Tag Archives: work

How to find legal work experience and network while studying

Posted on July 15, 2019 by Vladyslav Shutko

The City Law School, Undergraduate work, work experience, work life.

Law graduates and undergraduates face intense competition when applying for pupillages, training contracts and the like, as the requirements for legal work experience have become a necessity as well as a spot-on addition to any résumé.

Without any further delays, let me share some useful advice regarding legal work and volunteering experiences. Some of these are based off my own experiences from studying my LLB (Hons) at City, University of London.

Apply for a Micro-placements programme

City’s micro-placements programme offers excellent opportunities for Law students to gain legal work experience. The programme has been designed for students who want to explore careers different from those traditionally associated with their degree. The initiative is an exciting way to gain professional experience via short summer placements with a wide-range of London-based employers.

Bare in mind, while there are legal internships and micro-placements available, these would not be undertaken within the actual legal sector, however there are many opportunities to gain invaluable experience from the in-house legal team within your selected company.

Attend job fairs

Job fairs are perfect for making connections and finding job opportunities. I highly recommend attending the following fairs:

Law & Social Sciences Fair: Hosted in mid-October, Law students at any stage of their education are eligible to attend the fair and I would urge every Law student to attend. The weekly University e-newsletters sent to students often promote such fairs so look out for them.

Graduate jobs fair: Held on campus in June, this event is an opportunity to meet recruiters from all types of industries and find out about, or even apply for, graduate schemes, immediate roles, internships, and volunteering opportunities. While the event is open to students studying all types of courses, there are a considerable number of law-firms’ recruiters in attendance. Don’t be thrown off by the name of the event, undergrads are welcomed too – I first attended the fair after completing my first year.

Join a law society

I cannot stress the importance of joining a law society at the University. While there are many great societies available for City students, I recommend the following:

The Law Society is one of the greatest societies at City, at least with regards to the number of memberships. The society regularly organises workshops for students, career opportunities, seminars, shares the latest news and offers advice.

Pro Bono Society host various types of social and professional events, they also provide members with multiple professional opportunities, including both internal Pro Bono work as well as external volunteering options.

Join an Inn of Court

I would highly recommend submitting an application and attaining a membership of one of the following Inns of court: Gray’s Inn, Lincoln’s Inn, Inner Temple and Middle Temple. Please be aware that once you become a member, it is not possible to alter your decision and transfer to one of the other Inns, so choose carefully to avoid any kind of disappointment in the future.

For those of you who are intending to qualify as a barrister, it is a mandatory requirement to be a member of an Inn prior to the commencement of your BPTC (Bar Professional Training Course). Having said that, I would advise each and every law student at any stage of their degree to become a member, even if you are planning to take the solicitor’s route.

There are quite a few benefits of getting a membership; networking opportunities, scholarships opportunities, and access to a spectacular library, among others.

Volunteer for Free Representation Unit

Free Representation Unit (FRU) provides free voluntary representation for tribunals in cases where legal aid is unavailable, by helping clients – who do not have any means to pay – with advice, preparation, and representation at social security, employment, disability appeals tribunals, and at the criminal injuries compensation boards and panels.

Volunteering is a great way for those aiming to sit the bar and for future solicitors to gain experience in being a representative, speaking in court, and managing preparatory work before trials.

Eligibility to participate:

For employment tribunals you must be studying for the LLM, BPTC, LPC, or in your second term of GDL.
Third year LLB and GDL students are eligible to volunteer for social security tribunals .
You must have experience in Social Security representation if you are interested in volunteering for criminal injuries compensation tribunals.

City volunteering also has great opportunities to expand your skills and experiences. Register and look for law volunteering opportunities!

An honest guide to finding employment as an international student

Posted on May 1, 2019 by Brooke Mcneil

Advice, London international student, job, part-time job, work, work life.

Many international students choose to study in London because…well… it’s London, the city of opportunities.

For some, being an international student with a student visa in London may bring certain uncertainties when it comes to funding. Whether you are a student or planning to study in London, this guide will let you know what to expect when navigating the part-time job market while at university.

Rest assured, we have you covered!

What you need to know

To fund your fabulous lifestyle in London you may decide you want to take up part-time work around your studies. International students on student visas are allowed to work part-time up to 20 hour per week during term time – this is to ensure students do not compromise on their studies. Here are some tips to help you navigate future job prospects:

#1 You are not a freelancer or self-employed

It is important to note international students cannot be self-employed. However, some companies that deal with providing university students with flexible work require them to identify as a freelancer (a type of self-employment). So, it’s important you are aware of this before signing a job contract to ensure you do not have issues with the tax man.

#2 Request a ‘right to work’ checklist

If you are interested in temporary seasonal jobs (during your Christmas or summer break) you can work more than 20 hours per week. But first make sure you request a ‘right to work’ checklist from your course officer so you are fully aware of the officially recognised university vacation time.

#3 Know your rights

Do not let your employer try to pursued you into working more than 20 hours per week during term time. You have the right to say no. You will be found in violation of your visa terms if you go over those 20 hours.

#4 Be persistent and patient

Once you have been offered a position, companies would submit your details in their online management systems. Sometimes you may find you will be automatically rejected by the head office because of your visa. It might take a little while but they will re-submit your details manually. Just keep checking in with the employer as the job is yours.

For up-to-date information on your permission to work while studying, check out this useful guide or talk to an International Student Adviser at City, University of London’s student centre, to ensure you are well prepared before job hunting. You can browse job opportunities on our shortlist of websites for people looking for work while they study.

My weekly life as a City Law School student

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Brooke Mcneil

The City Law School, Undergraduate course work, international student, Law, schedule, UG student life, work.

A typical week at City for me is two one-hour tutorials a week, along with four two-hour lectures a week. As an international student, my attendance is taken so the university can ensure I am attending classes and adhering to the requirements of my Tier 4 visa. My personal tutor also checks in with me once a semester, and I also attended a mandatory Tier 4 visa session in October.

In regards to work and volunteering, because I am limited to working 20 hours a week as an international student, it was difficult to secure part-time work outside the university. Unitemps, City’s in-house temporary recruitment agency, is an attractive option for students as it has the needs of students in mind. I have been lucky enough to secure work with Unitemps for a short period. In terms of volunteering I am an online peer mentor, where I respond to enquiries from young people about higher education. I also volunteer with the Blackfriars Settlement, a legal advice clinic, with a time commitment of only two days per school year. I also regularly sign up for events through the Careers Portal, which can consist of information sessions from law firms. Recently there was a full-day mediation training session I attended, which resulted in a certificate and allowed for socialisation with other students.

In my course, there are only final exams in terms of summative work. There is one optional formative assessment for each class, therefore course work does not take up too much time. On the other hand, readings can take up to 10 hours a week, between the five classes to do the required reading. If you plan on doing the optional readings I would estimate adding another five hours to your reading time for these. Doing the questions for tutorials and participating when you are in the tutorial is helpful in facilitating memory, and helps you focus in on the more important sections of the readings if you are having issues deciding what is important.