Six tips to help you find the right law firm to launch your graduate career
updated on 18 January 2021
With so many legal routes to choose and potential firms to work with, graduates can naturally feel overwhelmed when choosing the right firm to launch their career. In this piece, Nermeen Salahuddin, assistant litigation executive at Patient Claim Line, shares her experience working with a number of different firms and the key signals she found helped her to identify which firm would be a good fit for her, from corporate values, to office culture, benefits and development schemes.
For many individuals it is a daunting task to consider which of the vast number of firms would suit them best. Traditionally young lawyers believed they had to change themselves to become the perfect fit for a law firm. However, although that can work in the short term, you could risk compromising yourself and your mental health in the long run. Hence why it is imperative to find the right law firm for you.
The following six tips set out to help you find a firm that is a good fit for you.
- Do your research
At law school we are taught the importance of research and this extends to job hunting too. If you know the area of law you want to work in, research the firms that offer that legal service. There’s no use working for a highly rated law firm if it does not practice in your area of interest. You may find that a city firm is more appropriate for you compared to a national firm as they offer services in niche areas of law. Researching a company’s website is a good way to determine what kind of cases it is involved in as many will publish their success stories.
- Consider development opportunities
When deciding on a law firm to kick start your career, I think it is important to have a rough idea of what you want your career to look like over the next few years. Remember to work for a company that cares and invests in you as an individual; the firm should be willing to cultivate you into the type of lawyer you want to be instead of trying to make you fit the mould.
Identify whether the company has any promotion schemes and whether it has any development pathways that are of interest to you. It is also important to keep an open mind to all opportunities and thoroughly research your options. Demand room for progression, as a lawyer and an individual.
- Get work experience
While at university try to gain experience in several different places to find what you enjoy. There are various avenues that a young lawyer can explore. When considering a career in law research your options, for example, obtaining a training contract might not be for you at all. There are alternative ways to become a solicitor and different areas of the legal profession for you to consider. Research exactly what you want to do, whether that is practising law, policy making or campaigning, and focus on achieving that career goal.
A useful way to conduct this research is to attend open days or law fairs (virtual or in person). These events provide you with an opportunity to network with lawyers and ask them questions to gain greater insight into what it would be like to work for their firm.
It might also be worth finding out which law firms finance the Legal Practice Course/Solicitors Qualifying Exam, CILEX etc, or offer courses and shorter training contracts/qualifying work experience, etc.
- Check the firm’s culture
A firm’s work-life balance is just as important as the field that you want to work in. The individuals you work with can easily become a large part of your social structure, from after work drinks to the annual Christmas party. When searching for the right firm, it is important to know what its culture and work environment is like.
A good way to determine a firm’s position on this is to research its values, which are usually found on its website. It can also be useful to see how its previous and current employees describe working for the firm, which can be found on websites such as Glassdoor. Look at the firm’s newsletters or blogs to see how partners address employees and what the firm’s mission statements are.
- Check your values align with the firm’s
As lawyers, we all have our personal morals and values. Working for a firm with a moral compass that is similar to yours will, for example, enable you to expand your charitable work or aid in causes that you are passionate about. One way of finding this information is looking into the firm’s social media accounts or seeing what charities it sponsors on its website.
For me, it was important that the company understood the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. I would research the firm's board members and identify whether the firm had taken active steps to diversify and support its employees. See for yourself what the company’s work ethos is like and whether you can picture yourself working there.
- Don’t always listen to your peers
Remember, just because one person had a particular experience with a law firm it doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to have the same experience. There can be a lot of horror stories or even over exaggerations about a company's work ethic, but until you experience it yourself you won’t know the truth.
During university I worked for a firm that had a reputation for its alleged highly competitive employees. This caused me endless anxiety the night before my first day. My experience however was entirely different. Instead, everyone I interacted with was extremely friendly and endlessly helpful. This reminded me of the age-old lesson to not believe everything you hear.
Final thoughts
Ultimately, you are in control of which firms you apply to. There is no such thing as a ‘perfect firm’ and it is entirely based on what you seek from a firm that will help to shape you, your career and future. If an environment does not feel like it aligns with your career goals or perhaps your ethics and morals, do not ignore the signs! Remember, during the vacation scheme, training contract and at the interview you are assessing whether the firm is a good fit for you, just as much as the recruiters are assessing whether you are a good fit for the firm. Confidence is key. Always keep this in mind as you navigate your journey to becoming a successful lawyer.
Nermeen Salahuddin is a medical negligence assistant litigation executive at Patient Claim Line, the medical negligence specialists. The firm currently deals with one in 10 of all medical negligence claims in England and Wales.
