Legal students will be pleased to hear that the number of registered training contracts is on the increase. According to the latest Chambers Student Guide, 5,441 training contracts were registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority in 2010/11, compared with 4,874 in the previous year.
The training contract is the final stage on the path to qualifying as a solicitor. It is a work-based training period, generally undertaken over two years, with a firm of solicitors. Trainees put into practice all the knowledge and skills they have learnt so far, and develop these still further within a working environment. Upon successful completion of the training contract a trainee solicitor is deemed qualified and able to seek admission to the Roll of Solicitors and apply for their first practising certificate.
The proportion of trainees staying with their firms after qualifying is also on the rise. The Chambers Student Guide found that 1,813 of the 2,251 trainees who qualified in 2011 stayed on. That retention rate of 80% was 5% up on 2010 levels. Figures for 2011/12 will be available shortly.
Many firms (especially larger/commercial firms) look to fill training places two years in advance. Law students should start applying during the final term of the second year of their law degree. Non-law students should apply before starting the Common Professional Examination.
We asked two law graduates to tell us how they successfully applied for training contracts.
Case study - Lidia Danyi
I thoroughly enjoyed Law with Business at the University of Brighton. My course lasted four years, with the third year being spent on an industrial placement with IBM, which was a nice mix of both law and business-related topics. I saw this as a good opportunity to add to my CV and distinguish myself, as most law courses don't offer the opportunity of a placement year.
The university's placements office was a great help in finding and applying for my placement. On top of this, I was lucky enough to complete six legal work experience schemes - everything from private law firms, the public sector, charities and even law reporting. I didn't apply for a single one of these - the firms approached me due to the good grades I achieved each year on my course! So studying hard can open up a whole network of opportunities in law firms the university is in contact with.
My most profound memory from university - one that will stay with me forever - is how the staff helped me when I was going through personal problems, which threatened to affect my studies. I was in my final year and felt the weight of the world on my shoulders, but my tutor (and indeed the university's counsellors) could not have been more helpful. They did everything in their power to help me work through my issues and ensure my studies didn't suffer as a result.
I went on to do the Legal Practice Course on a full scholarship from the Law Society (which the university's careers service introduced me to), but I didn't start applying for training contracts until after I've finished it. I knew I'd been putting it off for way too long. I decided I wanted to work in the corporate and commercial area with one of the reputable international firms. These types of firms recruit two years in advance - students must apply during their second year at university. Even though I'd already completed the Legal Practice Course, I still thought it would be worth waiting two years for a really good firm, as opposed to settling for a high street firm, which didn't really fit in with my career ambitions.
Once I started applying, I realised the competition is huge - so you definitely have to be prepared for rejections. Applying for training contracts is almost a full-time job, as each application is different and they are all very time-consuming. Due to my excellent grades and many work placements, I thought firms would fight over me - I certainly landed with a thud! Among the minefield of applications and interviews, I somehow managed to land a training contract with my first choice firm - a top magic circle firm. My training contract starts in 2014 - my punishment for starting applications so late! Nonetheless, I've managed to turn this into a positive, as I have decided to use the time until then to get a masters degree - so none of my time will be wasted.
Normally, the firm offering you a training contract wants to select your elective modules on the Legal Practice Course, as they are best placed to decide what knowledge you will need. As they were unable to do this for me, they have decided to send me back to re-do the electives stage of the course (even though I'd already graduated from the whole course) - this time sitting the modules of their choice. This is one of the negatives of applying too late - so my advice is don't put off the applications!
My degree from the University of Brighton has laid the foundations for what is set to be a successful professional life, and instilled a work ethic that translated positively into my future studies. I feel that my career is finally back on track and I can now take forward everything I learned.
Case study - George Lyons
I graduated from Brighton with a first class honours degree (LLB) in Law with Business in 2008. Following my degree, I undertook the LPC at the College of Law and an LLM in Financial Law and the Regulation of Financial Markets at the London School of Economics. I joined Clifford Chance (CC) as a trainee solicitor in February 2012.
My training contract comprises four six-month seats in different departments within the firm. My first was spent in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution group and I was allocated to the Capital Markets group for my second. I am currently on secondment to Royal Bank of Scotland one of the firm's clients but will return to CC after three months to complete my seat in the structured debt group.
In an increasingly competitive graduate job market, having a first class degree from Brighton opened the door to interviews at a number of the UK's top 20 law firms and offers of further study from leading universities around the world.
Which aspects of your training contract do you enjoy the most? How do you think your training contract will benefit your career?
Almost daily, newspaper headlines highlight scandals facing banks: the PPI and interest rate swap mis-selling, LIBOR manipulation, large trading losses etc. Since Clifford Chance acts for most of the global commercial and investment banks, much of my first six months as a trainee was spent as part of a team of lawyers tasked with responding to these regulatory and reputational challenges that the our clients faced.
I am currently on secondment to the legal department of RBS responsible for supporting the bank sell its non-core businesses and its participation in the Government's Asset Protection Scheme (APS). This department is responsible for providing legal advice to the bank when disposing of assets which no longer form part of its current strategy.
Since working for CC exposes you to high profile work in finance and business both in London and overseas, I feel that I am well placed for a successful career in financial law.
What advice would you give anyone considering applying for a training contract?
First, I would advise a student to try and work out which type of law most interests them in practice and type of law firm they would enjoy working for. To do this, I'd recommended speaking to people in the profession, obtaining work experience placements and/or open days at law firms in order to find out which type of work and type of firm best suits them.
Once the type of law and firm has been established a student should read the websites of the firms which they have identified as ones where they would like to work, in order to see what the firm says about what they look for when recruiting trainees. Then, when completing application forms, give practical examples of achievements that demonstrate the skills the firm is looking for.
One last thing... it's very competitive to get a training contract so don't be disheartened if you don't get interviews on your first attempt at applying (applications can be made in your second year as law firms often recruit two years in advance - however it is now much more common to secure a training contract later than this, as I did) . It takes time and experience to hone your CV but if you persevere you'll get results!
More information about training contracts is available from The Law Society.
