Preparing mature students and career

changers for the solicitors’ profession

Thursday 27 April 2017

Welcome and introduction

Husnara Begum

Legal recruiter and career coach, Husnara Begum Consulting

Training routes to qualification

Diane Goodier

Head of students, University of Law

Preparing mature students and career changers for the solicitors’ profession Training routes to qualification Diane Goodier

Why choose a career in law?

• Intellectually stimulating and

challenging

• Variety of practice areas

• Job satisfaction

• Career progression

• Financially rewarding

2

Communication

Legal

Knowledge

Research

& Analysis

Interpersonal

Skills

Attention

to Detail

Commercial

Awareness

Problem

Solving

Team Work

Presentation

Skills

What do you need to succeed

as a Lawyer?

Training routes

Qualifying

degree in

English Law

Solicitor

Legal

Practice

Course

Admissio

n as a

solicitor

Training

Contract

2 years

Non-Law

degree

Graduate

Diploma in Law

Barrister

Bar

Professional

Training

Course

Pupillage

12

months

Call to

the Bar

Training for Tomorrow

• Going forward candidates will take a two-part

Solicitors Qualifying Exam as well as

undertaking work experience. To qualify as a

solicitor, candidates will need to:

• have passed SQE stages 1 and 2 to demonstrate

they have the right knowledge and skills

• have been awarded a degree or an equivalent

qualification, or have gained equivalent experience

• have completed at least two years of qualifying

legal work experience

• be of satisfactory character and suitability.

• Even candidates who have a law degree will still

need to pass stage 1.

The Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE)

• The main points, confirmed 25 April 2017 are:

• The SRA will introduce a Solicitors Qualifying

Examination (SQE)

• This will be a common, centrally-set

assessment that everyone who wants to be a

solicitor will have to pass

• The SQE will not start until 2020 at the earliest

The Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) cont’d

• There will be transitional provisions that will

allow students to carry on with the existing

courses until several years later (to be

confirmed, but likely to be until 2025 or later)

• The current courses (GDL, LPC) will be

phased out over time, but will continue for at

least 5 years and probably longer (this

depends on the transitional provisions)

The Future: Solicitor Apprenticeships The University of Law

Master's degree (Level 7) equivalent outcome. Probable “stepping-on” point,

Level 4 (1st year degree equivalent)

Public & Employer funding mix

Apprenticeship Voucher

5-6 years duration + Government

Apprenticeship requirements, including

assessment criteria

£2 of Govt. cash for every £1 of employer

Solicitor Apprenticeship

(2015/2016) Employer Standards

+

SRA Competence Statement S

olic

itor

L3 Trailblazer Apprenticeship may give

some exemptions

• World’s largest professional law school

• Global connections

• Award-winning practice-based teaching

• Market-leading Employability service

• 8 fully resourced centres and Exeter

• 97% of our full-time 2015 LPC students secured

training contracts or other legal work within 9 months

of completing the course

Who are we?

Employability – Careers support

• One to one advice

• Interview preparation

• Skills workshops

• External speakers

• Mentoring scheme

• Jobsearch – exclusive online legal

database

• Online student employability

programme (StEP)

Employability – Pro bono

• Get involved with pro bono to bring your

learning to life and develop your legal skills

• Our award winning pro bono programme

includes:

• Legal advice clinics

• Shadowing

• Public legal education

• Tribunal representation

Scholarships and Bursaries

• We are committed to widening participation to

those wishing to study law.

• We offer a comprehensive range of

scholarships and law bursary schemes.

• September 2017 scholarships and bursaries will

be announced in the coming months.

• Register your interest by emailing

scholarships@law.ac.uk

Come and meet us

Join the Future Lawyers Network

Engage with us on:

on facebook.com/universityoflaw

@universityoflaw

youtube.com/universityoflaw

Attend an Open Day – www.law.ac.uk/events

Any questions?

Application process

Julia Sadler, managing editor, TARGETjobs Law

Hannah Erskine, senior talent manager, Howard Kennedy

Training Contract Applications

Law Society –27.04.17

www.howardkennedy.com

Agenda

• Introductions

• Shortlisting firms

• Psychometrics

• Application forms

• Assessment centres

• Interviews

www.howardkennedy.com

Introductions

• Hannah, talent manager, Howard Kennedy LLP

• Julia, editor, TARGETjobs Law, TARGETjobs

Law Vacation Schemes and Mini-pupillages,

and targetjobslaw.co.uk

www.howardkennedy.com

Shortlisting firms

• Why is this important?

• How many?

• Where to start –

• Practical factors e.g. location / salary

• Types of law

• What makes a mature candidate attractive

to a firm?

www.howardkennedy.com

Psychometrics

• 2 main types – ability and personality

• Ability – e.g. Watson Glaser

• Personality – e.g. MBTI, SJT

• How to prepare for each

www.howardkennedy.com

Psychometrics

• What is gamification?

Typical format of online applications

• 1. Contact details

• 2. Academic results and achievements

• 3. Work experience

• A list of your legal and non-legal experience (including

today’s event)

• 4. Demonstration of core qualities • A series of competency/commercial awareness questions and/or a

covering letter

Before you start

• You won’t get a training contract without

demonstrating these four: thorough research,

motivation, key competencies and accuracy

• On a big piece of paper, list the competencies the firm

is looking for and match them to your previous career,

hobbies and academic study

• If the firm doesn’t list its competencies, list the skills

lawyers need and match to your values

The covering letter

Some law firms use a covering letter only without any

extended questions. For example:

‘In your covering letter, please explain your reasons for

wishing to pursue a career in commercial law. Please also

explain your motivation for applying to Baker & McKenzie.

You should also use the covering letter as an opportunity

to include any additional information that is relevant to

your application but is not covered in the form. (750

words max)’

The covering letter

Use it to prove:

• You can follow instructions

• You can write concisely and to a word count

• You can use a professional tone. NB plain English!

• You have considered the firm’s culture and values, and

made it clear how they relate to you

• You have thought about what you want from your

working environment and how that firm can provide it

The covering letter

Use it to prove:

• How the training programme appeals to you

• Your commercial awareness:

• Talk about any of the firm’s cases that have caught your

eye recently and why they appeal to you

• Emphasise any experience you have had in a legal or

commercial environment

• How your previous career relates to law

Typical application form questions

• ‘Please describe a recent major challenge that you

have faced and specifically how you responded as an

individual’ (250 words)

– Classic competency question.

• Use the STAR technique to organise your answers to

competency questions: the situation, the task required,

the action you took and the result of your action. Avoid

‘we’.

Typical application form questions

• ‘What are your main interests, activities and pastimes?

Please describe any related positions of responsibility

you have held from school/university and onwards.’

(250 words)

• ‘Tell us why you want to be a lawyer and why X firm?’

Show a clear motivation for (a) law and (b) a career at

that firm

Application form tips

• Quality not quantity

• Don’t cut and paste

• Think ahead to the interview; make sure you are

prepared to be quizzed on any examples in your form

• Check the firm’s website and Facebook pages for

application FAQs or hints and tips

• Use examples from more than one area of your life

• In each section of the form, ask yourself which skills

can I showcase here?

www.howardkennedy.com

Assessment centres

• What do they involve?

• Group & individual exercises & often an

interview

• Legal / commercial topics

• How to prepare

• Go back to your research on the firm

• Do everything possible to be ‘yourself on a

really good day’!

• What to bear in mind for mature applicants

Types of law interview

• Phone interviews

• Video interviews

• One-to-one interviews, with HR or partner

• Panel interviews

• ‘Article’ interviews

Interview preparation tips?

• Practise! Sign up for a mock interview at your careers

service if you have access. Get honest feedback

• Find out the format of the interview from the firm or

from websites such as targetjobslaw.co.uk

• Be up to date with current affairs

• Read business pages regularly – what is this law firm’s

perspective?

• Remember: there is no substitute for research.

Types of law interview questions

• Broadly speaking, interviewers use questions to test

three things: motivation; commercial awareness; skills

• Legal work experience suits motivation questions (as

opposed to skills questions)

• Read TARGETjobs Inside Buzz reports to research types

of questions:

– ‘I was asked "If you were going to set up a new office,

where would it be?” first-year trainee at Hogan Lovells

– ‘Why do you want to be a solicitor rather than a

consultant or banker?’ first-year trainee at White & Case

Why ask questions?

• To show you’re prepared and enthusiastic

• To find out more information not available elsewhere

• Use it to further show your research and interest – in a

deal, a sector or an area of law

• Find out who will be interviewing you and pitch your

questions appropriately

• Advice from Hogan Lovells: ‘If in doubt, ask the

partners about themselves… how they got into their

area of law, their client base, the type of work they do

and what they enjoy about being at the firm.’

Help is at hand!

• Read the advice and FAQs on law firms’ websites

• Use TARGETjobs Law pages 18 to 33 for targeted

applications advice and tips from graduate recruiters

• Read the interviews and applications advice on

targetjobslaw.co.uk

• Sign up to other workshops and events…

• … add this event to your CV or application

• Follow @TjobsLaw on Twitter for application deadline

reminders and timely tips

No.1 London Bridge

London SE1 9BG

T: +44 (02)0 3755 6000

www.howardkennedy.com

Any questions?

Tips for boosting your commercial

awareness

Jessica Booker, director, Star Potential

What is commercial awareness?

An interest in the

commercial world

Knowledge of

commercial matters Analytical skills

3 2

1

4

What commercial awareness is

• Awareness of events in the business world

• Awareness of other current affairs

• Some understanding how companies work

• Seeing things from varying perspectives

• An ability to see well beyond the facts and make

pertinent observations

• A sense that the interest is genuine rather than it being

forced

What commercial awareness isn’t

• Knowing lots of jargon

• Reading the news a day before an interview

• Quoting deals or client work from a firm’s website

• Making sweeping statements about the economy or political landscape

General commercial awareness

• Read regularly, follow stories

• Research firm’s work and form an opinion

• Business games / workshops

• Portfolios / shadow trading

• If you don’t understand something you read about – look

it up or ask someone to explain

General commercial awareness (2)

• Be prepared to discuss your thoughts and opinions on

issues

– Why has the situation arisen?

– What are the causes?

– Who are the main players?

– What are the implications of the situation?

– What would you do to turn the situation around?

Using your own experiences (1)

• Work experience outside of the legal sector

• Vacation placements and other work experience

• Society / club roles

• Voluntary or charitable work

Using your own experiences (2)

Think about these questions…

• How is the company/organisation structured?

• What are the main products / services on offer?

• Who are the main competitors?

• How do they differentiate themselves in the market?

• Who are the target audience / clients?

• Strengths / weaknesses?

• What changes would you make if you were in charge?

Employers… they’re a business too!

• Visit their website

• Recent news / deals

• Trends in the market place / industry

• Issues facing the organisation

• Employers want to know you have thought about their

business and how it works

• Often links into your career motivation – why are you

applying?

How to stand out

Pick examples in applications and interviews that have as

many of the following factors as possible:

1. Aligned to your interests

2. Aligned to the firm’s interests

3. Are specific

4. Are affected by the current economic or political

landscape

5. Has had recent developments

Summary

• It is never too late to develop your CA

• Follow news stories that you are interested in

• Research potential employers

• Think about your experiences and what you have learned

• Don’t panic – a lot of this is common sense

• Technical knowledge will be learnt through the LPC and

on the job training

• Demonstrate your enthusiasm and want to learn more

Any questions?

Alternative route to qualification

Noel Inge, managing director, CILEx Law School

LAW/GDL GRADUATES: QUALIFYING AS A CHARTERED LEGAL

EXECUTIVE

Reality: the professions…

Know the legal services industry

• Approx 10,482 law firms in England & Wales (2016 figs)

• Market is fragmented and very localised

• 85% of firms are small with 4 or fewer partners

• Over 500 ABSs most who want business skills

• 14% of all workers in the legal services industry are self-employed

• https://tinyurl.com/hme7u3q: A&O/BMK legal innovation centre

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET INTO THE LEGAL SERVICES INDUSTRY? YOU NEED A…

• Latest HESA research: 25 & 75 split

• Employers hire for behaviours- they train for knowledge

• Non-legal skills

• Catch 22: breaking in

• Tactics

Front/back door approach

• Don’t forget industry structure- many SMEs.

Traditional career paths

• Bar: status & potential income

• Solicitor: widely recognised. Salaries vary

• Bar: expense to train, opportunities, reality!

• Solicitor: can be costly to train, limited opportunities. Competition from paralegals.

The Alternative: Chartered Legal Executives

• Roles are similar to those of high street solicitors. They are specialist lawyers.

• Partnership (approx 260: expected to increase). 74% of Chartered Legal Executives want to become partners

• Advocacy rights-civil/crime/family (with additional training)

Opportunities for Chartered Legal Executives

• Eligibility for judicial appointment

• Suitably experienced, can run own…

– Litigation business

– Immigration business

– Conveyancing business

– Probate business

Where do Chartered Legal Executives work?

• …in over 1,500 law firms

• … central and local government

• … commercial and financial companies

• ABSs

State of the job market: outlook

• RTA: reforms make this an uncertain area

• Debt Recovery: uncertain

• Property: strong

• Employment: showing some strength

• Private client: good prospects

How much do Chartered Legal Executives earn?

Summary for Chartered Legal Executives

Low: £28,000

High: £60,000+

Source: Anakin Seal 2017

Average according to Reed Recruitment is £41,875

Jobs (entry level/limited experience): April 17

• Bus Development Associate, London: circa £24k

• Private client paralegal , Notts: to £25k

• Jnr legal secretary, London: £20k

• Clinical claims, Hants NHS Trust: £22-28k

• PI Litigation Assistants, Mancs: £15k

• Conveyancing administrator, Glous: £15k

• Commercial property, Taunton: £18k

• Conveyancing paralegals, Norwich: £15-17k

• Mort Repossessions, Watford: £16k

• HMRC apprenticeships: TBA

• Typical first/second paralegal job salary up to £25k, but likely to be lower

Chartered Legal Executive Jobs: April 17

• Litigation, with following, London: to £60k

• Assistant Land Registrar, National (HMLR): £53k

• Res Conveyancing, Kent: to £45k

• Res Conveyancing, Cambs: to £50k

• Snr private client, London: to £80k

• Private client, E.Sussex: to £65k

• Family lawyer, Cornwall: to £40k

• Snr Property Lawyer, London: to £60k

• Litigation lawyer, London: to £55k

Traditional qualification route: solicitor

• 5,491became solicitors during Aug15-July16 period via the

LPC route (6,900 commenced full-time LPC in 2014)

• Of 69 organisations offering training contracts (period of

recognised training) at M’cester law fair, 28 filtered by A level

grades.

• Nearly all want a 2:1+

• Local law firms’ recruitment policies will vary

LPC

• LPC: typical cost in London £15k+ excl. living expenses.

• Less expensive/lower risk LPCs: De Montfort University open learning (£9,750).

• Estimated 6,500 unfilled LPC places

• Enrolling on the full-time LPC is a very expensive way to discover that you don’t like legal practice or can’t find a job in law!

Alternative route

CILEX Graduate Fast-Track Diploma (GFTD)

+ three years’ qualifying employment =

Chartered Legal Executive

The first step to become a Chartered Legal Executive: the three unit CILEX Graduate Fast-track Diploma (GFTD)

• Start here: a qualifying law degree/GDL is required

• Then.. GFTD comprises…

• x 2 CILEX Level 6 legal practice units and

• CILEX Level 6 client care unit

What’s in the three unit CILEX GFTD?

You choose two from this list… • Civil Litigation

• Conveyancing

• Criminal Litigation

• The Practice of Employment Law

• The Practice of Family Law

• Probate Practice

• The Practice of Company and Partnership Law

(At least one unit must be linked to your law degree)

• Plus the CILEX Level 6 Client Care unit

Time Commitment for the CILEX GFTD

• Each legal practice unit takes approx 190 hours.

• The client care unit takes approx 75-100 hours.

• Typically students work while studying CILEx Law School’s supported distance learning courses

Unlike the LPC…

…you don’t have to finish the GFTD in one bite.

Each unit can be studied separately, when you choose, over any period that suits you.

CILEX GFTD costs 2017

( x2Level 6 Practice units and Level 6

Client Care unit)

Course Fees

Assessment fees

CILEx Exemption fee

CILEx Associate.

membership

(incl first reg fee)

Work based learning reg

£2125

£283

£200

£225

£40

Application for Fellowship

£150

Total cost £3023

Financing the GFTD course

• Professional Career Development Loans: see https://www.gov.uk/career-development-loans/overview

• Self-funders: enrol on courses for 3 units consecutively (£700/£700/£725)

• Over 60% of employers pay CILEx course fees

Studying at CILEx Law School by distance learning.

• Study from anywhere.

• Start the course whenever you like.

• Unrivalled telephone and on-line support.

• Teaching is by distance learning and

occasional regional face-to-face sessions all delivered by subject specialists.

• CILEx Law School is CILEx’s award

winning wholly owned, not-for-profit law school.

The second stage of becoming a Chartered Legal Executive: qualifying employment…

• 3 years’ qualifying employment (paralegal work), meeting work based learning outcome requirements.

• 2 Years must be consecutive qualifying employment immediately preceding the application

• At least 1 year must be in the Graduate grade of membership (achieved by completing the GFTD)

• During this time you must demonstrate the following competencies

And the eight competencies…

1: Practical Application of the Law and Legal Practice

2: Communication skills

3: Client Relations

4: Management of Workload

5: Business Awareness

6: Professional Conduct

7: Self Awareness and Development

8: Working with others

Summary: differing training routes

Chartered Legal Executive

1. Qualifying law degree /GDL

2. three yrs’ paralegal work, per CILEx rules.

3. Complete GFTD qualification (in year one) by distance learning while in paralegal work

4. You’re qualified as a Chartered Legal Executive

Solicitor (usual route)

1. Qualifying law degree /GDL

2. Study the LPC either full or part-time (1-2 years)

3. Find a training contract (2 years), PSC.

4. You’re newly qualified.

5. Possible changes with two part SQE

6. Will still need to find training contract equivalent

Becoming a solicitor via CILEx – Study the LPC over two years part-time while

working – If you are a Chartered Legal Executive then you

can claim automatic exemption from the training contract.

– Partial exemption from open learning De

Montfort University LPC. – Chartered Legal Executives require only one

seat, not three via equivalent means/training contract.

Alternative route advantages

Training contract/period of recognised training exemption

Partial exemption against De Montfort University open learning LPC

Gain a professional qualification without large up-front financial commitment.

Summary… • 1. Become a Chartered Legal Executive and enjoy

practice rights comparable with those of a solicitor.

• 2. Cost of Chartered Legal Executive training is a fraction of that to become a solicitor.

OR

• 3. If you want to convert to become a solicitor via CILEx , NO training contract is required.

• 4. Being a Chartered Legal Executive means you may be exempt from elements of the De Montfort University LPC.

Known unknowns

• Whether and in what form the Solicitors’ Qualifying Examination will take effect (and potential cost)

• Future of the CILEx qualification: automatic inclusion of rights on conveyancing, probate, immigration and litigation?

• Impact of IT on the sector

What should I do now?

• Honest self assessment/university careers adviser: see http://www.markparkinson.co.uk/psychometric_links.htm

• Experience: law clinic/pro bono: see

Charities: advocacy/advisory roles • http://cilexprobono.wordpress.com/ • http://www.thefru.org.uk/volunteers

• Network, network, network – CILEx local branch – http://www.national-womens-

network.co.uk/ – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-

kingdom--london/networking/

– http://www.ambitionfirst.com/

• Making the most of your work experience

• Nine second rule: review your CV • Non-legal employers?

Getting in touch…

Noel Inge

T: 01234 844325.

E: n.inge@cilexlawschool.ac.uk

www.cilexlawschool.ac.uk

Follow us on Facebook @CILExLawSchool

Panelists share their experiences of

taking the plunge

Rob Allan, trainee solicitor, Reed Smith

Ian Bond, trainee solicitor, Burges Salmon

Rachael Southern, trainee solicitor, Berwin Leighton Paisner

Patty Tan, international arbitration legal assistant, Shearman

Sterling

Alan Woolston, partner, Fladgate LLP