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.

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.

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?

The Institute of Legal Executives and Manchester Metropolitan University have joined forces to offer a new qualifying LLB in legal practice which leaves students with a variety of career options upon graduation.

I want to become a barrister; do I need to complete a mini-pupillage? What are the benefits of doing one?

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. 

‘To moot or not to moot?’ is the question asked by law students at various stages of their legal education. From first years on the LLB to those undertaking the Graduate Diploma in Law, chances are you will have heard of mooting competitions or societies. If you’re anything like me, you will have also felt a shiver of intimidation whenever the topic is even brought up. For those who have yet to participate, a good starting point is to outline exactly what a moot is.

On 1 and 2 November 2023, world and market leaders gathered in the historic Bletchley Park, home of the code-breaking heroes of the Second World War, to discuss a new existential threat.

In an era of sky-high fees, what is being done to ensure that universities comply with consumer law?

As the deadlines for training contracts all come crashing in on you, and the emails flood in about whether you’re moving on to the next stage or not, it’s hard to focus on what life might be like as a trainee solicitor, so here’s a glimpse into my life as a trainee.

Fiona Stewart is a family law barrister at Queen Elizabeth Building (QEB). Read her advice on mini-pupillages, choosing a practice area and chambers to apply to, and find out what makes QEB stand out in this Meet the Lawyer.

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

Whether you’re a first-year university student or you’re making training contract applications as we speak, building on your commercial awareness should be a top priority and is key to your success. Use LawCareers.Net’s weekly Thursday round-ups and our commercial awareness hub to help to keep you in the loop.