CityLawLIVE: the journey from law student to lawyer

I attended the CityLawLIVE Conference in London on 8 December 2012 as a second-year law student. I had been advised many times how important it is to apply early for work placement schemes at law firms. With a few unsuccessful applications behind me, I was exhilarated to be a delegate because I saw it as a golden opportunity to hear from professionals how to interest recruiters.

What appealed to me most about the event is that while it was a formal conference, the mix of people was incredible - one minute you could be talking to a fellow law student and the next, it was a partner from a well-known firm. I could tell the day was going to be brilliant from the first speech by Simon Beddow, a partner at Ashurst LLP. He gave an introduction to City law, full of good humour which captivated everyone from the outset.

One of the workshops that I attended was entitled Clean Energy, presented by Eversheds LLP. I chose it because of current debate on the use of renewable energy and its implications for both businesses and citizens. It turned out to be an excellent choice - in just one hour, we were given an overview of how to promote clean energy in the United Kingdom, the phases of a clean energy project, and the pros and cons of traditional energy technologies.

During the day, I heard the phrase 'commercial awareness' almost as much as the key word 'law'. Craig Robinson, CEO and founder of Ultimate Law Guide, gave an insightful talk, explaining that there are several different kinds of awareness - of people (ie, building relationships); of the market; of the profession; of a lawyer's role; and of yourself. He advised us to consider the firm's business as our business, and I enjoyed his presentation because I could immediately see how to apply his advice.

I also received some enormously helpful advice on applications, including how to turn your CV into one that a recruiter can assess at a glance and see if you tick the right boxes. It is essential when applying to single out a few key things that make that firm special. Once you start answering questions like "Why this firm?" in this way, it is much easier to write precise answers that get straight to the point, and which sound genuine and well thought through.

The final session of the day, on key advice for applicants, was presented by recruiters and partners. It addressed the age-old question of, "What do recruiters want to see in application forms?" and was a two-way discussion between the panel and attendees. I learnt that students can shine at an interview without being a star - law firms want to hire humans, not machines. All you need to show is that you can juggle extracurricular activities and your studies, and know how to prioritise. I also learnt that if you can express a point of view and get your interviewers to engage with that, you can consider the interview a success.

I strongly recommend applying for this year's CityLawLIVE conference. It is a perfect chance for anyone interested not only in practising law in the City, but also being part of any business, to hear from the people who have already created their careers and are doing it.