Graduates of Russell Group universities and Oxbridge are overwhelmingly favoured by law firm recruiters, research by Chambers Student has indicated. 

So, you've got no training contract, you've just graduated with a non-law degree and you're faced with the decision of whether you want to self-fund the first part of your solicitor’s journey.

I’m an international student pursuing a career in the UK legal profession, how do I qualify as a solicitor?

Solicitors provide legal advice and representation. They work directly with their clients and are usually the first point of contact for anyone seeking legal advice. In general practice, solicitors may be called on to advise on issues ranging from crime, personal injury, contracts and wills to buying houses and taking over a business.

The thought of returning to education five years ago was off the table, I was terrified of being considered a mature student at the age of 22.

From a young age, I knew that I wanted to attend university and pursue a career which was intellectual and challenging. However, messages that I had internalised – that my sexual orientation was ‘bad’ – and a vast lack of LGBTQ+ role models were barriers. My only lesbian ‘role models’ were celebrities, and as a result, I had a hard time imagining how ‘someone like me’ could achieve highly in the career path that I desired.

Senior associate Thomas Stables offers valuable insights into his journey from being a vacation schemer to an associate in the regulatory disputes team at Osborne Clarke LLP.

I used to think LinkedIn was a tool for connections and nothing else. Even the first part of its name – “linked” – suggests this emphasis on networking and professional relationships. I’d use it to connect with people I’d met at insight events and conferences, reach out to trainees at firms I'd applied to with a polite query, and keep up with what people from my school or university were doing.

I know that competition for training contracts is high, but I’ve also noticed that there seem to be increasing opportunities for paralegals, particularly as paralegal work can now count towards qualifying work experience (QWE) as part of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) route. Would becoming a paralegal be a more certain way of pursuing a career as a solicitor?

Find out more about Ashurst’s three annual vacation schemes and ‘Evening with Ashurst’ networking events, plus the application process and the importance of a good cover letter, as Nicola Stafford offers her insights into the firm.

As aspiring lawyers it’s important that you keep up to date with the news and trends from the legal and business world and understand what they mean for law firms and companies. Use this week’s commercial news round-up as a tool to get you started and take a look at LCN’s guide to commercial awareness for useful advice to help you develop your skills. 

After at least a year of fear-inducing headlines about the demise of the profession thanks to the advent of AI, particularly large language models, such as ChatGPT, cracks have begun to show – highlighting that lawyers and high levels of legal expertise are unlikely to be made redundant anytime soon.

Volunteering pro bono has almost as many benefits for students as it does for members of the public in need of legal advice. Read our student guide to pro bono work to discover how pro bono work can propel your legal career.

LawCareersNet’s commercial news round-up summarises some of the most significant news stories from the previous week to support you as you develop your commercial awareness.

On almost every job or internship application form – legal or otherwise – there will be a section detailing any past experience you may have. This is frequently a tricky section for students to complete. How are we meant to gain experience when the role we are applying for is experience but requires prior experience to secure it?

There are four main types of university degree – arts, sciences, languages and business – and each trains students in a set of skills which are highly transferable to law.

You should apply from September onwards in your final year at university.