can never turn around and say "ohhh I know- what a nightmare!"

At university, I had distinctly separate groups of friends. Uni friends. School friends. It worked out perfectly. Now that my uni friends have all graduated and sadly gone back to their original homes, I am left with a group of friends in which my role is "The Student". 

And the LPC has not yet helped to fill this void. Being part time, the vast majority of us commute and have jobs sandwiching our 1 day per week in attendance. We text, email, FaceBook- all the usual long distance forms of communication, but I still miss the regular face-to-face contact with students! 

With the LPC having most of it's study outside of the classroom, I spend a good 20 hours per week alone, in silence, reading and taking notes. With breaks this can amount to almost 3 working days!! I am genuinely worried for my future sanity.

I wondered if any one else studying law feels/has felt like this? Where the only thing that seems to be progressing in your life is the LLB or LPC? And if so, is law a lonely pursuit? 

To sum up todays moan:

• I have been studying for almost 5 years and am utterly fed up
• I have been perpetually 'broke' for almost 5 years and am utterly fed up
• My contact with real life human beings has been so reduced that sometimes, after a particularly long and lonely studying session, I can be found checking BBC News for word that the apocalypse is upon us... and I am utterly fed up.
• The thought of marriage and babies right now makes me want to run screaming for the hills... but  if I have to be bridesmaid/godmother one more time.... you get the picture. I am fed up. 

Bring on the glorious 9-5 working week I say.

Interviewing and Advising Mock

I did say I would do a teeny post after the mock so here it is. 

If you have been keeping up with my blogs you will not be surprised to learn that I was just a tad nervous about today. 

On the day of the exam you get to receive your "instructions" as a trainee up to 35 minutes before the start of your interview. You can then use your materials to prepare some questions/law that you think might be relevant. I turned up in my lovely new suit (courtesy of Barclaycard...woops) but was so busy faffing about and getting flustered that I lost 5 of those precious 35 minutes prep time. No matter, there really isn't a lot you can do with the minimal information you are provided: client name and details, one or two lines on why they are visiting, conduct issues (none in my case), your fees and supervisor name. So I busied myself with finding the most relevant of my 3 prep sheets, 1 of which can be taken in, ("leaving a partnership" in my case) and then tailoring it as much as I could to suit what I knew about my client. 

I got to the room on time and was relieved to find that the assessment is conducted by just one person, who also acts as your client. 

The assessor leaves the room and tells you to come and get your "client" when you are ready. I was pretty nervous so treated it like a band-aid and got straight into it. I have heard that a few lingered to review notes but I can only imagine this increases the nerves.

I managed to remember to shake her hand, introduce myself, invite her in and SIT DOWN LAST! I also remembered the pesky small talk. However, after this well rehearsed routine (I practised it over and over in the days leading up) I suddenly had an extremely dry mouth and blank mind... 

... A quick glance at my prep sheet allowed me to ask an incredibly wide open question and gain 30 seconds of client talking time to compose myself. 

The rest went swimmingly, and you'll be pleased to hear I was found to be Competent. I am also proud to say that my section on Law/Advice received the top grade of "Good" throughout. I did, however, receive a few "Poor" grades - I didn't tell the client I was a trainee, I forgot to show the client out properly (opening and closing the door for them), and  I didn't adequately outline the costs of the interview. I received a grade of "Fair" on a few other things. The great thing about this assessment is that you receive your feedback immediately after and get a good 15 minutes to discuss your performance with the assessor, a great opportunity to iron out any issues and get some honest critique on your interviewing style. 

My interview lasted 16 minutes and I spent 10 minutes completing my notes sheet (which is also included in the assessment marks). We were advised in the workshops that anything below a 15 minute interview probably means you have missed some vital information so I was just within this section. After 30 minutes you must stop interviewing/writing.

Overall, most of my friends managed to pass the assessment with only 2 not achieving a Competent grade. Not too bad. 

Now for a celebratory cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit. And to ponder whether I will ever get the guts to watch the recording of the assessment... What a wild life I do lead!

Interviewing and Advising

Now that I have completed the Interviewing and Advising workshops I thought I would write a short post to mark the occasion. 

First, a little break down. Interviewing and Advising is, quite obviously, the skill of successfully interviewing and then advising your client. For some reason though a lot of non-LPC folk seem to think it's sessions to practice being interviewed (i.e. for a job) so I thought I had better clarify. You take 2 workshops and then a lovely mock exam. It's another Competent/Not Competent exam so 50% is all you need. The exam consists of interviewing and advising a client for up to 30 minutes. You need to make notes and they form part of your final mark. 

I went into Interviewing with a slight sense of dread. Having made friends with a few of the "18-monthers" I had been witness to their sheer panic at taking the Interviewing and Advising exam in December of last year. 

The groups of 12 are quite small, especially compared to BLP. You pair off and sit opposite one another on a desk and then act out role plays, alternating between client and trainee. You should feel totally comfortable, surrounded by your friends. But the mixture of acting, trying something new and being critiqued by your friends makes the workshops strangely nerve wracking. It's a steep learning curve and one that most get the hang of fairly quickly. The University of Law interviewing exam involves advising a client about a Partnership matter, covered in BLP, so there is also an element of revision too. 

I have interviewed clients before for the CAB but it was a much more relaxed affair. On the LPC, the interviews follow a basic structure which you are expected to keep to, and this is where I think it becomes complicated. For example, you must cover costs in your opening conversation. If you forget you can't just have a costs chat in the middle of discussing the clients problem - you have missed the boat (until the end, but you will lose out on marks). Other more trivial things to remember include making sure the client sits down before you and having "small talk"... *cringe*. In reality, small talk would be a natural part of an interview but it becomes so much more arduous when it's a necessity. 

All of these things to remember resulted in me not actually listening to the client and instead spending the time trying to figure out what I was meant to be doing next! This obviously becomes easier the more practice you do, so this weekend I am planning to find some willing (or unwilling!) test subjects.

A few little tips:

• Completely go for it. Make a fool of yourself now and avoid doing so in the exam.
• Do allllll the prep. There isn't a lot but do it all because you only get 2 sessions to practice this and you need to get the most out of them.
• Ask questions. This isn't an exam you can blag. With a written exam you get to plan, read through, add bits you forgot. You get one shot at interviewing so straighten out any queries. 
• You are allowed to take in 3 sheets of paper- one blank piece to make your notes, the mark scheme (with the handy interview structure on it) and a list of possible questions/law on Partnerships. Prepare your questions/relevant law sheet in advance!
• You have to dress smartly for the exams so do some practices in your suit. This will get you more accustomed to how it will feel on the day. 

My mock is on the 8th May so I will likely be doing a little blog then. If any of you are doing interviewing at the moment let me know how you are getting on with it. 

Wish me luck!

TC Deadlines Looming

If any of you lovely lot are subscribed to the All About Law mailing list you will have received an email about Training Contract deadlines this morning. In it, AAL claim that out of 200 law students only 36 will secure a TC this year. That's a mere 18% (that's as advanced as my maths gets...). So what are you doing to make yourself one of the 'chosen ones' this year? Here is my strategy...

Whittle it down to 30 firms

I genuinely cannot endorse Lawcareers.net enough for this little tip. Their Training Contract search tool is amazing for whittling down those firms that match your criteria. Whether its location, pay or start date you can find the firms that meet your needs. Don't forget, applying for a TC is as much about what you want as it is about what the firms want. 

I have found that using these broad search techniques in just the right way, you can get a list of around 40 firms that would be suitable. Now have a little browse through and get rid of about 10-20 firms that are slightly less desirable to you, leaving you with a nice 20-30 firms left.

Research and Cull!

Now to research! This will involve getting the firm's website up (assuming they have one) and having a good old nosey around. Always have in your head what YOU are looking for. Be ruthless now, you really should be looking to have around 10 final choices. I have heard untold amounts of horror stories during university of students applying to upwards of 50 firms (even in the hundreds) and not getting a single interview. Stop wasting your time, success is not found in sheer quantity. 

I find the key areas to at look are:

• Areas of work: if you are keen to get into an area of law make sure the firm you are applying to actually covers this area. This is particularly important if you interesting in a niche area of law. Simple enough.
• The firm's ethos: I recently had a discussion with a fellow student about our dream careers. She was adamant that she will work 16 hour days and forgo a relationship and family in order to reach 'the top'. On the other hand, I want a job that allows me to have a social life. I don't want to be leaving the office at 5, but I certainly won't be a regular in the 'burning-the-midnight-oil' club. Do some research about what each firm expects from it's trainees. 
• Trainee benefits: I would be lying if I said the salary and benefits do not matter. Of course they do! However, these are of varying importance to the individual. There are two things to bear in mind here. First, be realistic. The SRA has removed the minimum trainee salary and it's a very real possibility that you could be earning less than £20k in your first year. Look objectively at your qualifications and experience and choose firms you genuinely think you have a shot at. Obviously, it is also wise to have a couple of 'dream' firms in your 10 but don't let a first year salary of £35,000 completely dictate where you apply to. Second, set a minimum amount in your head that you would accept. I have done a full spreadsheet of outgoings and calculated how much would be the absolute minimum I could live off (in case you're interested it is £16k) bearing in mind having some money to have fun with! Any firms below this threshold you should seriously consider disregarding. Other trainee benefits, such as pension, access to a gym/creche, discounted legal rates are worth considering too. 

Make detailed notes during this process. Once you have researched all the firms try and put them in some sort of order of preference. The first 10 are your chosen firms - congratulations!

Law Fairs

Now you can begin the further research. Find out when these firms are attending career fairs and go along. Get chatting, ask questions, make contacts. Keep your ears open for news about your chosen firms. Jiggle your preference list around accordingly and keep making notes!

Applications

I have been doing the above process for the last 6 months so I am now fully prepared to begin my applications. There are 14 weeks until the general TC deadline. This means, 1 application per week and 4 free weeks for revision/exams. Perfect! 

My first application will be to my least favourite firm (sorry!) This method will ensure that you have gotten enough practice by the final application that your best effort will go to your most desired firm. This is the time to utilise your university careers service. Complete an application, make an appointment and take it along. Their feedback will be invaluable and could be the key to getting that interview.

Let me know how you all get on. I will be posting about my experience of aptitude tests soon. Good luck!

Career Decisions

Whether you are an LLB fresher on the starting line of the legal career race, or a hardened Trainee who has finally secured that coveted Training Contract, you will undoubtedly be aware of the seemingly endless career decisions and worries involved in a legal career. I thought I would use this blog to reflect back on some of the best and worst decisions that I have made over the past 5 years and wonder at all the infinite "shoulda, woulda, coulda"s.

The Decision To Do All My Lectures At Home

At my University all lectures were available online, both audio recordings and slides, and I took the decision in my first year that attending University for the purpose of lectures was simply not an efficient or effective use of my time. Of course, neither was Jeremy Kyle, beer gardens and an extra couple of hours sleep in the morning but apparently these were overlooked in the "time-wasting-activities" cull. The result? Minimum lectures completed and a serious gap in the majority of my legal knowledge. 

BAD DECISION

(n.b. I also employed this tactic in my second and third years at uni but, appealing to my love of organisation, created a colour coded chart and ticked them off as I went- GOOD DECISION)

The Decision To Apply For Every Legal Work Placement/Experience Going

I feel very privileged to be able to say that I have had no less than 6 opportunities to gain experience in the legal sector. From 6 weeks full time and unpaid court clerking to 6 months as a paid legal assistant I have definitely grabbed every opportunity that has come my way. My advice: apply for anything and everything. How will you know what you like until you've had a little taster. Couldn't think of anything worse than a corporate firm in the big smoke? Try it! Convinced you want to work in legal aid? Intern at a high street firm. Obviously, once you have really decided, it would be wise to get experience in that area, but until then, have a little dabble. You might surprise yourself.

GOOD DECISION

The Decision To Not Apply For Training Contracts Until My First Year of LPC

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. I think my trail of thought here was that I would be far more experienced by the time I had started the LPC and would therefore be more desirable to firms. However, this has actually equated to financial difficulty and yet another year before I can actually start my dream job! Had I secured a TC before the LPC it may have been funded by my firm and possibly even a maintenance grant too. My electives could have been directed by the firm in line with their needs rather than me second guessing what this imaginary employer might want. On the other hand, I am now much more certain about the areas of law I am interested in and so this will mean I am a stronger and more passionate interviewee. I have also been able to work through my LPC so have that great work experience that is oh-so-valuable to firms. Peaks and troughs. 

GOOD AND BAD DECISION

The Decison To Study At The University of Law (Formerly College of Law)

I would never in a million years change this decision. I cannot fault my LPC provider and absolutely love the course, the tutors and the campus. Biased you say? Me? Never!

GOOD DECISION

And since a lot of my decisions seem to have come out as good, I thought I would share a few generally bad decisions:

• Revising Equity and Trusts 24 hours before the exam
• Nattering in class so that when you are asked a question and your friend whispers in your aid "Pompeii", you confidently shout "Bombay"
• Walking out of the Public Law exam an hour before the end 
• Failing to employ the handbrake after parking in the student car park and returning to find your car had rolled into another parked car
• Pairing up with a student known for truanting, leaving you to plan, prepare and perform your entire EU Law presentation alone
• Missing every single Lexis and Westlaw sessions in your first year so that your idea of research involves Google, Wikipedia and the Core Text Book (if they're lucky)
• Vending machine soup. Always, always a terrible decision.

Results: PLR and Wills

I haven't written for a while. I think, after the catastrophe of the BLP exams I have been in a bit of a perpetual bad mood when it comes to the LPC. I met with friends on the first day back after exams and we had a big coffee catch up, dissecting every bit of those awful exams. We all came to the conclusion that, although we felt we were not fairly informed about the exams, what's done is done and it is time to move on. 

I have now completed 3 of my Employment elective workshops and all of the Solicitors Accounts workshops. I must say, they have been a joy! The sun has begun to shine, spring had sprung and there is definitely an air of new beginnings. 

So lets get down to business. Results. 

They were released on 18 April at 2:00pm. I was eagerly logging in before this but, alas, no luck. I logged in at 2:01 and there sat my transcript PDF to download. After 10 minutes of hovering the mouse over the 'open' button I finally did it. 

Results:

PLR - Competent 

Wills - 100%

Yes, folks, I GOT 100% IN MY WILLS EXAM! Absolutely ecstatic and just the boost I need to reinvigorate me for the final push.

But for now... back to business....