A familiar paradox

Working in a City law firm as a paralegal has meant that I have gained critical work experience in legal practice, something which is fast becoming a distinguishing point between training contract hopefuls.

Law firms and recruitment agencies often require at least one to three years' previous experience in similar paralegal roles and many law graduates are struggling to land these positions. So you need legal work experience to get legal work experience - what can you do to circumvent this impasse on your way to plumping up your CV?

Make it count

Do not waste your time submitting a CV that is below par and which contains errors, inconsistent formatting and irrelevant detail. Speak to a careers adviser and ask recruitment consultants, legal professionals and anyone else who is happy to brutally scrutinise your most personal document. A CV is not just a summary of your experience and skills; it’s also an opportunity to demonstrate some of those very abilities that you claim to have: drafting, attention to detail and IT skills.

Get connected

There are many ways to do this and many articles out there that cover networking and its importance. What I would suggest is that you take a smart approach. An equity partner forwarded to me a haphazard request for work experience that he had received on Twitter from somebody completely unknown to him. It was met with little more than bemusement. You wouldn’t ask a favour from a stranger, so learn to engage - it will serve you well in any career.

Aim high, shoot low

Unless your daddy is bankrolling the corporate department with his company’s latest merger, the chances are you won't have connections that will have much sway. Does this mean you are destined for failure? No. Just be realistic in your application for your first job in law. I started in a high street firm dealing primarily with legal aid clients. The pay was less than I earned as a shop assistant, but the experience was invaluable, leading to the next role which paid a bit more and where I got my own desk. Get old school, climb the ladder from the bottom and never dismiss any opportunity.

I won't lie to you; the role of a paralegal is not glamorous. Where you work within a firm - in a fast-paced litigation department or in residential conveyancing dealing with a high turnover of matters, for example - will dictate the next time you see a lunch break, let alone be able to make evening plans like a normal person. Law is not for the fainthearted. This experience will help you discover whether your passion for law converts into becoming successful solicitor.

Getting legal experience comes at a price, but the buzz of developing as a professional and taking the next step on the rung to getting qualified is something no law graduate should overlook.

If you want to know more about working as a paralegal, feel free to get in touch @ParalegalTony.