Turn detective

Dear Oracle

How can I find out about law firms other than by looking at their websites, which I know won't necessarily give me a particularly accurate impression?

The Oracle replies

As you have identified, when researching a law firm you need to look beyond its website, which is of course there primarily to market the business. Your first port of call should, naturally, be LawCareers.Net! Searching for the firm on the site will bring up a list of results, including a directory listing and, if it has one, an LC.N Focus. The directory listing is provided by the firm and will tell you basics such as what work areas it covers and how training is organised. The Focus is researched and written by LC.N and is our take on the firm - we even include links to news stories from external sources and three questions you could ask in the interview. Other things that might come up  in an LC.N search are news stories featuring the firm, plus any Burning Questions and Meet the Recruiter, Meet the Lawyer and Featured Lawyer profiles it has.    

If you haven't already got one, be sure to get your hands on a copy of our sister publication, The Training Contract & Pupillage Handbook. It contains a directory of hundreds of law firms and sets of chambers, and should be your constant companion while doing research. Free copies are available from careers services and law fairs.

Although LawCareers.Net may be the best, we're certainly not the only source of reliable information out there - be sure to check out the Legal 500, Lex 100 and Chambers and Partners guides while doing your research. Legal news websites such as the Lawyer, Legal Week and the Law Gazette are also a valuable source of information; they'll give you insight into how the firm is portrayed in the media and might flag up useful information you should be aware of - reports about how it treats its trainees, for example. The Internet in general is a mine of information, so be sure to spend a good couple of hours searching the firm online. Sites such as Twitter and law blogs might be worth investigating too.       

Finally, be sure to speak to contacts you may have in the profession about how the firm is perceived and ask careers advisers and fellow law students. The more people you speak to, the more accurate a picture you'll be able to build.