The Careers Service. Law Briefing Training contracts and pupillages Training contracts in brief If you want to be a solicitor, the next step after the LPC is to complete two years (FT) ‘on the job’ training in order to become a newly qualified (assistant) solicitor. The usual way to do this is by securing a training contract. Most are with firms but there are a small number with local authorities, the Government Legal Service and Crown Prosecution Service plus some in-house legal departments in large companies and charities. During the training contract, you experience at least 3 different areas of law under supervision, often referred to as ‘seats’. Typical tasks include drafting agreements, corresponding with clients and other solicitors, conducting research and attending clients meetings. You’ll be assessed by means of appraisal and must also complete the Professional Skills Course (PSC). Application for training contracts is very similar to other graduate jobs. Firms will advertise their vacancies and you apply by their chosen method - usually application form or, if not, CV and covering letter. For more help, see: ‘Law Briefing: Law applications’. Sources of vacancies are listed in the ‘Legal services resources’ section of our Careers in Law website: www.shef.ac.uk/careers/students/worktypes/law. Use a strategy of applying for vacancies advertised in law publications and jobs websites plus checking firm’s websites and making speculative approaches, especially to smaller firms who often don’t advertise. You can start to apply for training contracts up to 2 years ahead (a law student would apply receiving their second year results; non-law would apply in their final year), smaller firms may recruit a year or only six months ahead. Competition for training contracts is very strong. It is estimated that at least 25% of those completing the LPC don’t go straight into a training contract, some may still be seeking a contract 2 or 3 years later. Be prepared to be persistent and think carefully about your chances of gaining a training contract even before embarking on the LPC - see ‘Law Briefing: Legal Practice Course’ for more details. Pupillages in brief Pupillage is a 12-month training period for those aiming to qualify as a barrister, which is completed after the BPTC. It is divided up into two six-month periods. During the ‘first six’ you shadow the cases of experienced barristers and undertake research and paperwork for your supervisor(s). In the ‘second six’ you may take on work of your own if your set has a lot of smaller, more suitable cases (eg, criminal and common law), otherwise, you will continue to assist your supervisor on larger cases (eg, commercial law). You could do the first and second at different places. You’ll also attend training in advocacy and advice to counsel run by your Inn plus other training associated with your specialism: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk has more details. Pupils are funded by their set of chambers via pupillage awards - first six carries award of £6,000 minimum; second six guarantees a further £6,000 (from Sept 2011). Upon successful completion, you are eligible to seek tenancy with chambers, ie, a permanent base from which to practice. The vast majority of pupillages are in chambers, with very few at the employed bar (in-house for companies, law firms and charities) and with the Government Legal Service and Crown Prosecution Service. Many chambers use the Pupillage Portal, an online application system: www.pupillages.com. This should be the first place to look for vacancies. About a third of chambers invite direct application, usually by CV and covering letter (NB: they still advertise on the Pupillage Portal and work to its timetable). Publications such as Pupillages Handbook (available from the Careers Service) list chambers contact details and indicate whether they are members of the Pupillage Portal or, if not, how you should apply to them. There’s also the annual National Pupillage Fair in March (http://targetpupillagefair.co.uk). Applicants usually apply a year ahead of their intended start date, although some chambers recruit two years ahead. The Pupillage Portal allows applications from the end of March until the end of April (applicants can choose up to 12 chambers) with offers made in August / early September. A ‘Clearing’ system operates in October. For more help with putting your application together, see: ‘Law Briefing: Law applications’. Estimates indicate that fewer than 1 in 5 of those who apply for the BPTC will ultimately secure a tenancy in chambers. Are you 100% committed to a career at the Bar? Can you cope with the competition and be persistent? Think carefully about your chances even before embarking on the BPTC - see ‘Law Briefing: Bar Professional Training Course’ for more details. Choosing your training contract / pupillage Don’t apply to a law firm or chambers until: 1) You’ve worked out what your criteria are for choosing firms / chambers; and 2) You’ve done your research and have a list of those which fit your criteria When you apply, you need to be convinced that you want to work there if you are to persuade them! Consider: What type of law? Firms and chambers often specialise in one or more areas: eg, commercial, criminal, family or property law to name but a very few. Perhaps your undergraduate studies might help you decide which you’d enjoy? Or think about work experience / shadowing in different areas and whether they appeal. Where do you want to work? Many chambers are London based, are you prepared to live there or compete for pupillage in the regions? Don’t apply to City firms if London life isn’t for you. Regional firms often prefer candidates with local connections who are less likely to leave after their training contract. What sort of size , focus (clients) and working environment? International/city/magic circle firms have opportunities for travel to a broad range of clients and higher pay but you’d be one of many trainees and expected to put in long hours. National and regional firms have fewer trainees, giving you the potential for early responsibility but working with UK public and private companies. High Street and legal aid generally offer lower salaries but a better work-life balance and, many say, sense of job satisfaction in terms of the client group. There’s also the option of the Crown Prosecution Service or Government as well as in-house. If you want to be a barrister, you might choose one of the supersets (run as state-of-the-art businesses) or a regional set where you may earn less than in London but possibly gain earlier exposure to more interesting clients. If you are committed to a specific practice area you could choose a niche set such as Intellectual Property (IP) or tax. Which firms or chambers share your attitudes and mentalities? What are your motivations? Which environment do you think would suit your personality and values? If you need help understanding yourself, have a go at Profiling for Success: www.shef.ac.uk/careers/students/gettingajob/psintroduction Other factors to consider: nature of the training contract / pupillage and the way you’d be treated including training & development and retention rates; the firm’s / chamber’s reputation and any awards they’ve received; rates of pay and, also, possibility of sponsorship for PG training; future opportunities and pay - also, check the firm/chamber’s business strategy eg, impending mergers or restructuring. NEED HELP WITH YOUR CHOICES?: Talk through your ideas with your tutor or with a Careers Adviser (call 0114 222 0910 for an appointment). Useful resources Useful publications available in the Careers Service: The Training Contract and Pupillage Handbook has a statistical analysis of the legal jobs market, outlines of the different practice areas for solicitors and barristers plus insider reports on firms and a pupillage directory. TARGETjobs – Law and Prospects Law include information about what training contracts / pupillages involve plus application timetables and tips on choosing your training contract / pupillage including different practice areas. The Chambers Student Guide has ‘The True Picture’ reviews of solicitors firms and chambers reports. Pupillages Handbook includes chambers offering pupillages, job profiles and hints on finding the right chambers. Lex 100 Survey is an annual survey of trainees in 150 law firms who rate their trainee jobs in terms of job satisfaction, amount of client contact, stress levels, friendliness of firm, social life and confidence in being kept on. Useful websites: Law Careers.Net (www.lawcareers.net/Information) - in association with the Law Society - includes a training contract search facility and information on deadlines inc. immediate vacancies. It also has background information on some major firms. Websites such as www.chambersstudent.co.uk and www.legal500.com also have useful information about firms. Solicitors in Local Government: www.slgov.org.uk and The Government Legal Service: www.gls.gov.uk Junior Law Division (http://juniorlawyers.lawsociety.org.uk) has useful information on finding a training contract plus links to local groups inc. Sheffield (www.sheffieldjld.com), where you could get advice from current trainees. Yorkshire Young Legal Aid Lawyers hold a monthly meeting (contact [email protected]). Check out Lawyer 2b (http://l2b.thelawyer.com), The Lawyer (www.thelawyer.com), Legal Week (www.legalweek.com) and the Law Gazette (www.lawgazette.co.uk) to see which firms have been in the news. Don’t forget to check out the firm’s own website and google them to see if they’ve been in the news recently. Also check to see if they are on Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites.