Tips and FAQs for early careers at Nash & Co Solicitors

Before you begin your legal career, we’d strongly suggest that you spend time planning and preparing everything that you’re going to need in order to stand out. You’ve got some big questions and challenges ahead of you - where in the country do you want to work, which areas of law are you most interested in, what kind of opportunities are you looking for? Are you only looking for training contracts or are you open to other job openings, such as paralegals etc.

We’ve put together some handy tips and advice from an employer’s point of view, about what we’re looking for, and how you can make a positive impression both before and during the recruitment process. We hope you find this useful.

1. Get a head start: prepare while you’re at University

Your pursuit of legal employment begins long before graduation day. Make the most of your time in law school by embracing opportunities that can set you apart:

  • Internships and Work Experience: Practical exposure through internships or placements gives you invaluable insight into the legal profession. It enhances your CV and provides a real-world understanding of legal practice.

  • Networking: Building relationships with your professors, alumni, and practicing legal professionals is key. These connections can lead to guidance, mentorship, and job opportunities.

2. Create a standout CV and cover letter

Your CV and cover letter represent your first impression with potential employers:

  • Tailor Your CV: Highlight relevant experience, skills, and achievements. Focus on internships, placements, and any legal research or writing you’ve undertaken.

  • Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter should show your passion for law, your knowledge of the firm or organisation, and why you’re the right candidate for the job.

3. Networking: the key to opportunities

Networking remains one of the most important aspects of a successful job search:

  • Attend Events: Take part in legal networking events, conferences, and professional association meetings. These gatherings are great for meeting potential employers and mentors.

  • Alumni Networks: Your school’s alumni network is a treasure trove of insights, advice, and possibly direct job referrals.

  • Social Media Presence: Join professional groups on LinkedIn or other platforms to stay connected with the legal community and discover job postings.

4. Ace your interviews

Securing an interview is an achievement in itself. Be prepared to leave a strong impression:

  • Prepare, prepare, prepare: Learn as much as you can about the firm or organisation. Understand their practice areas, their ethos, and any recent key cases or projects.

  • Practice Your Responses: Anticipate common interview questions and rehearse your answers. Be ready to discuss your experiences, strengths, and how you’ll contribute to the firm.

  • Demonstrate Professionalism: Dress appropriately, arrive on time, and bring any required documents. Show enthusiasm and confidence throughout the interview process.

5. Explore alternative legal career paths

The legal field is diverse, with opportunities beyond the traditional law firm setting:

  • Consider Non-Traditional Roles: Think about roles in compliance, legal consultancy, academia, or in-house counsel positions. These career paths offer rewarding experiences that still allow you to use your legal knowledge.

  • Stay Open to Different Paths: Your first role doesn’t dictate your entire career. Being open to various opportunities can lead to unexpected and rewarding journeys.

6. Stay informed and keep learning

The legal landscape is constantly evolving. Keep yourself ahead by staying informed and continually improving your skills:

  • Stay Current on Legal News: Following legal developments and regulatory changes will help set you apart from other candidates and enrich your knowledge during interviews.

  • Pursue Additional Training: Consider gaining certifications or specialised training that align with your interests. This can enhance your competitiveness and broaden your career opportunities.

7. Stay resilient and keep a positive mindset

Job searching can be tough and can often be disheartening, but persistence is key:

  • Handle Rejections Gracefully: Rejections are part of the journey. Learn from them and keep pushing forward and don’t burn bridges; you never know where your career path will take you or who you’ll encounter in the future!

  • Resilience Pays Off: Continuously improve your application materials and interview techniques. With determination and effort, you’ll eventually land that first role.

Tips and advice from our Trainees and recently qualified Solicitors

Louis Brown
Solicitor - Employment Team

If you have work experience in the legal sector, that’s great – make sure to include that! This could be anything from vacation schemes to shadowing to being involved in a legal clinic. Even if you don’t have a lot of legal experience, you can emphasise your transferrable skills from other types of work (such as problem solving, teamwork and communication) – non-legal jobs have lots of qualities that are valuable to law firms too!

Roslyn Dawe
Trainee Solicitor - Employment Team

Never be afraid to ask questions, you may not want to disturb your team who all look very busy, but (largely) there are no ‘silly’ questions. I can guarantee you that lots of trainees before you will have probably asked it too, and you won’t be the last either! It’s also very likely that asking that question will spur a conversation about that subject matter which will mean you can form greater connections with your team. Asking questions also demonstrates that you’re passionate and interested in your work, and, at the end of the day, people are there to support and help you.

Sophi Carroll
Trainee Chartered Legal Executive - Family Team

I wanted to find out a bit more information about firms before I applied for any training roles, in order to make sure that the firm was right for me, and that I was right for the firm. I found it really helped to go to legal networking and social events to meet lawyers so that I could learn more about them, and the firms that they work at. Before I applied for a job at Nash & Co Solicitors, I went along to a number of events and was lucky enough to speak to some lawyers from Nash. I really liked learning about the firm and everything they stood for. I applied for a paralegal role with the firm, and after a short time, I was offered a training position.

Alex Meyer
Trainee Chartered Legal Executive - Conveyancing Team

As someone who studied through CILEX, my best advice would be to look into different ways of becoming qualified. Although it has taken slightly longer than the more traditional route it has given me the opportunity to work alongside my studies to gain valuable skills and knowledge. Some routes to qualification may suit you better than others and you don’t always have to follow the crowd when it comes to qualification.

Frequently Asked Questions about starting your legal career

  • Several core skills are needed to be a good lawyer - many of them you can work on during your time as a student or in the workplace. The particular strengths that will help you the most are:

    • Intellectual ability

    • Motivation

    • Resilience

    • Hard work

    • Accuracy & attention to detail

    • Teamwork

    • Leadership

    • Problem solving

    • Communication skills

    • Commercial awareness

  • Law firms need their lawyers to be 'commercially aware'. Lawyers need to understand their clients' business or personal circumstances and the environment in which they are operating. The more 'comercially aware' lawyers can spot and suggest solutions to potential problems that the client may face. Firms are looking for a combination of basic knowledge, common sense, interest and enthusiasm for commercial matters.

  • Most firms are looking to recruit a balance of law and non-law graduates - in fact roughly half of all lawyers are from non-law backgrounds. Here at Nash & Co, some of our Solicitors have very different backgrounds than you would probably expect. We have a history graduate, a zoology graduate, a former nurse, a former retail worker, a previous legal administrator, and a number of former paralegals too.

  • The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (or SQE for short), was introduced in 2021 to replace the LPC as the assessments that all Solicitors must pass in order to qualify. It's designed to ensure that all qualified Solicitors are of the same high standard, regardless of what career or studying route they took.

    Unlike the GDL or LPC, the SQE isn't a course, but instead a series of exams that are divided into two stages.

  • If you're a Trainee Solicitor at Nash & Co Solicitor, we'll do all we can to help you qualify at the earliest opportunity and do so with flying colours.

    Our programme offers you comprehensive training, valuable hands-on experience and structured support from a dedicated supervisor and senior mentor, who will ensure that everything is going to plan.

    Our trainees will work alongside experienced solicitors and partners, getting some great hands on experience and building their knowledge, first hand.

    Finally, we'll ensure that you have the time and resources necessary in order to prepare for both SQE1 and SQE2 exams. We’ll also give you study leave around the important lead up time to the exams.

    We're not interested in you just being able to pass exams, we want to help develop a talented and well rounded lawyer who understands the importance of exceptional client service, the need for clear communication, as well as the technical aspects of the law. We want someone who is going to contribute to life at Nash & Co Solicitors, get stuck in with our environmental and community commitments, and who's going to get the most out of the whole experience.

  • We are not going to pull the wool over your eyes here, a Trainee Solicitor role is very highly sought after. But don't let that put you off.

    There are a lot less Trainee Solicitor roles than there are graduates looking for them.

    You're going to need to find a way to stand out among everyone else who's applying for the same role.

    That could be through gaining work experience, networking and the quality of your preparation for the application and interview process.