Do Magic Circle law firms care about work experience if it's at a small local law firm?

[ginevrafanshawe]

Hi all,

I am going to be applying for vacation schemes this year but unfortunately I do not have any legal work experience; I wasn't sure about becoming a solicitor until recently so didn't do the research and didn't know about first year schemes and open days. I have managed to get two weeks of work experience at a small property law firm near where I live - will the people reading my application at magic circle law firms and other large international commercial law firms care about this at all? I know it isn't the same as completing a first year scheme at one of these large firms, but I would still develop skills and an understanding of processes within law firms, and property is a practice area at many of these firms. I am definitely going to talk about it in my application, but how much do you think the admissions personnel will value it?

Thanks in advance for any responses!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi all,

I am going to be applying for vacation schemes this year but unfortunately I do not have any legal work experience; I wasn't sure about becoming a solicitor until recently so didn't do the research and didn't know about first year schemes and open days. I have managed to get two weeks of work experience at a small property law firm near where I live - will the people reading my application at magic circle law firms and other large international commercial law firms care about this at all? I know it isn't the same as completing a first year scheme at one of these large firms, but I would still develop skills and an understanding of processes within law firms, and property is a practice area at many of these firms. I am definitely going to talk about it in my application, but how much do you think the admissions personnel will value it?

Thanks in advance for any responses!

Yes - they will care a lot of about any work experience. Doesn’t matter what it is really - if anything I bet you got a better experience at the local firm than you would have done on a first year scheme where you might not have even done any actual work (just simulations and exercises).

 

[molly22]

Hi all,

I am going to be applying for vacation schemes this year but unfortunately I do not have any legal work experience; I wasn't sure about becoming a solicitor until recently so didn't do the research and didn't know about first year schemes and open days. I have managed to get two weeks of work experience at a small property law firm near where I live - will the people reading my application at magic circle law firms and other large international commercial law firms care about this at all? I know it isn't the same as completing a first year scheme at one of these large firms, but I would still develop skills and an understanding of processes within law firms, and property is a practice area at many of these firms. I am definitely going to talk about it in my application, but how much do you think the admissions personnel will value it?

Thanks in advance for any responses!

Hi
If you don’t have any legal work experience I wouldn’t worry. It’s not just the legal experience they look at . Even a part time job if you had one they would still have interest in that. It’s the skills and what your learnt from the job that matters. The 2 weeks experience you will take at that legal firm is good you can use that to elaborate on your area of interest at the firm your applying for. If it’s a small firm it does not matter they do not care they just want to look at your experience with a mix of other things too. Good luck !

 

[AvniD]

Hi all,

I am going to be applying for vacation schemes this year but unfortunately I do not have any legal work experience; I wasn't sure about becoming a solicitor until recently so didn't do the research and didn't know about first year schemes and open days. I have managed to get two weeks of work experience at a small property law firm near where I live - will the people reading my application at magic circle law firms and other large international commercial law firms care about this at all? I know it isn't the same as completing a first year scheme at one of these large firms, but I would still develop skills and an understanding of processes within law firms, and property is a practice area at many of these firms. I am definitely going to talk about it in my application, but how much do you think the admissions personnel will value it?

Thanks in advance for any responses!

Firms will likely value what you show them you value.

These two weeks could be incredibly educational if you throw yourself into them- speak to every person that you're working with, even if it may be uncomfortable putting yourself our there at first. Try to understand who the firm's clients are, what kind of legal issues the firm is generally engaged in solving, the legal techniques and solutions used by the firm's lawyers and how the firm works as a business.

This knowledge will be the most transferable to your TC applications at larger firms because you've essentially learnt how to think as a lawyer rather than how to practice law. Ensure you detail your experiences both in applications and interviews and show firms that you made the initiative to find out more about commercial law and are able to apply your knowledge to big and small firms alike.