Chloe Hayes, a trainee solicitor in BPP’s Social Impact Team, discusses her pioneering QWE route to becoming a solicitor

“I’m originally from South Africa and began my law degree there. After about three months, I realised I wanted to move countries, so I started again at Durham University, pursuing an LLB,” explains Chloe Hayes. Having successfully completed the SQE1 and SQE2 exams last year, she is now three and a half months into her role as a trainee solicitor at the housing clinic in BPP’s Social Impact Team—and loving it.

“Two months in, my supervisor told me we had a case in the county court and that I should represent the client — submissions, cross-examinations, the works,” she tells Legal Cheek Careers. She enjoys this fast-paced, hit-the-ground-running aspect of the clinic. “There is so much demand for our work, representing clients from lower socio-economic backgrounds who would otherwise be unable to access justice. Being thrown into the deep end has its advantages,” Hayes says. She notes that her supervising solicitor is incredibly supportive, but having to handle things independently after the initial guidance has been instrumental in demystifying the court process. “It’s not as scary as I once thought, and I now love litigation!” she says.

Hayes is one of five BPP alumni who are employed each year in paid six-month QWE placements in the university’s Social Impact Team. Recounting how she came to spend time in the housing clinic, Hayes explains that she initially volunteered at BPP’s Legal Advice Clinic while studying for the SQE, always being drawn to social welfare law and closing the access to justice gap that so many people, but especially women, face. Her current work perfectly complements these aspirations. “We only advise tenants, usually against councils — never landlords. Our clients are usually from low socio-economic backgrounds, who do not qualify for legal aid mostly due to government cuts so they come to us to close that gap, and our services are completely free,” explains Hayes. In addition to the housing clinic, there are also a family clinic, an enterprise clinic, a consumer clinic, and a welfare clinic.

“As for a typical day, it varies a lot,” Hayes tells us. A client interview, followed by research on the issue and sending out an advice letter, are typical tasks. She also assists clients in litigation, sometimes representing them before the county court and tribunals. “This involves a lot of statements of case, submissions, replies, witness statements, and evidence collection—it’s brilliant experience,” she notes enthusiastically.

Hayes also flags a pro bono project called Streetlaw, where BPP’s trainee lawyers visit schools, women’s refuge centres, homeless shelters, and many other community groups to educate on certain aspects of the law. They also visit prisons to educate prison communities on matters such as probation and how a criminal record might legally affect their lives after prison. . “Just last week, we did a ‘Goldilocks session’ with a class of 10-year-olds, teaching them about the criminal justice system by putting Goldilocks on trial for burglary and criminal damage — it was fabulous,” she recounts, smiling.

We then asked Hayes what the most rewarding aspect of her time in the housing clinic has been so far. “Representing a client for the first time in the county court, definitely.  Naturally, it’s very daunting, but the judge was so nice, and you realise that it’s not about having a fight. Rather, the end goal is to find an equitable solution while still advocating for your client’s needs,” Hayes points out.

On the flip side, the most challenging aspect of her time at the clinic has been time management. “The clinic is so oversubscribed because there are so many people who need the help we offer. Initially, I tried to do as much work as possible, and it took me a  few weeks to figure out how to communicate well with my supervisor.   At first, I struggled to let him know when I was snowed under. But once I communicated that, he was very understanding and worked with me to plan out upcoming deadlines,” she says. Hayes notes that as trainees, there is often an eagerness to please supervisors by taking everything on, but stepping back and communicating when you’re overwhelmed is crucial and very normal.

Having figured out how communication and time management go hand-in-hand, what’s been Hayes’ biggest takeaway from the clinic during her first three months? “This is going to sound so cheesy,” she cautions, laughing, “but it’s that I’ve realised that I was born to do this job!” She explains that a key worry she had was starting to train as a solicitor and realising that the role wasn’t quite what she expected or enjoyed, after having invested significant amounts of time, money and effort into completing a degree and the SQE. “Luckily for me, that hasn’t been the case. Even on the bad days, I really do feel that I love this job,” she says.

Hayes is now just over halfway through her six-month period of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) in BPP’s Social Impact Team. Under the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) regime, aspiring lawyers are able to qualify by accruing two years’ worth of QWE in up to four different organisations. This introduces greater flexibility into the qualification process by opening up additional avenues alongside the traditional training contract route. Hayes plans to seek further opportunities in a range of practice areas following completion of her QWE in the housing clinic, to stay on track to qualify in 2026.

To finish up our conversation, Hayes offers some practical tips to stay on top of recording QWE. “Keep a weekly record of what you do – you’ll need two years’ worth of records when you apply to be admitted to the roll of solicitors. Even on a weekly basis it can sometimes be difficult to remember every task you’ve worked on if you haven’t actually written it down, and you will be working on a lot– so really make sure you’re diligent about recording, because if not, you’d be shooting yourself in the foot when it comes to getting the QWE signed off at the end of the two-year period,” she advises.

Chloe Hayes will be speaking at ‘How to get Qualifying Work Experience — with BPP University Law School’, a virtual student event taking place this Thursday (11 July). Apply now to attend.

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Campus dean at ULaw London Bloomsbury, Sandie Gaines discusses her experience in employment law and how students can prepare for upcoming applications

Sandie Gaines, campus dean at The University of Law (ULaw)’s London Bloomsbury campus, began her education journey in the sciences before switching to law.

Having spent 15 years practicing as an employment solicitor before climbing the education ladder at ULaw, she spoke to Legal Cheek Careers about the realities of life in legal practice, and everything students need to know about networking, commercial awareness, and overcoming rejection.

To start off, can you tell me a little bit about your career thus far?

I’ve worked in higher education at ULaw for 15 years, and prior to that I was a solicitor in private practice for 15 years specialising in employment law. When I joined ULaw in 2009 as a lecturer, I taught a number of business-related subjects including business law and practice, acquisitions and mergers, and public companies on the Legal Practice Course (LPC). I’ve also held a number of managerial roles at ULaw prior to becoming a Dean eight years ago; I’m also an associate professor, holding post-graduate qualifications in teaching, education management, business psychology, psychology as well as law.

What did you enjoy most about your time in practice and what prompted you to make the move into legal education?

I enjoyed practicing employment law as it’s a constantly changing area of law and it’s very muti-dimensional, which makes it an interesting and engaging subject matter. For example, a typical employment problem faced by a business includes elements of unfair dismissal, possibly equality issues, and contract law. So, it’s a very interesting and varied practice area which I felt like I could really sink my teeth into.

Employment solicitors also need to have a good understanding of their client’s business, to ensure that the advice given is realistic and commercially feasible. I acted for a number of different types of clients ranging from smaller enterprises and charities to educational establishments and larger businesses, often visiting their premises to take instructions which was very insightful.

Following my move into Higher Education in 2009, an interesting opportunity presented itself to work at ULaw (or the College of Law as it was then), but upon reflection, had this opportunity not presented itself, I probably would have remained in legal practice.

What has been the most memorable moment of your career to date?

I’m struggling to narrow it down to one! Following my training contract, I started my legal career as a solicitor specialising in criminal law with some family law work, conducting my own advocacy to trial level. I remember representing clients in court on a number of criminal matters in the Magistrates’ Court such as an affray, a dangerous dog case and theft allegations.

Employment tribunal final hearings were memorable too, I remember winning an unfair dismissal case despite the fact that my client’s main witness knocked a water bottle on the floor of the tribunal whilst giving evidence and acted out a tussle they had with the claimant in the style of what appeared to be a pantomime!

Can you tell us a bit about life on campus at ULaw London Bloomsbury — what sorts of spaces and facilities do students have access to?

Life on campus at ULaw Bloomsbury is very dynamic and engaging; I love it here! The environment can be high pressured at times as we have over 3,000 students across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and it’s imperative that we deliver a high level of service to everyone.

The culture and atmosphere on campus is friendly, supportive, and full of energy and excitement. The Bloomsbury campus location is particularly exceptional, situated in central London and very close to iconic attractions such as the Royal Courts of Justice, the Law Society on Chancery Lane, barristers’ chambers, and numerous wellbeing-enhancing green spaces. The Bloomsbury campus itself is well-resourced with facilities such as a café area, a newly created bio-diversity garden in our courtyard area, plenty of library study spaces for students, and a lecture theatre where we also hold events. Store Street, where we’re situated, is full of interesting cafes and restaurants: there’s plenty for students to explore.

What factors should students be considering when they are shortlisting firms that they want to apply to?

In my view, when shortlisting firms, students should consider factors such as the size of the firm and impact on lifestyle choice; firm location and likely opportunities for secondment; and very importantly, the areas of practice covered by the firm. It can help if students ask themselves – are these practice areas of interest to you? Would you be motivated by the work or the rewards at this firm? And what are the implications for work/life balance, and is this important to me?

The size of the firm, the structure of the training and the opportunities available to junior at the firm are also important factors to consider when embarking on a career in a chosen firm. The opportunity to gain experience of different areas of practice and go on secondment can shape the direction of a legal career.

Lastly, I believe that students’ perception of general “fit” with the firm is an important consideration — is this an organisation where you think you would be able to flourish?

When attending virtual and in-person networking events, what sorts of questions should students be asking to get the most out of the experience?

Firstly, don’t waste the opportunity by asking questions you can already find the answers to yourself, rather, try to find out who you are likely to network with (e.g. trainees, newly qualified or perhaps partners at a firm) and modify your questions as a result.

Example questions you can consider directing towards lawyers include:

• What practice area do you work in?
• What do you like about that practice area?
• What do you think is the biggest challenge facing firms such as yours, at the moment or in the near future?

What are your top three commercial awareness topics that you think students should be tracking closely ahead of application season?

All commercial awareness research should be ideally tailored to the type of firm that a student is interested in, but here are some key current affairs topic that students should keep in mind:

• The current position of UK economy
• The potential impact of a change in government
• Technology and in particular AI; its impact on law firms and its use by firm clients
• The law firm as a business

What is your advice for those who are currently, or soon to be, on vacation schemes this summer?

It’s important for students to be aware that as soon as you arrive at the door, you are being ‘assessed’ either informally or formally. To that end, make sure you’re being yourself whilst also maintaining professionalism; be courteous to other vac-schemers and staff; and be organised and intellectually curious throughout the experience. Key to all of this is good communication through both talking and actively listening to others.

Lastly, do you have any tips on how to learn from rejections?

Rejections are of course disappointing, and they can feel like impossible setbacks at the time. My advice is to appreciate that you will feel distracted by a rejection to begin with, and that this is only natural. However, after you have given yourself some time to recover and reflect, try to understand the reasons behind the rejection through seeking feedback from the organisation if need be. You may be able to learn and grow from that information and put it to good use in your future endeavours, drawing strength and resilience from your new knowledge.

Don’t give up– it’s inevitable that you will experience setbacks when you are pursuing significant goals such as securing professional employment. Maintaining your sense of presence and persistence throughout is key.

Sandie Gaines will be speaking at “Secrets to Success London — with Travers Smith, Reed Smith, Farrer & Co, Radcliffe Chambers and ULaw”, an in-person student event taking place this Thursday (4 July).  Apply now to attend.

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There are few practice areas more interesting than crime, says David Green, Academic Manager and criminal law lecturer at ULaw Birmingham

“Crime attracts a certain type of person. You need a particular type of personality to survive a career in criminal law because although it seems sexy, the reality in practice isn’t quite so glamorous,” says David Green, Academic Manager and criminal law lecturer at The University of Law (ULaw)’s Birmingham campus. “The hours are long, and it’s a really adversarial area of law, so you need to be able to cope mentally with the fact that you’re always up against somebody else: whether it’s the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the police, or the courts service. You’re always in that ‘rough-and-tumble’ and that’s not for everyone,” he says.

Having had a “fairly traditional” route into legal practice, Green undertook the LPC with The College of Law (ULaw’s predecessor) before beginning his career in criminal defence. “I worked my way up through a specialist criminal law firm, becoming a partner and later a Higher Courts Advocate before making the step over to legal education at ULaw,” he tells Legal Cheek Careers. “I always tell my students: given that we’re all likely to be working until we’re 75 now, everyone has time for two careers! For me, moving over to ULaw just felt like the right time for me to try something different.”

Digging into his attraction to life in criminal law, we’re keen to ask Green his reasoning behind forging a legal career in this direction. “I had done quite a lot of work experience during my degree, especially in mixed practice firms, and I think this is one of the best ways as a student to get a good sense of whether you will actually like certain areas of law,” he says. After having completed some work experience in criminal legal practice, Green says he just fell in love with it. “In order to adapt to such an intense daily working environment, it helps if you can learn to make light out of often dark situations,” Green explains. “I think the closest profession to being a criminal defence solicitor is being a doctor. You need to be able to find the humour in the horrible things that happen, and still be able to switch off at the end of your shift, go home, and be present in your personal life.

 “What really drew me to crime was the fact that it’s fun. There’s no other area of law where you find such odd things that have happened to people! I have a fascination in how seemingly ordinary people can often find themselves caught up in the criminal justice system,” he says. “There’s a huge range of clients you’re dealing with, which is brilliant. I love the cut and thrust of it; the adversarial nature of the practice—and no two days are ever the same!”

Speaking on his experiences of becoming a partner in a criminal defence practice, Green explains that naturally, his responsibilities ratchetted up a notch. “Attaining partnership meant not only taking on more complex and high-level cases, but also taking a new responsibility over the business itself. In a legal aid practice, this means trying to be as efficient as possible,” he says. In contrast to many commercial practices, Green explains that criminal firms have to stay flexible and agile. “No matter what the government threw at us in terms of legal aid reforms, we had to think about how we could continue to make money in a new and changing system.”

Given current political events, we ask Green how he imagines the general election is likely to impact criminal practices in the UK that are reliant on legal aid cases. “The sad reality is that there are no votes in legal aid. The only people voting that have an interest in legal aid reforms, are for obvious reasons, legal aid lawyers. Many people never consider that they will have the need for legal aid, and therefore this issue remains rather invisible,” he says. “Nobody asks to be dragged into the criminal justice system; whether you’re a victim of a crime or accused of a crime, you’re pushed into that system by the state. So, I think it’s fundamentally wrong that the state doesn’t have a system in place to properly provide for legal representation in every situation,” he explains.

“Unfortunately for many who need legal aid to access justice, it’s not really on the agenda of either of the big political parties, so it’s unlikely that we’ll see an improvement in legal aid policy in the near future,” he says.

Nevertheless, the introduction of the SQE is opening the doors to publicly funded practice for law students. Rather than having to bag ‘golden ticket’ training contracts in criminal law, students can now build their two years’ qualifying work experience (QWE) in criminal practice and qualify as a solicitor through this new route. We ask Green how ULaw is preparing its students to succeed on the SQE and to hit the ground running in such a demanding legal practice. “For SQE1, single best answer questions (SBAQs) assess far more detailed or niche areas of law and procedure than were being assessed previously. So, our teaching has become much more specific by delving into all of the detailed areas of criminal practice much more than we did previously, to ensure that our students are prepared,” he says. “Students are now being assessed as a day one solicitors rather than as trainees. So, the level of knowledge taught on our SQE programmes has also shifted up a couple of degrees; we’re teaching to a much higher level.”

For students who are keen to embrace the “rough-and-tumble” of criminal legal practice, they are not only taught by qualified criminal lawyers, but they can also gain first-hand experience at ULaw, says Green. “Students can go to our pro bono clinic at ULaw and gain legal work experience actually dealing with real clients. This is a great way very early in a legal career, to feel the pressure of having a real person in front of you with a real legal problem that you’re trying to solve,” he says. With employability skills at the core of ULaw’s student offering, Green is keen to emphasise the part that advocacy plays in building the skills that future criminal lawyers need in practice. “There is no other area of law where advocacy is so fundamental to practice as in criminal law. I also teach advocacy skills as part of ULaw’s Bar Practice Course (BPC) for future barristers. Advocacy, though a skill which students are often afraid of, is taught at ULaw the same as any other skill like riding a bike. It’s a case of practising, reflecting on your practise, and practising again!”

Discover more tips on succeeding in your legal career this afternoon at ‘Secrets to Success Birmingham — with Pinsent Masons, Reed Smith, DWF, Browne Jacobson and ULaw’ an in-person student event running tomorrow, Thursday (27^th June). Apply for one of the final few places.

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BPP’s Head of Outreach joins future trainees to discuss the key considerations when selecting a prep course

With so many options available, choosing the right Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) course can feel overwhelming for aspiring lawyers.

During a recent Legal Cheek virtual event (full video embedded above), Jonny Hurst, BPP’s Head of Outreach and former partner at a City law firm, teamed up with SQE1 Award Leader Julie Harris to discuss key factors to consider when making this crucial decision, including costs, pass rates, reputation and content.

They were joined by future trainees from two City firms and a current trainee from BPP’s Social Impact Team, who shared their experiences of preparing for the exams and offered advice to those considering this route to qualification as solicitors.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event together with further FAQs arising from each session which SQE experts from BPP are answering.

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A handy summary of the week’s workshops and presentations

Legal Cheek’s Summer Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair 2024 in partnership with The University of Law, saw over 2,000 students participate in workshops, presentations, an Employability Expo and law fair with more than 25 leading law firms in attendance.

The scheme took place over five days last week and students heard from lawyers in a range of practice areas, from energy to Islamic finance. Attendees received an insight into how various legal scenarios are approached in practice, through a combination of speaker presentations and discussions on case studies provided by ULaw.

Here is everything that went down…

Day 1

Session 1: Deals

The speakers

• Georgia Bridgen, Corporate associate at Jones Day
• Oliver Hewitt, Corporate associate at Jones Day

 What went down…

The session started with Georgia and Oliver presenting a 40-minute talk. The speakers discussed their career paths and their motivations for pursuing a career in law, with Georgia having studied law and Oliver having pursued a non-law route. They also spoke about the non-rotational structure of the Jones Day training contract and what drew them to a transactional practice at the firm. Next, the speakers explained the typical stages of a transaction and discussed deals that they had worked on in the past, exploring the key issues that arose during the transaction and the timescales involved.

The presentation was followed by a two-part Q&A, firstly considering questions that the audience had for the speakers. These addressed advice on how to build and maintain commercial awareness, including useful resources to facilitate this, as well as the balance between independence and support on Jones Day’s non-rotational training contract. Finally, the speakers offered their thoughts on the case study set for the session, discussing the range of practice areas involved in a single transaction and how communication is key to managing client expectations.

Session 2: Disputes

The speakers

• Kristjana Nikolls, Litigation associate at Willkie Farr & Gallagher
• Emilia Demetriades, trainee solicitor at Willkie Farr & Gallagher

What went down…

Following the opening session on deals, students turned to look at the world of disputes. Offering an insight into litigation were Willkie, Farr & Gallagher associate Kristjana Nikolls, and trainee solicitor Emilia Demetriades. The duo kicked off by discussing the varying roles that trainees, associates, and partners have in a dispute, before moving to a case study covering a recent record-breaking dispute overseen by the firm.

This gave the opportunity to explore and explain the process of a dispute and its challenging yet rewarding nature, emphasising the significant role that trainees and junior lawyers play alongside senior leaders.

The panel then moved to answer questions submitted by the audience. On the agenda was the impact of AI and legal tech on litigation, methods for handling stressful situations, and the perks of working at an elite US firm. Budding litigation lawyers were also given advice on key skills for success at Willkie, centring on a can-do attitude, time management, and being considerate of other lawyers and their individual demands.

Day 2

Session 1: Energy

 The speakers

•  Kevin Atkins, Energy, environment & infrastructure partner at BCLP
• Hansy Shore, Energy, environment & infrastructure associate at BCLP

What went down…

 The third day of the scheme kicked off with a masterclass on energy from two lawyers in BCLP’s energy, environment & infrastructure team, partner Kevin Atkins and associate Hansy Shore.

Both panellists spoke about their career journeys to date, with Kevin recollecting issues sparked by the Arab Spring, and Hansy noting her recent work on electric air taxis in Dubai. Novel challenges, innovation, and variety were all frequently used by the pair to describe why they entered into the energy field, and also the most enjoyable aspects of their work.

The speakers went on to offer their insights on issues surrounding renewable energy, energy security, and advising clients in tumultuous social and political circumstances. They rounded off by touching on the potential for moral dilemmas in an energy practice, whilst recognising the need for patience in a time of transition.

Finally, the panel discussed a case study surrounding the need for law firms to focus on ESG, taking a client-focussed approach, and emphasising the need to meet clients’ sustainability and environmental goals and attitudes in order to compete in a busy market.

 Session 2: Employability Expo

 The speakers

• Karen Watts, LPC and SQE programme and student lead at ULaw
• Amy Baulcombe, Student recruitment manager at ULaw Leeds
• Steven Joesbury, Student recruitment manager at ULaw Birmingham
• Hannah Coe, Senior student recruitment manager at ULaw
• Sophie Threlfall, Student recruitment manager at ULaw

What went down…

The SQE Explained

Karen Watts, Associate Professor at the University of Law, conducted an in-depth session on the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). She began by discussing the various routes into legal practice, highlighting the traditional and new pathways available for aspiring solicitors.

Watts then focused on the solicitor route to practice, introducing the SQE as a key component. She explained that the SQE is a two-stage exam required for qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales. SQE1 tests legal knowledge through multiple-choice questions, while SQE 2 assesses practical legal skills via written and oral tasks.

She elaborated on who the SQE affects, noting its relevance for all new entrants to the legal profession. Watts also detailed the assessment format, explaining that SQE1 consists of 360 questions divided into two exams, while SQE2 includes 16 practical exercises. Lastly, Watts discussed the benefits of the SQE, such as the flexibility that comes with the qualifying work experience (QWE) route and potentially providing more opportunities to study and work together to gain the qualification.

Firm Research and Applications

Student recruitment manager at ULaw Birmingham Steven Joesbury gave a comprehensive overview of law firm research and applications, covering everything from scouting out practice areas to firm culture and interview technique.

Throughout the session Steven emphasised the need to adopt an individual and personalised approach, both when determining which practice areas or firms best suit a candidate, and when considering the quantity of applications. The talk rounded off with interview advice, offering some help on how to approach the daunting “do you have any questions for us” question.

Ace your Interviews Workshop

ULaw student recruitment manager, Amy Baulcombe, took attendees through her top tips on how to succeed at interviews, whether virtual, in- person or over the telephone. Amy covered all stages of the interview process, from essential pre-interview preparation to calming nerves during the interview itself. She also considered how students might follow up after the interview to leave a lasting impression. Amy rounded off the session by discussing a framework that is particularly useful for more unpredictable questions, to make sure this session’s attendees are never caught off guard!

Writing Effective CVs and Cover Letters

During this session, ULaw senior student recruitment manager Hannah Coe and student recruitment manager Sophie Threlfall shared their top tips for writing effective CVs and cover letters. Both talks began by outlining the recommended structure to follow on a CV, with sections covering personal details, education, work experience, extra-curricular activities and skills. Coe and Threlfall emphasised the importance of keeping these documents simple, formal and concise, by avoiding bold colours and artistic fonts, as well as maintaining a consistent style throughout. Students were also advised to pay close attention to detail, using terminology to emphasise their strengths, as well as proofreading thoroughly to avoid silly mistakes.

Day 3

Session 1: Islamic Finance

The speakers

• Imam Qazi, Partner and head of Islamic finance at Foot Anstey
• Lingxi Wang, Islamic finance managing associate at Foot Anstey

What went down…

Imam Qazi and Lingxi Wang from Foot Anstey’s Islamic Finance team introduced the session by detailing the scope and importance of their work. Qazi began by explaining what Islamic Finance entails, highlighting its core principles such as the prohibition of interest, risk-sharing, and ethical investments. Wang further elaborated on the specific services their team provides, including Sharia-compliant financing and investment solutions tailored for clients seeking ethical and equitable financial products.

The session also included a compelling case study that illustrated a successful Islamic Finance investment project. This example underscored the practical applications and benefits of Islamic Finance, showcasing how it can meet client needs while adhering to Sharia principles. Through their insights, Qazi and Wang emphasized the growing relevance of Islamic Finance in the global financial landscape and Foot Anstey’s expertise in this specialised field.

The session concluded with questions from the audience on different topics such as qualities needed by a trainee in the practice area, memorable aspects of working in Islamic Finance and how to keep up to date with industry trends. The speakers also discussed the rise of Islamic Finance as an alternative finance structure and its potential for future growth in Fintech.

 Day 4

Session 1: Fraud

The speakers

• Robert Hunter, Former Allen & Overy and Herbert Smith Freehills partner, and founder and trustee at City Disabilities

 What went down…

Day 4 of the Scheme kicked off with a session on fraud and asset tracing featuring Robert Hunter, former Allen & Overy and Herbert Smith Freehills partner, and founder and trustee at City Disabilities.

Hunter began the session by reflecting on his career journey from psychology student through to partner and head of fraud at two top City firms, all whilst coming to terms with his profound deafness.

During his talk, Hunter offered an insight into the work involved in his area of practice, and outlined the different injunction orders that can be brought against fraudsters to recover stolen assets. He also emphasised the perils of dealing with professional fraudsters, who were often vindictive criminals, and shared numerous tales from his 35-year career. Despite these challenges, and the long hours he worked, Hunter emphasised that he never lost sight of his desire to bringing fraudsters to justice.

To round off the session, Hunter urged aspiring lawyers not to feel disheartened if their career journeys don’t immediately go to plan – from personal experience, he emphasised that it often takes time to find your niche.

Session 2: Commercial Awareness Masterclass

 The speakers

• Alex Aldridge, Founder and publisher of Legal Cheek
• Ellen Marsh, Careers manager at ULaw

What went down…

Legal Cheek founder and publisher Alex Aldridge conducted a whistle-stop tour of the key commercial awareness issues that students need to focus on as they prepare for the next training contract application cycle. Starting with the current generative artificial intelligence (AI) boom, Aldridge looked at some of the different waves of innovation that have driven economic growth over recent years. He then moved on to consider the impact of rising inflation, and the accompanying increases in interest rates, that the world has seen over the last few years. Higher rates mean fewer mergers & acquisitions (M&A) and more restructurings and insolvencies as companies face a squeeze on their cashflow and ability to borrow money. Law firms have to respond accordingly, he noted.

Also on the agenda was geopolitical instability and trade wars, which Aldridge explained are threatening to usher in a new era of protectionism, where governments support national industries at the expense of the wider global economy. This trend ties in to politics in a year with many crucial elections taking place, including in the UK and the US. And finally, Aldridge looked at the trend for companies to focus not only on profit but consider wider environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors as they make strategic decisions. Could definitions of ESG shift over time, he asked, as governments of different persuasions take power?

In all of the above Aldridge identified opportunities and challenges for law firms — whether that be an uptick in commercial contracts and data privacy instructions for AI rollout, a decline in M&A activity or a renewed premium on local legal expertise in an ever more complex global trade environment. “Law firms are famously well-hedged when it comes to changing economic weather, which is one of the things that makes law such a stable profession relative to other industries,” he said.

 Day 5

Session 1: Training in-house

 The speakers

•  Elizabeth Hutchinson, trainee solicitor at Accutrainee
•  Grace Golding, senior legal counsel at HSBC

 What went down…

Elizabeth kicked off this session by guiding the audience through her legal training to date, as a secondee in-house at several financial services companies. Elizabeth gave an honest insight into what steered her away from private practice, reflecting on the greater autonomy offered in-house. She covered the differences between these two pathways, before succinctly detailing the nature of the work she has recently been involved in. She ended her presentation by discussing the hard and soft skills an in-house role requires, reassuring the audience that whilst communication and good research is key, knowing every area of the law is not!

Grace commenced her presentation by discussing her progression from paralegal to senior legal counsel at HSBC. Grace described the varied opportunities which have kept her in-house, despite dipping her toe into private practice early on in her career. She went on to explain how an in-house legal team fits into the wider company structure, being both a cost to the business but also an integral player in safeguarding the company’s profit and position. Grace also touched on how the legal team at HSBC forges relationships with its panel of law firms, before concluding with advice for students considering this alternative route to qualification.

 Session 2: Alternatives to Corporate Law

The speakers

• Isaac Abraham, Immigration, asylum and human rights lawyer at Wilson Solicitors
• Myriam Naoual, Family law trainee at Family Rights Group
• Josie Hicklin, Housing and public law solicitor at Lawstop

What went down…

Issac Abraham kicked off the session explaining that his interest in immigration law stemmed from his involvement with campaigning groups at university. Becoming an immigration lawyer allowed him to help people navigate through inherently unjust systems.

Next up, Myriam Naoual delved into her own career journey. Training as a solicitor at the Family Rights Group, she advocates for kinship care through policy work, while simultaneously carrying out legal work focused on child welfare law. This practice area is different, she explained, in that there is constant interaction with professionals such as social workers and psychologists.

Josie Hicklin followed by discussing her work with homeless people who are denied housing assistance, which requires her to ‘play around with the edges of the law’. Hicklin emphasised the importance of volunteering at law centres and legal clinics as it led to future opportunities in her experience.

The session concluded with a Q&A session, during which Abraham noted, ‘A career in welfare law is possible, it is achievable, and you shouldn’t let the relatively narrow focus of legal education and law school dictate the career you go into.’ Naoual and Hicklin nodded in agreement.

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ULaw student Freya Patten shares her experience of the SQE and her transition from a science grad to future lawyer

Freya Patten, an SQE student at The University of Law (ULaw)’s London Moorgate campus, began her education journey in the sciences before switching to law.

Having secured a training contract at DLA Piper and now embarking on the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), she spoke to Legal Cheek Careers about the realities that non-law students face on this new route to qualification and how the exams particularly impact neurodivergent students.

Can you tell us a little bit about your education so far?

In secondary school, I was really interested in biology and the humanities, so I pursued these passions at A-Level by taking biology, chemistry, and philosophy. When it came time to choose a university course, my interest in the sciences led me to environmental sciences because it combined most of my interests. This broad undergraduate program, which included biology, chemistry, physics, geology, geography, and social sciences, offered numerous career options, making it a solid foundation for my future

What prompted you to make the switch from science to law?

When I began my first year of environmental science at the University of Southampton, law quickly became a real interest for me. This interest developed as I researched different career paths. The main paths that attracted me were environmental consultancy and environmental law, which would inevitably require further legal education. I started taking the necessary steps to transition into a legal career with a focus on environmental law. Protecting the environment is a passion for me, and I want a career where I can make a real difference.

Which aspects of SQE1 did you struggle with the most, and how did you manage to overcome these challenges?

I think I struggled the most with the structure of the exam day. During revision, you reach a point where you’ve covered everything you need to know; the knowledge itself isn’t the issue. The challenge lies in the way you are assessed. The knowledge tested is pinpointed to very specific areas, and you’re presented with five answer options that are all equally legally valid. In my opinion, practice is absolutely key.

I also struggled with my dyslexia during SQE1. It is well-known that students with learning difficulties are at a disadvantage with multiple choice questions. The SQE1 exam consists of 360 single best answer questions, which is a huge task. Due to my dyslexia, I was given extra time, which extended my total exam time to around six and a half hours in one day—very challenging.

To manage this, I practiced repeatedly and ensured I had measures in place to take breaks on the exam day without becoming overwhelmed. It’s important to stress that this style of exam is particularly discriminatory towards students with learning difficulties.

While the underlying law is the same for both SQE1 and 2, SQE2 tests the knowledge in a very different way. How did you find the transition between the two assessments?

I must admit, it was very strange getting used to the examination style of SQE1, only to shift gears for SQE2. I found that I not only had to change the way I revised, but also the way I initially learned the content.

For SQE1, you could learn the content to the extent that you felt confident pinpointing the right answer based on the knowledge you had accumulated. However, with SQE2, you’re not afforded the same luxury. You don’t necessarily get the same ‘hints’ that consistent practice with SQE1 exams provides.

Because of this, I felt like I had to revisit and re-learn the knowledge from SQE1 in a different way. With SQE2, the written exams require a deep understanding of the underlying law to analyse and reach a reasonable conclusion. For the SQE2 oral exams, you not only need to know the material but also how to present it, how to communicate with a judge, how to conduct interviews, and how to ensure the client is comfortable in the interview setting. Each of these requires a vastly different skill set and approach.

What did you find most challenging when preparing for SQE2?

The most challenging was this transition; trying to switch gears effectively. Having to re-learn and revise the SQE1 content again was particularly intense.

It didn’t help that the SQE1 exam results were released around six weeks before we were expected to take the SQE2. So, I struggled a little with motivation! We suddenly had very limited time ahead of the release of SQE1 results to prepare for the next SQE exams that were in many ways even harder than SQE1.

For this reason, I must admit that I personally found that SQE2 was the more challenging set of exams out of the two.

What was your experience of the SQE1 and 2 exam days, and was there anything about them that caught you off-guard?

At this stage, the administrative errors around the SQE exams were common knowledge.

But personally, when it came to the exams, I feel like I had quite a smooth run! Given that I’m dyslexic, I was allocated to a specific test centre which contributed to an overarchingly positive experience. Having said this, I don’t have any experience with the neurotypical test centres and therefore I cannot comment on this specifically.

It’s true that we weren’t allowed water in the exam room for the SQE 1 or SQE 2 written exams as they were computer rooms. However, we were allowed outside of the exam room whenever we wanted to drink. Nothing caught me off guard necessarily as I had done a considerable amount of prep for the day. For me, the prep felt like it was the one thing I could control — I could ensure I knew what to do during the exam itself.

I was undoubtedly shocked about the SQE1 errors on the results though. That was a very stressful day. I received an e-mail from the SRA that just said, “your results to the SQE 1 have been changed, please log in to see” — my heart dropped right to my feet.

You completed a law conversion course before starting the SQE. Do you think this course is essential for non-law students before beginning the SQE?

Personally, I cannot stress enough how important my law conversion course was. It covered all the black letter law essential for a law degree and for taking the SQE. Without this core legal knowledge, I wouldn’t have been able to pass the SQE. This is because, when you’re completing the LLM in preparation for the SQE1 exams, these core law areas are not covered. You go straight into ‘practical’ legal modules, assuming you already know the basics. So, in the end, I believe that skipping the PGDL won’t save you costs in the long run, but rather, that it increases your chances of success in qualifying.

Lastly, is there anything you would have done differently in any aspect of your SQE journey?

I wouldn’t change anything about my leg of the journey running up to SQE1 purely because I passed and that in itself, I consider an absolute miracle!

With SQE2, I worked as much as I could, although I would have potentially started preparing for the oral exams a little earlier. But, because of the way the SQE2 exams are structured, I found it hard to focus too much on the exams that were a few weeks later. On the flip, I think it was beneficial to practice my orals with my friends and listen to others advocate and interview.

Freya Patten will be speaking at ‘The SQE: students and law firms share their stories — with ULaw’, a virtual student event taking place on Tuesday 25 June.  Apply now to attend.

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QLTS explains how it’s supporting students and challenging the traditional providers

The transition to the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) has brought new challenges for law firms supporting their future trainees on their path to becoming solicitors. Historically, many firms have relied on traditional LPC training providers to prepare their trainees for practice. However, the SQE demands a different approach, one that traditional providers have often been struggling to meet, particularly when it comes to mock exams.

QLTS, however, offers a comprehensive package of 30 SQE1 mock tests and 300 SQE2 mock exams, focusing on rigorous mock exam practice specifically designed to address these challenges and ensure success.

The need for quality mock exams

Mock exams are a cornerstone of effective exam preparation, particularly in the absence of past papers and a sufficient number of sample exam questions released by the SRA.

Following discussions with our students, it is sadly clear that misinformation is prevalent in the training industry. Students have been provided with inaccurate details regarding the structure of SQE1 and SQE2. Additionally, freely available sample questions online often offer a false sense of security, given the potential for inaccuracies in the content. QLTS urges students against relying solely on such materials for preparation, and encourages all students to invest in reliable sets of mock tests.

QLTS Education Specialist Emma Quinn, emphasises the importance of mock tests:

“Quality mocks are instrumental for success in the SQE. They provide candidates with the opportunity to practice under exam conditions, identify knowledge gaps, and build the confidence needed to excel in the most practical way possible.”

QLTS’ history of student success extends back to the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS), the precursor to the SQE for foreign qualified lawyers. The SQE was substantially modelled on the QLTS. Both exams therefore have very similar formats, structures, and question styles. This cemented our reputation in the training market and gave us our track record of delivering high-quality mock tests that most accurately reflect the format, difficulty, and content of the actual exams.

Access a sample FLK1 mock test
Access a sample FLK2 mock test

The challenge of traditional providers

Feedback from current and past students reveals a consistent pattern: traditional LPC training providers often fall short in preparing their students for the SQE. QLTS consistently receives feedback indicating that current providers either do not offer adequate mock tests or that those provided do not meet the necessary difficulty level of the exam.

Ben Davis, QLTS senior account manager, notes the requests he receives from sponsored candidates:

“On a daily basis we receive requests from candidates who are sponsored by their law firms, however they feel overwhelmingly underprepared by their current training providers. They turn to us for our mock exams to boost their chances of passing the SQE on their first attempt and ensure their training with the firm is secured,” he says.

The QLTS solution: comprehensive mock exam packages

All QLTS courses for SQE1 and SQE2 are designed to fully prepare students and foreign lawyers to pass the exam first time. Our materials include hard copy textbooks, summary notes, videos, digital flash cards, practice questions and mock exams.

In addition, and in response to the requests of sponsored candidates and law firms, QLTS has recently introduced a new package exclusively for law firms’ trainees. This package includes access to our 30 SQE1 mock tests and 300 SQE2 mock exams. It is designed to complement existing training programmes, providing rigorous mock exam practice that ensures first-time success in both SQE1 and SQE2.

Like Lexis and Westlaw provide vital yet distinct legal research benefits, our mock exams are intended to complement the training delivered by the traditional LPC providers, ensuring a robust and comprehensive preparation strategy.

SQE1 mock tests

Our 30 SQE1 mock tests, comprising 15 for FLK1 and 15 for FLK2, are crafted to simulate the real exam environment. Each test includes 90 questions, mirroring the computer-based format and time constraints of the actual SQE1. The questions in the mock tests cover the entire up to date SQE1 Assessment Specification.

SQE2 mock exams

Our 300 SQE2 mock exams are tailored to cover the full breadth of the SQE2 syllabus, focusing on practical legal skills across various practice areas. These exams provide a valuable, authentic practice experience, enabling students to apply their knowledge in simulated real-world scenarios. Students can complete the SQE2 mocks on a unique platform which resembles the SQE2 exam functionality on Pearson VUE for the written assessments so that they can get the feeling of a real exam environment. The mocks also include instructions for interviewers, giving students the opportunity to practise the role-play aspect of the oral assessment.

Feedback from trainees

The effectiveness of our mock exams is reflected in recent feedback from trainees in several leading law firms in the UK who enrolled in our SQE mocks programmes prior to the January 2024 sitting. One trainee tells us, “I found the QLTS mock tests extremely helpful for SQE preparation. The tests helped build my confidence prior to the exam, and many of the questions were representative of the actual SQE level.” Another trainee noted: “The mock tests were very helpful. The length and format of questions were similar to those in the exam, which was useful for familiarisation.”

Trainees consistently report that our mocks are more challenging and representative of the actual exam than those provided by other training providers. Such feedback highlights the tangible benefits of our mocks.

Further feedback from trainees who have benefitted from our mock exams which underscores the value of our mock exams in providing realistic, challenging practice that prepares candidates for the actual exam includes:

“The mocks tested niche topics which I found helpful to fill in gaps in my knowledge. They were also on the more challenging side, so it allowed me to be mentally prepared for challenging exams.”

“I liked how some scenarios matched with questions in the real exam. There were many questions I found familiar, if not the same as QLTS ones.”

“Mock tests were useful in the week leading up to the exam to practice the style of questions that would come up in the exam, to gain more practice and to complete questions under timed conditions.”

“I had several questions in my SQE exam that were very close to QLTS questions, so they are very well drafted.”

In the competitive landscape of the SQE, QLTS mock exams provide a critical edge. With pass rates often in the low 50s, thorough preparation is essential. Our widely acclaimed mock tests significantly increase the chances of passing by providing rigorous, realistic practice.

Emma Quinn adds, “Our mock tests are designed not only to prepare candidates in legal knowledge but also to develop the stamina and concentration needed for the lengthy digital exam. This combination is crucial for first-time success“.

Partnering for success

Investing in QLTS mock exams is a strategic decision that benefits both trainees and law firms. Our nearly 15 years of experience in legal training ensure that our mock tests are finely tuned to the demands of the SQE. This investment not only enhances trainee preparation but also saves costs related to exam retakes and accelerates career progression.

For more information on how we can tailor a training solution to your firm’s specific needs, you can get in touch at info@qlts.co.uk or call us on +44 (0) 207 117 6077.

Join the ranks of leading law firms that have already chosen our SQE1 and SQE2 mock tests and partner with us to set your trainees on the path to SQE success.

For more information, visit the QLTS School website, request a free consultation or get access to free SQE sample materials.

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Join the SQE Group of QLTS on LinkedIn (with 40,000+ members)

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John Watkins, Director of Employability at The University of Law, discusses AI in TC applications and the importance of adaptability, ahead of next week’s Legal Cheek-ULaw Summer Virtual Vacation Scheme

“I didn’t achieve particularly strong scores at school,” says John Watkins, Director of Employability at The University of Law (ULaw). “So, I reached a point when I turned 18 where I really had to consider trying something different and proving myself. I entered into the BBC’s sports commentator of the year award, and I found myself as the runner up!” Watkins reveals. “It was quite transformational in terms of my self-belief, so I always advise the students I work with: you probably have talents that you don’t know exist yet, so just throw yourself into it.”

After spending a few years as a sports journalist for the BBC, Watkins turned his hand to accountancy before finding his way into employability. Having coined the phrase ‘employagility’ back in 2020 as an amalgamation of ‘employability’ and ‘agility’, Watkins seems a great example of the ability to be flexible and adaptable when it comes to a career. “Looking back, the talent I discovered at the age of 18 has been invaluable over the past 30-plus years, especially in speaking to large audiences during my accountancy work. The confidence I developed laid the foundation for a career that I truly enjoy,” he reveals. “Having thrown myself into sport commentating, and discovering I was quite good at it, my attitude from then on was: ‘I might be good at the next thing, too, so I’ll give it a go!”

Legal Cheek Careers explores why ’employagility’ is crucial for aspiring lawyers by asking Watkins about the importance of building resilience and adaptability in the modern legal world. “If you can turn your hands to lots of different things, do things in different ways with different people, this is a great way of conducting life,” he begins. “It’s very important for employability in general but it can also help you to build resilience over the course of your career, because you have so many tools in your kit.”

A keen advocate for resilience and ‘climbing mountains’, Watkins also reveals his “admiration” for this generation. “They have a real willingness to try embrace new ways of doing things, and they’re going to be a real asset in the workplace. This is because I believe that students nowadays have access to an incredible amount of employability content – more than previous generations did. But they’ve also had real life experiences,” he says. “I don’t think anybody can look back and say that the pandemic was ‘good’, but there were positives that came out of it.” For example, Watkins says that this generation has had to overcome setbacks and difficulties, and as a result, they’ve developed strong skills in resilience and adaptability along the way.

Given that this generation of aspiring lawyers are naturally adept at ’employagility,’ we are eager to hear Watkins’ thoughts on whether advances in generative AI are beneficial or detrimental. He warns against the risk of over-reliance on tech: “Some firms are rejecting applications that use AI, while others encourage applicants to demonstrate their ability to utilise generative AI technology. So, students need to be alive to the expectations of each firm,” he advises.

Another factor students should consider is that overusing AI technology early on may have negative consequences later in the application process. “Recruitment processes will also assess candidates in person on how they react and behave in an assessment centre, for example, and if applicants have been disingenuous in their application, this could be exposed later on down the line,” says Watkins. “So, AI can be helpful to applicants if purely complimentary, but it’s you — the real person — who has to be able to show why you’re the ideal candidate.”

With AI being a hot topic for students to understand before interviews, we ask Watkins how ULaw is uniquely preparing its students on important commercial awareness topics. “We run a commercial awareness competition at the University which gives students free access to a daily ‘commercial awareness’ bulletin. This fills them in on what’s going on in the world from global politics to advancements in technology,” he tells us. Emphasising that commercial awareness is often hard to pin down, it appears that Watkins prefers students to create a daily habit over a longer period of time. “The idea with this approach is that students slowly build up a practice of keeping abreast of current affairs to stay in the competition, and what we tend to find is that our students really start to enjoy it. It becomes knowledge that they have on tap, and students can begin to apply this ‘commercial awareness’ in a client-focused way over time – which is exactly what firms are looking for,” he reveals.

But what are the current hot topics? “Aside from AI, at the moment we’re in the middle of an election cycle, which will have economic repercussions, and also in the UK legal industry there’s a lot of discussion around apprenticeships – so I think these topics are important for applicants to bear in mind ahead of applications,” he says. “But it’s so important for students to take this knowledge one step further by interpreting current affairs and considering how this will impact industry.”

Ahead of Legal Cheek’s Summer Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair from June 10-14, we ask Watkins how students can find ‘application gold’ during the programme. “Students need to think ahead – what do I want to get out of it? What do I want to put on my CV or my applications forms that I can’t put in today?” he advises. “This might be expanding their network by finding every opportunity to connect with people. I’ve personally created some amazing connections from the Legal Cheek vacation scheme events!” he enthuses. But he notes that employers aren’t simply interested in whether or not you attended the scheme –- they want to see what you got out of it. “How much more confident are you? What can you bring to the table that you couldn’t before?”

On his top tips for approaching virtual events, he advises: “Make sure you follow up! And take action off the back of the scheme, by either building relationships with connections you’ve made or further researching topics you found interesting. Finally, while it’s fresh in the mind – update your CV to reflect what you’ve learned from the process.”

John Watkins will be speaking at ‘The Legal Cheek Summer Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair 2024, in partnership with The University of Law’, which runs from Monday 10 June until Friday 14 June. Apply now to attend.

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BPP student Ifeoluwa Aderibigbe shares her experience and why legal work can be the key to success

“The Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE) have been interesting,” says Ifeoluwa Aderibigbe, current SQE 1&2 LLM student at BPP University Law School. “I’ve never had to do anything like this before, because all of my exams on my law degree were essay-based. So, it’s taken me some time to get used to the multiple-choice question (MCQ) style.” With this interview coming straight off the back of Aderibigbe finishing her SQE2 exams, Legal Cheek Careers is keen to find out more about her experience so far.

“Even though I’ve done work in a legal clinic, I had never engaged with legal drafting and legal research prior to starting SQE2 preparation, so it has come as somewhat of a challenge,” notes Aderibigbe. “But overall, I’ve found the experience really beneficial because it has taught me so many of the skills that I’ve needed for my work at BPP’s Legal Clinic.”  By working for BPP’s Social Impact team, Aderibigbe is building up her Qualifying Work Experience (QWE). This means that by the time she finishes her six-month placement with BPP, she will have completed 25% of her QWE if she decides to qualify via the QWE portfolio route.

However, she still hopes to secure a two-year traditional training contract at a single employer. “My SQE experience has been really fundamental in helping me to build the skills that I use day-to-day working on cases at the clinic, but also to help build those skills that I’ll need when I ultimately become a qualified solicitor,” she explains.

Talking on why she chose BPP as a provider, she tells us that it’s undeniable that the pass rate influenced her choice. “It’s significantly higher than the national average at BPP, so I wanted to ensure that I was choosing a provider which would give me the best chance of success,” she explains. “And, I have to say that I have no regrets choosing BPP as a provider for the SQE. We’re provided with revision notes and videos which help you to navigate the knowledge that you need to bring over from a law degree,” she says.

“And aside from this, the structure of teaching at BPP is very good,” she continues. “Before each class, we’re all given a ‘prepare task’, and during the session we’re given an ‘apply task’, which really helped me personally to cement my knowledge.”

So, she says, even during SQE1 preparation, students already have an idea of the types of skills they’ll need for SQE2 — given that most of the knowledge tested is ‘applied’ within the classroom. “The tasks that we’re given throughout, whether these are the tasks during each session or the practice exams, all really resonated with the actual formulation of the exams, so in my opinion BPP’s SQE prep course can’t be faulted,” she explains.

After announcing last year that BPP was taking on five ‘qualifying work experience’ trainees to work within its pro bono clinic, Aderibigbe found herself as one of the law school’s first student recruits. We probed her on the kind of work she’s been undertaking. “I had some previous experience in BPP’s Legal Advice Clinic, so I wanted to explore my legal journey with the Social Impact team,” she explains. “But since I’ve started, I advise on civil litigation matters which really relate to what I’ll be doing in practice. I meet with clients and conduct client interviews with a solicitor supervisor, and afterwards I send letters of advice out to each client on their case,” she says. “So, it helps me both to revise all of the knowledge I’ve learned throughout my undergraduate degree and the SQE exams, but also to put this knowledge into practice.”

Although she’s still planning on going down the traditional training contract route rather than building her QWE across multiple organisations, this experience is guaranteed to help her stand out from the TC-hunting crowd. “Interviewing clients is something which I’ve always wanted to do. I really enjoy the aspect of seeing a case through from start to finish, and I find it so rewarding to be able build my confidence and experience,” she says. Working with a lot of qualified solicitors, she tells us that it’s also been incredible exposure to legal practice.

Noting how much this experience helped her in the SQE2 exams, she says:

 “I would advise anyone taking SQE2 to gain work experience before they take the exam. It really helps. When I walked into the client interviewing assessment on the SQE2 exam, it felt so natural because this is something that I do every day at work!”

Aderibigbe will be speaking at Legal Cheek’s event, “SQE courses: everything you need to know”, which is just around the corner, on 6 June. With this in mind, we quiz her on her general advice for SQE students. “The first tip I would give is to make the decision not to self-study. Self-study for the SQE is not going to take you as far as with a provider. There are some things my tutors taught me in class which are not in the materials, yet still became fundamental to my success on the exams,” she explains. “Aside from this, as I mentioned previously, work experience really is key to the SQE2 exams. And, finally, although practice exams are key, try not to focus solely on MCQ prep. Broadening your knowledge so that it’s applicable widely to many types of questions prevents students from the path-dependency that comes with over-reliance on previous practice exam answers.”

On a final note, she urges SQE students to prepare for all eventualities. “The SQE exams can surprise you. Choosing to study in a way which is new or unfamiliar to you may be the key to success. Expect the unexpected”.

Ifeoluwa Aderibigbe will be speaking at ‘SQE courses: everything you need to know — with BPP University Law School’, a virtual student event taking place on Thursday 6 June. Apply now to attend.

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Catherine Morgan, ULaw employability group manager, discusses her varied career and what aspiring Mancunian lawyers can expect from a career in the city

“I’ve been at The University of Law (ULaw) now for almost 15 years!” says Catherine Morgan, The University of Law’s employability group manager, reflecting on her career journey so far. Having qualified into property law in the early 2000s, Morgan tells Legal Cheek Careers about her move into the employability space. “I loved my clients and my team in private practice, but the nature of transactional work didn’t really inspire me,” she explains. “I wanted to move into a role that was centred around my passion: people.”

Having worked in employability for ULaw for more than 14 years at the point of speaking, it’s clear that helping students develop their career prospects is very much her ‘bag’. “I just love working with students, and without sounding corny, it really is a highlight of my job. I’m now in a position where I’ve seen ULaw students go from undergraduates all the way up to law firm partners!” Morgan enthuses. “I’m very much a people person, which feeds into why I love my current job. When I was in private practice, talking about partnership at my then firm catalysed me into reassessing my career trajectory  — it was now or never to make a career change,” she says. “And I haven’t looked back since.”

Being based at ULaw’s busy Manchester campus for most of her career, we asked Morgan for her thoughts on choosing this Northern city as a launch pad. “The city itself is so vibrant; it’s a city that is really going places,” she begins. Having moved to Manchester in 2000, Morgan tells us that it’s a completely different city these days, one which has been through a serious evolution. “It feels like a city that’s moving forward; you can see it in the buildings, the investments in the city, and the people. Manchester people are incredible — you can actually have a chat to somebody in a queue or in the street!” she jokes. “It’s a very welcoming place, and it’s also this vibrancy and dynamism that makes it an incredible place to start a career in the legal industry.”

Speaking on the unique opportunities for law students in Manchester, Morgan details the diversity of offerings in the city. “In Manchester, you get the best of both worlds. You have the big international and national law firms with all of their exciting deals and clients, as well as high calibre work, without having to compromise on culture”. Having worked both in the industry itself, and in direct contact with many firms at ULaw, Morgan says, “I’ve found that most firms here are made up of genuinely nice, normal people”.

She goes on to explain: “In Manchester, you get the benefit of that regional, Northern culture and feel, but with the backing of an international or national firm and the quality of the work that comes with that. It feels more collaborative, like a meritocracy and that your voice can be heard on all levels, in my experience.”

Talking to us about the “exponential growth” of Manchester’s legal industry, she details the consequent growth in opportunity for aspiring lawyers that has come along with it. “You’ve got the likes of Magic and Silver Circle firms like Freshfields and BCLP, and we’re so lucky here that we’ve also got fantastic boutique corporate/commercial firms too. This is because partners previously practicing in the capital have set up their own firms later in their careers. This ambition and entrepreneurial spirit is so evident in the Manchester legal industry,” she explains. “And this diversity in offering for aspiring lawyers is a huge draw.”

It’s not just the diversity of opportunity that Morgan is keen to highlight, but also the diversity of its people. “It’s such a cultural melting pot, which lifts the city and makes it feel very inclusive. The backgrounds of our ULaw Manchester students are incredibly diverse, from international students to Oxbridge graduates, and 18-year-olds who’ve never left the area,” she says. “This is also being reflected in the legal industry. The firms I am working with in Manchester are very focused on widening participation and ensuring that their lawyers are reflective of their client base,” she tells us.

Ahead of speaking at Legal Cheek’s Secrets to Success Manchester event on 18^th June, we ask Morgan what the team at ULaw Manchester is doing to ensure the success of its students in the city. “The best thing I can do for our students is to the throw them in the path of as many lawyers as possible. Our alumni are very generous, and since we’ve educated probably over half the lawyers in Manchester, there’s a wealth of alumni that want to engage with our students,” she explains. “We’re geared up at ULaw to have that access to the legal industry. It’s through talking and networking with lawyers that we can set our students up for success.” Through the mentoring scheme at ULaw Manchester, students also have direct access to lawyers who mostly work in the area of law that each individual is interested in, Morgan explains. “This is just one of the ways we are educating our students around the legal profession,” she says.

ULaw’s Manchester campus sits at the heart of the city, just a stone’s throw from Piccadilly station and the Northern Quarter. “It’s brilliant for shopping!” Morgan says, speaking on the best bits of the campus. “But also, a significant portion of our students live at home, so it’s located brilliantly for accessibility.” More importantly, she tells us, “There’s a great relationship between the staff and the students here. The academic staff aren’t hidden away at the top of an ivory tower; the building is designed for approachability,” she says. “The campus is actually designed to emulate a law firm, because at ULaw, we aim to be the transition between being a student and starting professional life.” Encouraging a professional mindset isn’t just a factor of ULaw’s courses, Morgan says — it is also reflected in the campus.

Bringing the interview to a close, we ask Morgan which commercial awareness topics she believes applicants should have on their radar ahead of training contract and vac scheme interviews. “Everybody is talking about AI, it’s everywhere! But, I think more widely, students should be making themselves aware of legal tech generally and the reliance on tech in the industries that they’re interested in,” she reveals. “Secondly, the diversification of law firms into business hubs which offer holistic services in corporate governance, financial advice and consulting, for example, is a big shift in the current legal market.” On her advice for aspiring lawyers, she adds, “You need to be commercially aware in general because you’re ultimately being employed by a business. So, you need to understand how to make money, and how you are going to add value to a firm.”

Catherine Morgan will be speaking at ‘Secrets to Success Manchester — with Squire Patton Boggs, Pinsent Masons, Fletchers, Express Solicitors and ULaw’, an in-person student event taking place on Tuesday 18^th June. Apply now to attend.

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Simmons & Simmons’ Caroline Turner-Inskip reflects on the wide-ranging benefits of building a legal career in the South West

“I went to university in Bristol, fell in love with the city, and couldn’t really imagine my career anywhere else,” says Caroline Turner-Inskip, real estate partner at Simmons & Simmons. Turner-Inskip entered the legal world like many bright-eyed graduates, spending time as a paralegal before completing her training contract with a national law firm. However, it wasn’t until several years later, now a fully-fledged associate, that she joined the ranks of Simmons & Simmons.

“I was about five years post qualified as a real-estate lawyer when Simmons came onto my radar through the opening of its new Bristol office in 2012,” she says. “I saw this as a great opportunity to be part of something new and growing. There were only seven of us on day one if you can believe it! I remember coming into the office and thinking — ‘oh my God, what have I done?!’”

With a current headcount exceeding 300, the growth rate at Simmons & Simmons’ Bristolian arm is undeniably impressive. “Witnessing this growth over time as one of the early recruits to the office has been absolutely wonderful,” Turner-Inskip explains. In the early days, Turner-Inskip found the focus a bit too London centric. However, she explains to Legal Cheek Careers that the intention behind opening the Bristol office was never to create a support hub detached from clients. Instead, it was meant to — and now is — an integral part of the firm’s UK offering.

Having made partner in 2018, Turner-Inskip’s career is a testament to her ability to ascend through the ranks and cultivate a thriving career beyond the City. “Last year, I was lucky enough to take on the role of head of Bristol which is amazing — this office feels like my baby because I’ve been here since day one. Now, we’ve really got a sense of who we are, a grounding, we’ve moved towards being a genuine one team offering in the UK,” she says.

Having been a part of the legal scene in Bristol for over 25 years, we were eager to hear Turner-Inskip’s thoughts on the advantages of being a lawyer in the Southwest. “I’m London born and bred, so I love the Capital. But, what Bristol gives you — and particularly at Simmons — is access to exceptional, high quality and international work in a city that has all the benefits of being outside London,” she says. “Bristol is small and compact. I live seven miles outside of the city and there are cows in a field next door! So, you can have the city on your doorstep and have access to all that comes with that whilst also being able to live and breathe in an (often) nicer environment.”

The experienced lawyer is also keen to emphasise the connection-building potential in Bristol. “Your community and your network are more available in a city like Bristol. It can sound like an odd thing to say but everybody knows everybody, which can be equally terrifying, but it’s also an incredible way to build professional connections,” she explains. “Whereas network building in London can be a taller task given its size, building the community aspect of your career in terms of being known and being connected is more available here,” Turner-Inskip continues.

“I look at what work you can do at Simmons, and it doesn’t matter which office you’re in; the work that I’m doing in Bristol is identical to the work I’m doing sat in London,” says Turner-Inskip. “At Simmons, there’s no ‘Bristol work’ – it’s not delineated that way, like other firms. I get City quality, international legal work living in a city which I love.”

Shifting the conversation to a key consideration for lawyers and law students in choosing the location of their careers, we ask Turner-Inskip about an often-sensitive subject — money. Given the financial gap between salaries in London and salaries in the regions, we’re keen to find out how Simmons & Simmons is addressing this in Bristol. “The reality is that at the point you come to qualify, for many people it will have been quite a long journey. You will have most likely acquired a chunk of debt in that process. If you look at it in a black and white way, it can be challenging when you consider baseline salary, particularly if you don’t have a connection with a particular location,” she says.

“However, there’s a real recognition at Simmons of the need to look at how we ensure our people are remunerated at the rate they should be,” she explains. On top of its impressive £73,000 salary for newly qualified associates, Simmons introduced its ‘Bristol Market Adjustment’ in 2020. This adjustment means that Bristol-based lawyers can earn an extra 20% of their base salary (in addition to the usual bonus scheme) for meeting their billable hours metrics. “For somebody who is contributing to the firm in the way that the talent here does, this essentially brings their salary up so that it is a market leading salary and a good London alternative. So, you really get the best of both worlds in Bristol!” says Turner-Inskip.

“Suddenly, if you’re the type of junior lawyer who wants to tackle City-level work, why would you not want to do it outside of the Capital, in an incredible city, and still be compensated accordingly? she says. “The regional financial differential has now become a narrower decision factor for Simmons’ recruits.”

Turner-Inskip also emphasises that further up the ladder, the compensation difference between London and Bristol disappears entirely. “Unlike some of our competitors, we do not have a ‘London’ weighting scheme for partners – all of our partners, no matter which region, are paid on the same scale” she tells us. “The opportunity for career development here is incredible, even though many junior lawyers don’t necessarily look that far ahead!” We have had a number of partner promotions in Bristol, within our corporate, litigation, real estate, employment and tax teams.

Training opportunities in Bristol have surged in recent years, driven by the increasing presence and expansion of major firms in the city. Simmons is among them, having recently upped its training contract offering in Bristol to 12 positions, with six NQ roles available this year. “Bristol-based trainees have the exact same opportunities as those in London,” Turner-Inskip stresses. “So, we’ve got Bristol trainees who are out in secondment in Hong Kong and Dubai at the moment, and client secondments are also readily available to our trainee cohorts.” Trainees can explore a full suite of practice areas in Bristol spanning corporate, real estate, funds, regulatory, dispute resolution, digital business, IP and more. “Bristol is not a blocker to promotion nor a blocker to the opportunities that working in an international law firm brings,” she says. Despite its smaller size compared to the London office, she is eager to highlight that this brings its own advantages for trainees and junior lawyers.

“You have the ability when you sit in a smaller office of a larger firm like ours to have quite a personal impact. Your ability to make your voice heard, and the additional opportunity to put your ideas out there is fantastic; you can be a part of the fabric of the firm,” she explains.

Being part of the fabric of the firm for Simmons & Simmons in Bristol also means widening the net when it comes to fostering genuine diversity and inclusion, Turner-Inskip is keen to highlight. In this vein, Simmons has partnered with Bristol-based social enterprise Babbasa which is dedicated to supporting young people from ethnic minority and less economically advantaged backgrounds excel in their careers. Unique to its Bristol office is also the Simmons’ ‘Balance for Aurora’ committee. According to Turner-Inskip, this committee provides a platform for discussion on gender equality, LGBT+ issues, race and ethnicity, neurodiversity, social mobility, and more.

“Our objectives are to increase collaboration between fee earners and business services, raise awareness of important issues, create a cultural shift towards greater equality and understanding of diversity, and to enhance the profile of our Bristol office,” she explains. “We believe that our commitment to diversity and inclusion not only makes us a stronger firm but also contributes to the vibrant, inclusive community that makes Bristol such a fantastic place to live and work.”

Bringing the interview to a close, I ask Turner-Inskip to summarise why trainees and juniors should look beyond the bright lights of London and consider Bristol as their legal home? “Bristol is one of Simmons’ most profitable office in its entire global network. This is because it’s a great legal hub with great talent, and we’re excited to see its growth continue.”

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Kelly Rowney, senior lecturer at ULaw and PhD candidate, dives into working as an academic, life in Leeds, and top tips for undergrads

“It’s funny because since I joined The University of Law (ULaw), I’ve noticed that my path seems like the odd one out!” says Kelly Rowney, senior lecturer at ULaw and PhD candidate.

Coming to lecturing from an academic background like Rowney has done, seems to be the path less taken at the University. “I thought I was taking the traditional route into academia, but most of my colleagues had been in private practice for some time before turning their hand to teaching,” she says. Talking to Legal Cheek Careers, this decorated academic explains why she chose not to enter private legal practice. “From quite a young age, I was keen to become a barrister. But, once I started my LLB, I realised how much I loved it; there was not one topic that I didn’t enjoy,” she says. “So, with the LLB being an academic degree, I knew that I wanted to have the freedom that comes with researching the topics I was interested in.”

As a lecturer as well as an academic, Rowney has a keen mind for developing the University’s aspiring lawyers. “The most enjoyable thing about teaching for me, is that no day is ever the same. I teach so many different groups each week which can feel wildly different, given the diversity of thought and engagement I get in each session,” she explains. “What the students get out of the workshops is all down to the individuals themselves and the way each group works together, which inspires different tangents of discussion on each legal topic. And this can be fun as a lecturer because it often feels like teaching completely different areas of law, even though the workshop tasks are the same,” she enthuses.

In that vein, Rowney points out that for LLB students to get the most out of their workshops they should get curious.

“Ask questions!” she emphasises. “Even the slightly off-topic hypothetical questions can create really fertile discussions within the class. Sometimes, students don’t want to ask the wrong thing, but every lecturer here can find a way to create meaningful discussion from student interactions. By getting involved in LLB workshops, you’re facilitating a discussion that everybody can benefit from.”

Moving the conversation to ULaw’s LLB in particular, we ask Rowney what makes this LLB course stand out from the crowd.

Firstly, she says, the focus of ULaw’s undergraduate law course is on professional development. “Of course, it teaches its students about the law, but its purpose is to provide its students with the skills they need in practice to succeed on the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE) and for future career progression, unlike many other LLBs in the UK,” she says. Being a lecturer for two skills-based modules on the LLB, Academic and Digital Skills and Critical Approaches in Current Legal Issues, Rowney exemplifies this skills-focused approach. “The Academic and Digital Skills module teaches those core skills that a lot of universities fail to do. We’re teaching law students referencing, presentation skills, essay writing, approaching independent study, and commercial awareness. These are skills which are fundamental to both success on the LLB and to wider career progression,” she explains.

The second skills-based module she teaches is Critical Approaches, which focuses on developing critical understanding, critical thinking and critical analysis. “This is something which people often mistake as a skill that’s purely academic; it’s not. Critical analysis is such an important skill for students to develop for legal practice too,” she says. “It relates to problem solving, which is foundational in private legal practice.”

Ahead of the Secrets to Success Leeds event in partnership with ULaw, where Rowney will be speaking, we ask her how she’s finding life in this Northern city. “I relocated to Leeds in the summer and my life has never been so good!” she jokes, after enduring a long commute to the City from Teesside for months. “I love Leeds, this is a city which has the charm of a small town, and the opportunities that come with a thriving legal industry. It’s so easy to build a network in the legal world, because everybody knows each other in this city. The culture in the Leeds legal industry is very friendly, so you can get the networking benefits of being in a smaller city alongside reaping the benefits of ‘Northern’ culture,” she says.

“The ULaw Leeds campus has such a good location; it’s right on the high street, less than a five-minute walk from the train station, and it’s so close to loads of restaurants and cafes. So, it’s a great place to be from a social point of view,” Rowney explains, talking on the benefits of studying at ULaw’s Leeds campus. “Our sixth floor is an open-plan, café floor with a socialising spot, and I often hear students making plans to hang out, and grab food together.”

But, in Rowney’s opinion, the main benefit of the ULaw Leeds campus is the staff. “Without blowing my own trumpet here, my lecturing colleagues are incredible. Having had many jobs previously, I can safely say that the lecturing staff in Leeds are some of the most inspiring people I’ve worked with,” she says. And it’s not just the academic staff that are deserving of accolades, according to Rowney. “The support staff are very accessible and visible to the students, so they can get to know our faculty staff by name. This is very unlike my own undergraduate experience at a larger university where I could sometimes feel disconnected from the faculty,” she explains. “There’s a real sense of community here.”

Knowing that community is often key in achieving success, we ask Rowney for her top tips for success on the LLB. “Working really hard is important, but so is strategy. On my undergraduate degree, I managed to achieve an average of over 80%, partly because I was strategic when it came to my studies. But, equally as important is building connections,” she says. “Having a good rapport with the people around you, including academic staff and the student body, is so important when you’re considering difficult legal questions. And it’s this aspect of getting stuck into the work, engaging with our community and getting involved outside of law school, that will ultimately build success.”

ULaw’s Campus Dean Matthew Tomlinson will be speaking at ‘Secrets to Success Leeds — with Eversheds Sutherland, Pinsent Masons, Shoosmiths and ULaw’, an in-person student event taking place on Tuesday 4 June. Apply now to attend.

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ULaw campus manager, Anne Robertson, discusses her varied career and her experience of moving into law from a non-law background

Anne Robertson, lecturer and acting campus manager at The University of Law’s Newcastle campus, started off her career as a nurse, eventually making the move into law and qualifying into medical negligence.

Now working in legal education, she spoke to Legal Cheek Careers about what non-law graduates can bring to the table and her advice for those thinking of making the move.

What did you take from your career as a nurse into the legal profession, and what do you find is the most rewarding aspect of working in education?

There are so many transferable skills that you learn as a nurse. The ability to prioritise, stay calm under pressure and client/patient care are skills that have been essential in each of my careers.

The most rewarding aspect of legal education is the relationship I build with the students. I love seeing the students grow during their time with us and seeing them blossom into fully-fledged lawyers.

You originally qualified into nursing, so you have lived experience of working in law as a non-law graduate. What unique challenges did you face in making the move into the legal industry?

If you are moving into law from a different career then you may be older than those you are working with. You may be managed by people who are younger than you, which can be difficult at first. Those managing you are more experienced in that field than you are. However, your experience should also be valued. I found this to be particularly the case when I first started working in medical negligence. My supervisor was younger than me but could help me with the practical aspects of running a case, whilst she would often consult me on the medical matters.

What, in your opinion, are the benefits of going into law as a non-law graduate? Do you think non-law graduates bring something extra to the table?

I would prefer to say that non-law graduates bring something different to the table, as I’ve known some exceptional lawyers who followed the traditional path into law. However, non-law graduates are able to bring a wider perspective to legal practice. They have also made a very conscious decision to follow that path, often with the sacrifice of the status and financial stability gained in their previous careers. They may be taking on additional debt which would have been unnecessary had they studied law at undergraduate level. I find this makes non-law students very committed to their studies. One student said to me recently, “there is now no Plan B”.

Why do you think non-law graduates make great lawyers?

I think that if they have worked in a different industry, non-law graduates bring a real-world perspective to their practice. Those who have worked in a corporate environment can easily understand the challenges faced by their corporate clients; if they have worked in a more social role, they may be able to relate to their lay clients more easily. In all cases, they have learnt what works for them in terms of prioritisation and workload.

You’ve been at The University of Law for just over three years now. How does it tailor its support and content to the non-law graduates on its postgraduate courses?

They have the support that is available to all ULaw students such as an academic coach, student journey advisor, study skills and wellbeing support.

In addition, we recognise that the main issue with students studying our postgraduate conversion courses is that they don’t have the benefit of three years in which to explore their career options and ease themselves into the course. As such, they are offered employability appointments within the first couple of weeks of their courses.  They engage with pro bono schemes as soon as possible. They are told about their options for when they finish the course (Bar Practice Course or SQE) and relevant timescales within the first couple of weeks of starting.

Is it beneficial for non-law graduates to take a conversion course before beginning their SQE studies? Is it necessary?

I would say that it is not just beneficial, but essential.

If the student wishes to become a barrister it is still a requirement of the Bar Standards Board that they complete a qualifying law degree or law conversion course.

If a student wishes to become a solicitor it is not technically necessary to study a conversion course. However, academically, the conversion course is set up to put students in the best possible position to proceed to the SQE1 which tests functional legal knowledge. Additionally, from an employability perspective, Legal Cheek conducted a survey in May 2024, and 89% of firms surveyed said that they will require their non-law graduates to complete a conversion course before undertaking the SQE.

What advice would you give to non-law graduates looking to make the move into the legal industry?

Do your research. Consider if you want to be a solicitor or a barrister as this may influence the choice of conversion course.

What area of law interests you? I remember that one of the best pieces of advice I received was from a clinical negligence lawyer when I was on a vacation scheme, who warned me not to pigeon-hole myself just because of my nursing background. So, I took every opportunity to try different areas. Although I did ultimately specialise in clinical negligence, by the time I did, I had a solid grounding in other areas of law, contentious and non-contentious.

More generally, remember you have a lot of skills to bring, but also a lot to learn.  It can be difficult to be managed by people a lot younger than you, but remember that they will have put in the time to deserve that position, so look at their experience rather than age.

Finally, remember that you have made the choice to pursue this path.  You are entering one of the most rewarding and diverse professions possible. It is intellectually challenging but so rewarding. Enjoy it!

Anne Robertson will be speaking at ‘Why non-law students make great lawyers — with Brabners, Mishcon de Reya, Reed Smith and ULaw’, a virtual student event taking place next Wednesday (29 May). Apply now to attend.

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BPP’s Head of Client Development, Liz Ritter, talks apprenticeships, exam performance and ‘teething problems’ with the new route

“For the last five years, I’ve really been living and breathing SQE,” says Liz Ritter, BPP’s Head of Client Development. Six years after qualifying at Magic Circle law firm Clifford Chance, Ritter made the move into the learning and development space, and has since spent most of her career at BPP and in law firm learning and development. “For me, making this shift was all about having the opportunity to work with individuals; helping them become the best lawyers that they can be and supporting them to develop their own skills in their chosen careers.” Now, her role sees her helping legal employers of all varieties to navigate their way through the SQE system, identifying different pathways and programmes that best suit their business needs.

With the SQE firmly ingrained in her day-to-day, Legal Cheek Careers asks Ritter for her thoughts on its rollout over the past couple of years. “There have clearly been some teething problems. That’s partially since the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and Kaplan have had to scale up so considerably as more students and law firms have transitioned over to the new pathways,” she explains. But it’s not all negative. “At BPP, we meet with the SRA and Kaplan on a fairly regular basis to pass on feedback that we gather from our student body and from the employers we work with,” she says. “These discussions have led to some positive changes, like those recently made to the booking system, which have had a positive impact on the SQE administration.”

But it would be no lie to suggest that these ‘teething problems’ have impacted confidence in the SQE regime, says Ritter, who will be chairing an SQE discussion at the LegalEdCon 2024. “These teething issues have had an impact on confidence in the administration of the SQE, but separately there is also a question of confidence as to whether the SQE in its current format is the best way to determine competence for future lawyers. There are very capable candidates who would make great solicitors but who are struggling in particular with SQE1.”

She continues: “From an employer perspective, one of their key concerns is certainty, and I don’t think we’re there yet. This is really important to employers, given their need to advance plan recruitment and resourcing.”

It seems though, with the release of recent data, that there is one group of qualifiers reaping the rewards of the SQE regime. “I’m a massive champion of the school-leaver solicitor apprenticeship route,” says Ritter, acknowledging the success of apprentices when it comes to the qualifying exams. “I work very closely with many employers who are implementing these apprenticeships, and it’s been absolutely fantastic to see the success of so many apprentices making their way through to qualification.” But why are this group of aspiring lawyers so successful, particularly on the SQE2 assessments? Ritter tells us apprentices “sit the SQE2 exams towards the end of their six-year programme, and the SQE2 is ideally suited for apprentices because they’ve already built five or six years of practical, on the job experience.”

Since the implementation of the SQE regime, the school-leaver apprenticeship route is just one of the various pathways available for qualification with BPP. “This is one of the real advantages of the introduction of the SQE: it enables multiple routes to qualification. I don’t think you can say one is better than the other because different pathways suit different individuals and different employers,” Ritters says. Many law firms have opted to ‘frontload’ SQE preparation before the beginning of training contracts because they value the certainty that this brings, Ritter explains.

“Frontloading the SQE has also enabled law schools to offer programmes that help future lawyers develop wider knowledge and skills which align more closely with the type of work they’ll be doing when they hit the ground as a trainee. It makes these SQE candidates more practice ready.” She continues: “For example, our very popular master’s programme goes well beyond the SQE curriculum, with different pathways according to the type of organisation that they want to work in (general practice, commercial or corporate), together with an awareness of the impact of ESG, legal tech and AI on the practice of law.”

Equally, the graduate apprenticeship model is particularly attractive to aspiring lawyers and employers, according to Ritter. “What’s exciting is the range of different organisations that have chosen to adopt the graduate solicitor apprenticeship and that previously might not have been able to support or sponsor aspiring solicitors in the same way,” she tells us. “We’re working with law centres and charities, law firms of all sizes, in-house legal teams, local authorities, police authorities and public bodies like the Government Legal Department. These diverse types of organisations provide new and varied opportunities, so that’s hugely attractive.”

With numerous qualification pathways emerging since the introduction of the SQE, we ask Ritter how BPP is uniquely preparing its students for success. “Most of our students are on modes of study that benefit from regular, live teaching from tutors who are experts in their fields, with access to our high-quality resources and MCQ practice questions, all supported by AI driven educational technology platforms to help students to success,” she says. “Our programmes also focus at every stage on development of practice-ready skills, using realistic case studies and incorporating trainee-type tasks as part of their learning.” In BPP’s latest results, 79% of first-time test-takers passed SQE1 in January 2024 across all cohorts, based on the verified results of over 75% of BPP’s students. “Ultimately,” says Ritter, “we’re preparing students for success in the assessments, but we’re also preparing them for success in their future careers.”

Liz Ritter will be chairing a session on the developments to the SQE at LegalEdCon 2024, Legal Cheek’s annual future of legal education and training conference, which takes place in-person on Thursday 16 May at Kings Place, London. Final release tickets for the Conference can be purchased here.

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BPP’s Head of Outreach joins SQE Award Leaders and future trainees to discuss part one of the solicitors’ assessment

The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is now just over three years old, and multiple cohorts have already completed both the SQE1 and SQE2 assessments.

During a recent Legal Cheek virtual event (full video above), a panel session led by BPP’s Head of Outreach and former City law firm partner Jonny Hurst, along with SQE Award Leaders Allison Banks (responsible for City Consortium Plus Programme and Essentials for Practice) and Ayesha Anandappa (overseeing LPC Firm Specific and Essentials for Practice), delved into all aspects of SQE1.

The informative discussion covered a range of topics, including the format, booking process, content, and assessments for SQE1. Additionally, it featured an interactive analysis of sample questions aimed at helping aspiring lawyers understand what to expect.

The panel also included current SQE students from BPP who have recently passed SQE1, such as Mikaela Hristova, a future trainee at Stephenson Harwood, and Christian Stocker, a future trainee at Walker Morris. Together, they shared insights into their course experiences and offered advice to those considering the SQE route.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event together with further FAQs arising from each session which SQE experts from BPP are answering.

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Head of Department James Catchpole discusses The City Law School’s unique approach to SQE training ahead of LegalEdCon 2024 next week

“Our offering is different from your typical commercial provider: we’re much more student focused,” says James Catchpole, The City Law School’s Head of Department for Postgraduate and Professional Programmes. Speaking to Catchpole at the City’s flashy new Northampton Square home in London, Legal Cheek Careers is keen to find out more about this law school’s approach to legal training, and how it differentiates itself in a competitive market.

“The students come first at The City Law School,” Catchpole tells us. “We centre our offering around them; it comes in the form of strong pastoral care and skills development to prepare them to hit the ground running in the wider legal world.”

Catchpole, a qualified solicitor, has been a feature of the London legal education scene now for over two decades. “I originally qualified into IT law, data protection and privacy. I enjoyed what I did, but I wasn’t really settled into what I was doing, and I knew that I wanted to do more,” he says. “Through my role, I was running client training sessions, and giving lectures on IT and data privacy. Soon after, I was offered the opportunity to go to the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa to set up the first LLM on International IT and Telecommunications law in Africa.” On return to the UK, Catchpole made the decision to say goodbye to legal practice, and he hasn’t looked back since. “I originally joined The City Law School teaching the Legal Practice Course (LPC) which I thoroughly enjoyed: I worked with an incredible team, we had such fun whilst working incredibly hard,” he explains.

A law school with deep roots in London’s legal education scene, The City Law School evolved from the Inns of Court School of Law (ICSL) which itself dates back to the nineteenth century. The ICSL was, in its time, the original and sole provider of bar training in the United Kingdom, and the only excellent graded LPC in the City. But Catchpole does advise that legal education is a very different beast than the one he well knew when he was looking at qualifying as a solicitor. “The university education landscape has changed considerably since I was a student,” he says, being in one of the first ever cohorts to take the LPC. “Students have gone from being ‘learners to partners’,” he says. “In essence, students have become much more attuned to their needs and aspirations; this is driving both them and us to thoroughly equip them for the next stage of their careers.”

In this vein, The City Law School has been able to build upon its experience as a legal education provider and adapt to these changing winds by bringing a new qualification course to the market. Its Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) preparation course, the Solicitors’ Practice Programme (SPP) was brought to the market in September 2023. We ask Catchpole how delivery of the programme is going. “It’s going great; the team have worked exceptionally hard to get the course up and running. We’re one of the few providers in London offering an SQE preparatory course and have pulled out of the LPC, which was the right way to go,” he tells us.

One of the unique selling points of the SPP lies in its focus on the student and their learning experience. “I don’t think you can just say — ‘we’re going to prep you for an exam’. You’ve got to prepare the student for a lot more and particularly for entering the working world,” says Catchpole who will be speaking at LegalEdCon 2024 later this month. At The City Law School, this manifests itself through three core features. Firstly, small group teaching is the cornerstone of the SPP. Priding itself on being acquainted and available to each and every student, the small group teaching method allows its course leaders to be proactive in supporting students throughout their time at the law school, Catchpole explains.

“This means that our experienced tutors really get to know the students, which does make a difference. In this sense, course leaders can spot the students who need extra support much earlier and assist them exactly when it is needed. It makes for a much more supportive and collaborative learning environment,” Catchpole tells us.

Supporting this collaborative learning environment is The City Law School’s cutting-edge campus situated in the heart of London. The City Law School’s fresh hub at Northampton Square is all exposed brick and glass panelling, flooding the communal study spaces with light. Complete with all the mod cons, the new space boasts a 160-seat lecture theatre, a purpose build court room together with a witness’ room, a dedicated library, modern study spaces, a restaurant and central atrium with a glazed roof. Showing Legal Cheek Careers around the modern venue, Catchpole notes the importance of physical study spaces and the return of face-to-face teaching following the pandemic.

“Pastoral care is one of the things we’re very strong on too,” Catchpole emphasises. “We provide the ‘full university package’, meaning that our courses are designed with our students in mind, and our offering is that we genuinely care about our students.” Catchpole is quick to emphasise the importance of pastoral care when it comes to tackling SQE preparation, citing the latest “very, very unfortunate marking debacle”.

“There is a lot in the press about the mental stress and mental health impacts of these exams. As a provider, we’re focused on preparing our students for that and the realities of practice,” he says.

Catchpole is quick to emphasise just how important well-rounded support is for students at this time, against the backdrop of marking errors and consistent press coverage of the rocky SQE roll-out, which has made it even trickier for law students to navigate SQE studies.

During the first term, the focus is on SQE1, followed by SQE2 in the second term for students enrolled in the SPP. Additionally, students receive an extra module in their second term aimed at preparing them for legal practice. “This module looks at equipping our aspiring solicitors for practice,” Catchpole tells us. “So, students will have all the SQE2 skills practice in this term, such as writing, advocacy and oral skills, but also a dedicated module on practice preparation. This includes everything from soft skills to legal technology and AI, business law, practice management, commercial awareness, and negotiation.”

In a changing world and a changing legal market, Catchpole says, “We want to make sure our students succeed.” The support that The City Law School provides their students is of fundamental importance, he continues, because of the prevalence of first-generation university students at the law school who are often seeking additional support not offered elsewhere. “The Solicitors’ Practice Programme is not just a SQE preparatory course,” he says. “Considering our hands on approach and the genuine interest our staff take in our students; it’s much more than that, it is has everything they need to succeed.”

James Catchpole will be speaking at LegalEdCon 2024, Legal Cheek’s annual future of legal education and training conference, which takes place in-person on Thursday 16 May at Kings Place, London. Final release tickets for the Conference can be purchased here.

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Ahead of his appearance at LegalEdCon this month, Director of Professional Development at ULaw, Jim Moser, explains the missing links in legal training and how the education giant is tackling them

“I’ve been in law for a very long time.” Jim Moser, The University of Law’s Director of Professional Development reveals. Having worked as a solicitor for a number of years in private practice, where he specialised in commercial property, Moser felt the pull towards legal education. “I’ve always wanted to teach. From quite a young age I was tutoring part-time alongside being a lawyer.”

The collapse of sprawling professional services giant Arthur Andersen following the Enron scandal (of which Moser’s then firm, Dundas & Wilson, was a part thanks to an earlier merger) set the scene for the move. “The challenge for my firm at the time, after successfully exiting its partnership with Andersen, became filling the legal education lacuna left by the collapse” he explains. The opportunity to take the learning & development helm “meant I had to give up my future career as a transactional lawyer,” he says. “But this was what I was truly passionate about.”

After being promoted to Director of Professional Development at the firm, later acquired by CMS, Moser found himself in the perfect position to build his expertise in legal education. “I ran the learning throughout the business for everyone, lawyers and non-lawyers,” he says describing his then role. Now, sitting as Director of Professional Development at ULaw, Moser, who will be speaking at LegalEdCon 2024 on 16 May, leans on his experiences in the legal learning space to analyse what is really missing in professional development.

“One challenge when it comes to teaching in law firms is ensuring that there is sufficient teaching expertise in the business,” he says. Moser, who undertook a formal teaching qualification tells us that, “teaching is about the audience and their learning needs – not about the teacher.” He emphasises the importance of tailoring legal education to both the needs of the business, as well as the needs of the learners themselves; “far too often this doesn’t happen in legal education.

“I fundamentally believe that one of the things that learning in law suffers from is that it’s not strategic enough,” says Moser, who’s passion for high standards of learning shines through. “If you’re going to run a learning function inside any business, it should match or meet the strategic business plan of that business,” he continues. “Hence the importance of tailoring professional development and training with each firm’s own needs and expectations in mind.”

Further gaps in legal education and training arise when approached as a cost to the business rather than as an investment in the ultimate quality of its outputs, Moser tells Legal Cheek Careers. “Learning is a valuable resource to add to wealth generation and profitability of any law firm, and a reluctance to spend can weaken the competency of lawyers.”

These gaps are exacerbated by changes to the exam system. “Whilst I may agree with the intentions behind the new route to qualification,” he says, referencing the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE), “it has made the situation of poor learning worse”.

He uses the example of medicine students to illustrate. He explains that in this discipline, “students will start working in some capacity in hospitals only two years into their course, whereas most law students will get nowhere near a client until after they’ve finished their academic LLB and passed qualifying exams.” So, it’s only when future lawyers get to their training contract/QWE that they see the practical side of working in law. “Until this point, they have never dealt with the culture and atmosphere in a legal business, never worked with clients, or dealt with delivering the outcomes that clients expect,” he says.

The training that future lawyers received by undertaking the Legal Practice Course (LPC) followed by the Professional Skills Course (PSC) was a more robust system for setting lawyers up for practice, Moser argues. “If firms have an expectation that somebody coming into the business as a newly qualified lawyer (NQ) following the SQE will have the same knowledge that they had previously by doing the LPC,” he emphasises, “they may be disappointed.” We asked for his thoughts on the key differences between the two systems to qualification. He tells us that the SQE route leaves a lot of responsibility and discretion to the firm in building practice skills through Qualifying Work Experience (QWE). “It assumes that law firms will undertake a robust approach, in a strong learning culture,” he argues. “Too many businesses may not have the resources or experience to do this.”

But why, we ask Moser, is it so important to fill these gaps? “At the end of the day, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) represents the public; they protect the interest of the public in the provision of legal services,” he replies. “If people do not know what they’re doing, the provision of legal services isn’t going to be great.” From the perspective of a law firm, he says, it’s important to fill these gaps in education because the ‘product’ that the firm is ultimately selling is their people.

In offering the PSC course and a newly developed Junior Lawyers Development Programme (JDLP), ULaw is helping law firms and future lawyers to address these gaps. “These courses,” says Moser, “will be directly aimed at firms and businesses in filling those gaps. These provide businesses with the opportunity to acquire learning and address their learning needs.” At ULaw, he says, “all of our courses are delivered by qualified lawyers, with each course tailored to the needs of each business, including electives and programmes that can be developed with each client.”

Interested to dig into the differences between internal learning teams and outsourcing learning to ULaw, we ask Moser for ULaw’s unique selling points in this space. “ULaw is a university,” he begins, “and therefore it has a different culture to a law firm — a learning culture.” The flexibility of ULaw’s offering, he says, “provides the opportunity to explore different learning options.”

He continues, “law firm culture is not reputed for its experimentalism because lawyers are trained to avoid failure and risk like the plague. We have a space at ULaw that allows us to explore different electives. As an example, we are exploring how an AI and legal tech module might fit within professional development.”

Without revealing too much, we ask Moser what he’s planning to cover as a speaker at the LegalEdCon 2024. “I’ll be speaking on what I’m passionate about,” he reveals, “and that’s legal education. I’ll also be touching on how we can address the gaps in legal professional development, and the importance of doing so.”

Jim Moser will be speaking at LegalEdCon 2024, Legal Cheek’s annual future of legal education and training conference, which takes place in-person on Thursday 16 May at Kings Place, London. Final release tickets for the Conference can be purchased here.

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BARBRI’s Jody Tranter discusses how the law school’s innovative approach helps create bespoke learning experiences for its students

“My whole career has been in education,” says Jody Tranter, BARBRI’s Head of Learning & Product. The core of her career has been focusing on using data to create improvements in legal and professional education. “Even before AI and data-driven approaches,” she says, “analysing what’s working well to create improvements was at the heart of my role”. So, when her former employer Altior was acquired by BARBRI in 2019, the move “fit seamlessly with my skillset, because BARBRI is very data and technology driven when it comes to providing what students really need to be successful”.

Talking innovation in legal education, Tranter explains that this ethos is embedded in the core offering at BARBRI. “Technology is really at the heart of what we provide because we have always been a fully online provider,” she tells Legal Cheek Careers. “Our technology feeds into our course design and enables us to fully personalise each learning programme, allowing each student to have an individualised learning experience”. In this vein, for Tranter, legal innovation is about capturing the ability to adapt new forms of learning to fit all types of aspiring lawyers.

But how is this really showcased at BARBRI? Tranter gives us the details. “By leveraging over 50 years of experience in legal education, our learning platform is designed so that all of the content that students need is there, at the point at which they need it,” she says. “This way, our students can consume that content in a way which is suitable for them.” She tells us that this is really where the technology-focus at BARBRI comes in.

“Our learning platform guides each student individually, by for example, guiding students on how many hours to spend on each topic per day and how many tasks to do”. This platform self-adjusts its timetabling depending on whether students want to block out certain times each week for other commitments, she explains. “If a student falls behind their personalised schedule, our platform will also guide them on which tasks to focus on, by assigning them the tasks that are more impactful to their learning first.” BARBRI sees a diverse array of students, from solicitor apprentices to those qualified overseas, non-law graduates and more. These course design features are one of the ways that BARBRI tailors its content to suit individual needs.

This personalisation is key when it comes to preparing for the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE), we’re told, because it’s no misnomer that the SQE is not a walk in the park. “They’re very challenging exams,” Tranter begins, “but it’s not a challenge to succeed if you’re well prepared”. She says the US Bar Exam has consisted of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) for a number of years  — a similar structure to the SQE1 exams.

“In the UK we’re adjusting to this style of examination, and this shift is what is more challenging. Students and providers should understand that assessing students in this way is so different to other assessment formats and requires a different type of learning and preparation,” Tranter says.

BARBRI’s experience preparing students for the likes of the New York and California bar exams has helped build its reputation in preparing students for this style of assessment. “We’re always looking at how students score on exams, which parts of each exam have students performed well on, which parts have they found more challenging and how is each student doing individually,” says Tranter. By running statistical analysis in the background, BARBRI determines whether its learning methods are statistically sound.

“We’re able to utilise and analyse that data to improve and personalise our courses. For example, in a typical lecture scenario, you can never fully understand and analyse individual student comprehension. But at BARBRI, we’re lucky to have the data-capture technology to help each individual student succeed on each course and prepare them fully for the exams,” she tells us. This helps BARBRI to target the support that each student needs to succeed, whether studying full-time or part-time, a law graduate or a non-law graduate, or have additional learning needs.

“The learning science we put behind the scenes, in terms of how people best learn, has been built into each programme to get the best outcome from each student,” Tranter explains.

Tranter is quick to reassure that even though technology and innovation may be “at the heart” of BARBRI’s offering, this doesn’t mean that students forego interactions with individuals. In fact, she stresses, individual contact and feedback is really at the root of its SQE offering. “Each student has access to a learning coach; an experienced person who they can reach out to at any time and make an appointment with,” she says. “So, if students are struggling with their mental health or need some extra support, they can reach out if and when they need it.” She says, “this support is really about helping to keep students motivated and on-track. This combination of personalisation and tech innovation is the key to success for BARBRI students.”

Emphasising that feedback and interaction with learning coaches is one of the unique selling points of its SQE courses, Tranter takes us through how this is structured: “For SQE 1, students receive instant feedback on their MCQ practice questions but also opportunities for live feedback and discussion with our Learning Coaches. Similarly, for SQE 2, we provide extensive amounts of individualised feedback on their skills assessments.” Tranter stresses that feedback is ultimately key to success in the exams because it provides the opportunity for both BARBRI and the student to identify their strengths and weaknesses, and work towards the assessment with those in mind.

On the theme of personalisation, we’re keen to explore with Tranter how the law school is approaching diversifying their offering to different learners. She highlights that the fundamental issue is that everyone will be taking the same assessment, but each individual’s path to that final assessment will vary. “With a huge array of students doing SQE preparation with the provider, it’s important that its courses are tailored in terms of accessibility to allow each type of learner to thrive”, she says.

Diving deeper, Tranter explains that “we’ve built all of our content with accessibility in mind, such as providing students with the ability to customise font colour and sizing options, text-to-speech technology etc”. For students with additional needs, “these facets are built into the tech from the start”. She further stresses the importance of homing in on developing the skills and techniques needed for students with additional needs to feel more confident tackling the exams. “To that end, we run workshops and strategy sessions to help all students learn those crucial exam techniques and to support students in adopting successful learning approaches that suit their learning preferences”.

Without giving too much away, we ask Tranter whether she can give us an insight into what BARBRI plans on covering at LegalEdCon2024. “The key thing for us is diversity, and how important it is to individual students and the profession as a whole”. She says, “the SQE was created to open up access and help to support more diversity in the profession, so we’ll be touching on the way we design our courses to support this ultimate goal.”

BARBRI will be speaking at LegalEdCon 2024, Legal Cheek’s annual future of legal education and training conference, which takes place in-person on Thursday 16 May at Kings Place, London. Final release tickets for the Conference can be purchased here.

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Mikaela Hristova, future trainee solicitor at Stephenson Harwood and current BPP SQE student, discusses her exam experience

Mikaela Hristova, a future trainee solicitor at Stephenson Harwood, recently completed and passed SQE1 in January. Recounting her post-exam worries, she tells me, “for FLK 2, I was convinced that I’d failed, but I ended up being in the top quintile. It just goes to show, you never know!”

Like many SQE1 candidates, Hristova felt very anxious going into her SQE LLM course at BPP. “The main issue is the uncertainty, just because the SQE is such a new process of qualifying. The information that is out there is, I would say, more negative than it is positive,” she says. Even towards the end, Hristova did not feel better about her prospects. “I was hearing about all these amazing and exceptional students going to top firms who were failing SQE1. I felt that no matter how much work I put into it, there was a 50-50 chance that I would fail, which is a huge gamble.”

It is safe to say Hristova worked hard regardless. When discussing her study technique, she explains that she developed a study system based on her visual learning style. “I was doing a lot of mind maps with a mixture of things.” She recalls taking screenshots of diagrams and flow charts from the resources provided by BPP, then annotating them in mind maps.

She also used flash cards to revise the multiple-choice questions (MCQs) she had answered incorrectly in practice papers. In the final month leading up to the exams, Hristova copied her study notes onto sticky notes, which she then stuck onto her fridge. “Every morning I would spend maybe one or two hours going through every single thing,” she says. “Even the legal rules that I knew and was quite comfortable with, I would really make sure I knew them.”

However, Hristova stresses the importance of being strategic with your learning when it comes to SQE1. “The thing with it is that it’s a very holistic exam. Sometimes it’s about breadth, not depth,” she explains. “Get the general principles, ask the questions in class and all that, but move on afterwards because we just need to be very strategic with how much there is that can come up in the exams.”

While Hristova happily divulges her study methods, she also notes that they may not work for everyone. In her study group, she saw that her peers all had very different approaches. Seeing that some of her classmates were solely doing practice questions in the final month, Hristova at times felt that she was adopting the wrong tactics. “I was putting so much pressure on myself that I started doing MCQs for a whole week, but in the end, I knew that it wasn’t working for me,” she explains. Now, she believes that students should feel less guilty about taking more time to understand the material, because what really matters is just knowing and understanding the law. “If flash cards work better, then just do flashcards. If MCQs work better, just do MCQs.”

I assumed that Hristova would find the SQE’s biggest challenge to be the volume of information that candidates are expected to learn and retain, but that was not the case. “The hardest part for me was actually just going in with the idea that there was a possibility that I might fail regardless of how much work I had done.” It’s no surprise then, that her tutor’s advice to think and stay positive was instrumental throughout her SQE1 preparations. Reflecting on the importance of mental health support during this period, Hristova remarks, “I was very lucky to have a tutor at BPP who would always make the time to speak to me after class and address my concerns”.

When I ask Hristova for her advice for future SQE1 candidates, Hristova offers these words of hope and encouragement: “Don’t focus too much on the negative news out there. Even though there is a lot of uncertainty, hard work actually equals very good results in the end.”

It’s clear that a strong mindset has been crucial to Hristova’s success, whether with exams or with securing a training contract. She explains that she met the firm at law fairs on multiple occasions, building connections and strengthening her resolve to secure a vacation scheme with them. “Getting a training contract is about persistence, so it’s important to stay at it and taking advantage of as many experiences as you can get”, advises Hristova.

In this vein, she notes the importance of “getting yourself out there and speaking to people” as the key to securing legal opportunities. “I attended so many Legal Cheek events. I reached out to a lot of people on LinkedIn. I asked a lot of people about their experience with applications, and I was quite surprised to find that there are actually so many trainees and future trainees who are willing to help.”

As we approach the end of our conversation, Hristova explains that she stood out in her applications by showing how her personality and career aspirations matched the firm she was applying to. “This will sound like such a cliché but it’s just about being yourself – not being afraid to talk about your experiences and how they shaped you as an aspiring lawyer.”

Mikaela Hristova will be speaking at “A deep dive into SQE1 – with BPP University Law School” a virtual student event taking place this Thursday (11 April). Apply now to attend.

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Leading lawyers talk deals, projects, private equity and more

The Legal Cheek Spring 2024 Virtual Vacation Scheme, run in partnership with The University of Law, saw more than 2,000 students participate in a series of talks, workshops and an Employability Expo, with more than 30 leading law firms in attendance. 

Over the three days of the Scheme, students got to flavour a range of practice areas, from real estate to disputes, through case studies set by ULaw. These were discussed by speakers in the various workshops, giving attendees an insight into how key legal scenarios are navigated in practice. Here’s what went down.

Day 1

Session 1: Deals

The speakers:

• Sidrah Shah, international banking and finance associate at Hogan Lovells
• Jade Rigby, corporate and finance associate at Hogan Lovells

The lowdown:

The Spring Vacation Scheme commenced with a session centred on the role of a deal lawyer, featuring Hogan Lovells associates Jade Rigby and Sidrah Shah. Rigby provided insights from the perspective of a pensions lawyer, discussing the circumstances under which they may be involved in a corporate transaction. She revealed that her passion for all-things pensions stemmed from her interest in delving into the “nitty gritty” of people’s lives.

Shah, on the other hand, examined the broader framework of a typical deal from a banking and finance perspective. She noted that a deal typically commences with a terms sheet, outlining key transactional terms agreed upon in principle by the involved parties. Additionally, she highlighted a common trainee task involving the drafting of ‘condition precedent items,’ which are events that must take place before the parties are bound to fulfil their obligations.

The deals sessions concluded with a brief Q&A session and an examination of a case study focused on the acquisition of a milk production company by a family-founded dairy manufacturer.

Session 2: Employability Expo

The speakers:

• Helen Avis, programme and student lead at ULaw
• Rose Parkinson, student recruitment manager at ULaw
• John McKeown, careers consultant at ULaw
• Anne Petrie, employability/careers manager at ULaw
• Clare Stapleton, employability group & Birmingham careers manager at ULaw
• Catherine Morgan, employability group manager at ULaw

The lowdown:

The SQE Explained

ULaw Programme and Student Lead, Helen Avis, took attendees through an explainer session on the SQE. She covered what the SQE is, a breakdown of its structure and the fees and costs associated with the new scheme. As well as answering plenty of student questions with a lengthy 30-minute Q&A at the end of the session, she explained in detail the various routes to qualification still in place, as well as giving advice on accumulating Qualifying Work Experience (QWE).

Firm Research and Applications

ULaw student recruitment manager Rose Parkinson started the session by explaining the importance of researching law firms well. It is this factor which allows firms to differentiate between applicants who are motivated for a career in law and those who are just fixated on obtaining a training contract.

She highlighted the usefulness of having a set of criteria while doing this research to help applicants justify their reasoning for choosing a particular firm. Some deciding factors include practice area or sector focus of the firm, firm size and values and training structure.

Parkinson also emphasised the importance of knowing which skills are required by trainees and reflecting on how an applicant has gained these skills through any non-legal work experience they have done. She recommended using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to answer the application questions and making tailored applications, focusing on quality rather than quantity.

Interviews Workshop

ULaw careers consultant, John McKeown, and ULaw Employability/Careers Manager, Anne Petrie, shared their top tips on how to impress at interviews, whether they are in-person, virtual or over the telephone. John and Anne delved into preparation techniques, types of interview questions and how answers can be structured. They also gave advice on the more nuanced aspects, such as body language and voice – a smile can make a huge difference!

CVs and Cover Letters

During the first hour of the session, we heard from Stapleton, who discussed the importance of the structure and content within CVs and cover letters. Stapleton noted the importance of attention to detail and consistency on both documents, warning that failing to do so may cause you to fall at the first hurdle.

During the second hour of the session we heard from Morgan, who also provided her top tips on CVs and cover letters. Morgan emphasised the importance of keeping contact details on these documents up to date – with Morgan discussing how not doing so can lead to missed opportunities!

Day 2

Session 3: Real Estate 

The speakers:

• Ruth Clare, real estate partner at Shoosmiths 
• Ashona Chakraborty, real estate litigation associate at Shoosmiths
• Alexandra Kinsey, real estate associate at Shoosmiths 

The lowdown:

Clare, Chakraborty and Kinsey discussed what it’s like, day-to-day, to work in real estate. The trio discussed the life cycle of a property transaction, with Clare discussing the differences between core and value-add real estate. Clare also discussed the challenges the increase in costs has caused the sector — and what this means for the firm’s clients.

The use of AI in the sector was also discussed, with the group observing that it has helped to improve the team’s efficiency, in particularly when drafting documents.

The firm’s key values were also discussed, with drive and personality being described as key attributes in its future trainees. Finally, the group went on to provide advice to other aspiring solicitors, with the trio highlighting the importance of being authentic and confident in the workplace.

Day 3

Session 4: Projects 

The speakers:

• Harry Smith, infrastructure and energy associate at Pinsent Masons 

The lowdown:

Smith kicked off the session by breaking down his career path to date, explaining in detail the work he did in each seat while training at Pinsent Masons, as well as his experience at his client secondment.

In the main presentation, Smith dived into the nature of infrastructure, using examples of projects both international and national. This was followed by an introduction to the different types of contracting, including what is known as PFI (Private Finance Initiative)/ PPP (Public-Private Partnerships) Contracts. A technical analysis of the typical PFI/ PPP structure revealed the relationships between stakeholders, which, together with a breakdown of the key phases of these projects, really helped the audience understand what clients need at each stage. Smith laid out the day-to-day tasks conducted by trainees and associates, explaining how they feed into the bigger picture, before rounding off the presentation with key commercial awareness topics.

Smith provided further insight into these topics in the Q&A, when he gave an overview of recent and upcoming infrastructure projects in the UK and described how ESG goals influence their funding. Before the session wrapped up, Harry advised aspiring lawyers to “take as many opportunities as [they] can”, so they can expand their worldview and stand out amongst applicants.

Session 5: Private Equity 

The speakers:

• Harry Buchanan, private equity associate at Willkie Farr & Gallagher

The lowdown:

Harry Buchanan, associate at the London office of US law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher explored private equity matters in this session. He started off by outlining the process of completing due diligence, its key objectives as well as the typical structure of a private equity transaction. He went on to explain that his day-to-day could include anything from employment contracts to deal closures and highlighted the importance of organisation, communication and project management skills to keep tabs on this varied workload.

At the end of the session, Buchanan emphasised to attendees that in order to gain an insight into the profession prior to applying for vacation schemes and training contracts, they should aim to attend as many presentations and firm-run events as they can.

Session 6: Disputes 

The speakers:

• Andrew Street, business and commercial disputes partner at BCLP
• Ryan Hocking, commercial and insolvency barrister at Gatehouse Chambers 
• Frederick Price, senior lecturer at ULaw

The lowdown:

The final session of this year’s Spring Vacation Scheme saw ULaw senior lecturer Frederick Price head up a lively discussion on working in disputes between Ryan Hocking, barrister at Gatehouse Chambers, and BCLP partner, Andrew Street.

Hocking and Street began the session by discussing their careers journeys to date. They touched upon why they chose to specialise in contentious work, how they chose between working at the bar and working in a law firm, and how they built upon their work experience previous to qualification to secure their training.

In the Q&A chaired by Price, the lawyers also discussed the more granular differences between the role of a solicitor and the role of a barrister in disputes. This included the difference in both clients and client interactions, the difference between daily tasks, and the different employment structures of both roles. Before the close of the session, Price posed a number of final questions to the panel. This included the increasing role of mediation in disputes, the qualities of a great contentious lawyer, and commercial awareness tips for those aspiring to a career in disputes.

In the ULaw case study discussed, students were asked to put themselves in the shoes of a restaurant owner who had incurred serious loss in relation to a potential breach of contract by a supplier. The case study asked students to advise the restaurant owner on his legal position and outline some key points that the client should consider before issuing legal proceedings.

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ULaw London Moorgate Dean Aruna Verma talks smooth networking, tailoring firm applications and dealing with rejection

Having spent time in both legal practice and education, Aruna Verma, now Campus Dean at The University of Law’s London Moorgate outfit, has a wealth of advice to offer.

Ahead of her appearance at Legal Cheek’s Spring Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair which begins on Monday, we sat down with her to get her thoughts on how students can make the most out of the scheme and maximise success in their applications.

The ULaw-Legal Cheek Spring Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair has several components to it – workshops, law fairs and an employability expo. What are your top three tips for how students can get the most out of attending the scheme?

The ULaw-Legal Cheek Spring Vacation Scheme is an excellent opportunity full of various events. Firstly, I would encourage you to prepare in advance of attending the event. Find out the names of the firms and organisations attending, visit their websites to understand their areas of expertise and work culture. Be curious, make a note of any questions you have about the firm and any major work they have done recently.

Secondly, during the vacation scheme, be active.  Participate by asking relevant questions, share your ideas and thoughts. Start conversations, continue them and take part actively. Leave an impression.

Finally, make sure you send follow -up emails to the contacts you have made. Refer to conversations you had and reinforce your interest in the area of law or firm.

After events I have presented or hosted, I usually get LinkedIn requests with a short note on where we met and what we discussed.

When it comes to virtual networking, how should students be deciding who to speak to and the kinds of questions to ask that would be a useful addition to their written applications to firms?

Events, whether they are online or in-person, requires a strategic and proactive approach before attendance. Who do you want to speak to and why? Is there anyone you need to ensure you have spoken to?

Prior to any major event, I would urge you to make sure your LinkedIn or social media networking platforms are up to date.  List all your skills, experiences and interests. Highlight your strengths.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions during the networking. I would ask a general question to get the person’s attention. For example, what part of your work do you enjoy the most?  Express your interest in their work and request a brief conversation to learn more about their career path and gain insights into the industry. If you have questions about the application process, ask for advice, for example, what are the firm considering when looking at personal statements.

Another struggle with networking is how artificial it can sometimes feel, and that might make it a tad awkward. How would you suggest students combat this and try to come across as genuinely and authentically as possible?

Always be yourself. Authenticity shines through when you’re true to yourself. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Speak naturally and let your personality come through in your communication. Smile.

Demonstrate genuine interest in the other person by actively listening to what they have to say. Keep eye contact.  Make notes. Ask thoughtful questions. This demonstrates that you value their perspective and are engaged in the conversation.

Follow through. If you say you’ll follow up with someone or send them information, make sure to do so in a timely manner. This demonstrates reliability and builds trust.

Show appreciation for the time and insights others have shared with you. A simple thank you goes a long way in building positive relationships and leaving a lasting impression.

What is your advice to students who are in the process of figuring out what kinds of firms they want to apply to — what sorts of factors should they be taking into account, and what should their shortlisting process look like?

This all requires research and a fair bit of it. Look into the type of firm you wish to work in by looking at their practice areas, does this interest you and fit in with your career aspirations?

Research into their culture and values. Does it fit in with yours? Consider the importance of professional development, work-life balance, diversity and inclusion for example.

Make a list of all the criteria that is important to you so you can benchmark the firms against your values.

One of the most difficult things in an application is demonstrating your genuine interest in the firm. In your experience, what can a student do to stand out in this aspect of their application?

The extensive research into the firm will shine through in your application. Tailor your application and customise it to the firm. You can tell when you have sent out a generic letter which is nonspecific to the firm.

What do you want the firm to know about you? What impression do you want to leave them with? Ensure you highlight these experiences.

Getting a training contract is often a long process. What is your advice for those who are feeling deflated or demotivated by rejections, especially when getting feedback on applications is rare?

Experiencing job rejections can be disheartening, but it’s important for students to stay resilient and maintain a positive mindset.

Its okay to feel emotions, acknowledge them and process them. Sit with them. But not for too long.

Always follow up with a thank you and ask for feedback. If you do get a response back on this, use the feedback constructively to identify areas for improvement and refine your strategy.

Stay persistent and continue applying to positions that align with your skills, interests, and career goals. Take online courses, attend workshops, or pursue certifications to enhance your skills and make yourself a more competitive candidate.

Reach out to your mentor or support network to debrief.  Stay positive, rejection is temporary. Take care of your physical, emotional, and mental well-being during this challenging time. Engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation, whether it’s exercising, spending time with loved ones, or pursuing hobbies.

If you could now give one piece of advice to your younger self when you were starting out in your career, what would it be?

To utilise my network and my mentors! I was worried about approaching people, but I realise now that people are very generous with their time – they just need to be asked. They can only say no!

Aruna Verma will be speaking at The Legal Cheek Spring Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair 2024 taking place from Monday 25 March to Wednesday 27 March 2024. Apply now to attend.

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