Muse about the news: Philpott case and the 'Craig's List' Killer

In the light of recent news I know a lot of people will be asking the same question: Does life mean life?

After the devastating case of the death of 6 children in a house fire in Derby due to the actions of their parents and a family friend and over in the States the 'Craig's list killer', it's not surprising that people would ask such a question.
The treatment of these two cases have been very different. In the UK, the father was sentenced to life with a minimum of 15 years to be served, and two 17 year sentences for the mother and family friend of which half must be served. In contrast to this the 'Craig's list' killer received the death penalty.
Now, it is important to point out that in the UK the sentence was that of manslaughter and in the US it was of aggravated murder.
But the treatment of these two cases separated by the 'big pond' in between got me thinking. Do people in the UK know what a life sentence entails? In the UK, life does actually mean life. You serve your minimum term and if you are no longer a risk to the public you are released on a PERMANENT licence. If you commit another crime then you go straight back to prison. If you are deemed to still be a risk then you stay in prison until it is decided otherwise.
In the US it's very different, they have death row and the death penalty after all.
I would NEVER advocate the death penalty, I do not believe that anyone has the right to take another life but in light of the news in the UK I can sympathise with why people would think such a sentence would be appropriate for this heinous act.
The presiding judge noted that this was a case with no precedent in law. From this comment we can adduce that this was a VERY unique case.

Our thoughts are with the family of the Philpott children and with the families of the victims of the 'Craig's list' killer.

In house lawyers... Another new frontier?

I love when I hear about new routes into the profession. Granted, I am not a traditionalist, I believe it is the traditionalist system that protects the elite and hinders diversity within the profession. But in house lawyers, now that is intriguing.
As much as this came as a surprise to me on reflection it shouldn't have. Apple have in house lawyers, football clubs have them, even Tesco has them! But is this an option many people will take... Let's explore it!

In house lawyers take care of the legal needs to their company. This can vary from a day to day basis depending on the companies needs.
Training contracts are available in house, to find out more check out the Law Society website, but most lawyers train in private practice before moving in house. GLS (Government Legal Services), CPS (which is currently undergoing a re-launch) and local authorities also do the same. Now, this may not be the corporate dream that you've always wished for but in this current climate where finding a TC is like panning for gold I believe all options should be explored.
The best place to find additional information would be your careers service, I must say that the Arts & Law career service at the University of Birmingham is AMAZING!
Aside from this, the best way to find an in house opportunity would be during a secondment but obviously this will only apply if you have already got a TC. Secondments will also help you to become 'commercially aware' to the needs of business clients and give you a firm grounding in the practice of commercial law.
The skills needed to be an in house lawyer would include everything you already do at your firm but with a flash of business acumen. You need to 'talk the language' of the business, understand their commercial needs and be tuned into the team you work with. Communication is paramount.
The pay might not be that great, the teams are smaller and the opportunities for progression might decrease compared to private practice but this could be a great stepping stone for those that want a career in law but don;t want to take the traditional route.

Is the LPC on its last legs?

Well, isn't this intriguing! Last week Oxford Brookes decided to discontinue their LPC putting part time students and those who were offered places in a very difficult situation. There is a requirement that all modules be completed at the same establishment putting part time students in particular in a position best know as limbo.

According to reports, the decision to discontinue the LPC came after 'consultation' but not with the actual students themselves. I find this worrying. LPC's aren't cheap, one of the MANY reasons that students such as myself and others try for the elusive training contract (TC). But where does this leave the students? They are yet to find out!
Arguably the close of Oxford Brookes could have been due to the same reason a lot of other LPC providers have ceased to continue, a slump in numbers. In my own opinion I think this is due to high course fees and low chance of success at finding a TC.
It's sad to see something like the LPC on it's way out. As someone who would LOVE to undertake an LPC (with the support of a training contract) it feels like the end of an era: doing your LLB, the joy of getting a TC, starting your LPC, qualifying into the working world..... But that's just for the lucky ones.
But it is always important to remember that there are other alternatives to the LPC of which I am also exploring such as the ILEX.
There have been recent developments concerning routes into the legal profession. From my observations there has been a lot of input into catching people at the pre- degree stage. As amazing as I think this is as an opportunity it does not help people like myself who have done their degree and now want to progress to the next level. 
I guess we'll see how this all pans out. From my perspective I think it's been a long time coming and the whole way in which people are trained to become lawyers/ barristers needs to be re-evaluated in the current climate of Tesco law and the likes. Hopefully the big guys in charge will take note of these prestigious institutes cutting their LPC's loose and look to reform the system in a way that is sustainable and fit for purpose.

Revision... Isn't it a pain?!

As all you law students (and just students in general) know the exam period is looming so I thought I'd drop by between doing my own exam prep to give out a few tips. They've worked for me in the past and hopefully they'll work for me in the future as well (I live in hope LOL!)

So here's my TOP TIPS for exam revision success:

1. Start early: now this may be a given but I know from a lot of my friends this doesn't always happen. Try to start your revision now so when the time comes and you open that paper it's not like someone has just ripped your heart out and stamped on it
2. Make a revision time table: sit down and work out where you have pockets of time, an hour here a half hour there and dedicate these to your revision. You know what your weakest and strongest subjects are so you should (hopefully) be able to dedicate your time appropriately. It is your degree after all!
3. Make portable revision cards: this is something that has worked and continues to work for me. Despite thinking you never have any free time you actually do. Between waiting for the bus, waiting outside a lecture room or just waiting for a friend there is ALWAYS some free time to get revising. I recommend record cards, you can get them from Rymans, Wilkinsons or any other stationary shop.
4.  Don't write too much on the revision cards: for me I know trigger words work a treat especially for cases. Just take the main points and stick to them (case name, fact, decision)
5. Stay dedicated: it's not enough to just make the cards and then let them sit on your desk until the fateful exam period begins. Be proactive, it will MORE than pay off in the long run!

I hope these tips have helped! I know they've helped me and although they seem obvious when thinking about exams all norms and common sense go out of the window!!

Is anyone else feeling out of place? London and Diversity

Now I promised you a blog about my Linklaters event and about black and ethnic minorities and low and behold I get to kill these two birds with one GIANT stone!

Tuesday the 4th of December was meant to be an epic day for me. It was a landmark day for many reasons and here are a few: it was my first trip to London by myself (I know at 22 this shouldn't be such an achievement), it would be my first experience in a big London city firm and I was to take part in a live commercial awareness event. Now I use the term taking part but I will clarify this later on.

So, Tuesday the 4th. All the way to London I was panicking, what if they don't like me, what if I feel out of place, I hope there are other people there like me.... The list of agonising questions goes on.

When I arrived at the Linklaters offices on Silk Street I was MOST impressed. It was everything I imagined from a firm of its calibre. Clean, open spaces  nice receptionist, quick sign in process.... They even had water which was a step up from when they came to my university for an event considering I had to request water like I was requesting a fine wine in a restaurant. 

There was a lot of milling around and small talk, both of which I could have avoided but I did get to meet some very nice undergraduate girls who like me were nervous about the whole thing. The email that we all received to request our company on the night didn't really give a lot away about how the night was going to run. I'm not sure if this was a tactic done by Linklaters to enhance the feeling of anticipation or they just weren't sure either but I have to give it to them, anticipation won out on the night. 

I was disappointed to find out that the questions were pre- selected, this wasn't the impression I had from the email. I had prepared a few questions of my own to ask which went unanswered. I guess they wanted things to run smoothly but I would have liked a more on their toes kind of approach that I have come to expect from Linklaters. Or at least this is how they sell themselves to the graduate public like myself. 
I strongly believe the trip to Hong Kong was pre-selected as well. From those that I spoke to we got the impression that it was to be announced on the night. I don't know how they came to the conclusion of who was to be the winner or what criteria it was based on but it would have been nice to know to see if I even had a chance in the first place. My whole purpose for going was because I thought it would be announced on the night, I could have just stayed at home and watched it online to save myself the hassle.  From the girl's impression that won she did not look very surprised. So I left with my questions unanswered and my dreams of Hong Kong shattered.  

Now, on to the subject of minorities in law. I'll make it brief within this post because I would like to address this issue fully at a later. Put simply I was the ONLY black, Muslim woman in the room. 
Now let me address this criteria separately but in brief. I was not the only black person in the room, there was only one other black girl and she looked as awkward as me about that fact.
I was not the only Muslim in the room. There was one other Muslim girl but she was not wearing hijab (a term used to refer to the head scarf covering). I didn't find out she was Muslim until the event was finished and she approached me and asked how I felt about being the only visibly Muslim woman in the room.
And from what I have already written it can be deduced that I was not the only woman in the room. But even there I felt slightly uncomfortable. It seemed like more of a fashion and beauty parade than a legal event with the way people were dressed. To be honest I felt rather under dressed. 
Now, I'm not saying that they needed to fill the room to the brim with black, Muslim females but jheeze, just one other would have been nice.

In relation to this point I would also like to address the people of the panel on the night. There were 4 panelists. 3 white middle aged males and one middle aged female. Now, pertinent to commercial awareness is the ability to put yourself in the client's shoes. In this scenario, I would consider us, the audience, to be the client. And here's where I started to seriously doubt Linklaters. Who were the people that I was supposed to relate to on that panel? Is it enough that I identify with them on a professional level? Is this even possible at the current stage of my career? I don't think so. I was left lacking interest and faith in the firm when I realised this was it. After selling themselves to me personally as a firm that prides themselves on diversity within the firm I failed to see the diversity in that panel. Yes there was one woman but she seemed soo removed from my beginnings and my self how could I identify with her as lovely as she was?
All in all I can't completely fail the experience. I got to see the firm for what it is and this has helped me to figure out where I would fit into such a place. But at the same time I was forced into getting a real grip on myself with this law as a business. Times have not changed so much that it doesn't matter about the colour of your skin, your sex or your background. Things ARE changing slowly, but notions things still linger around like a bad smell. 

Don't let my experience put you off applying to Linklaters or any other firm, just be strong in your convictions and know that one day you will get there. you will be the first of your kind and others will look to you and think "WOW, if they can do it i can do it to!"

Take care,

Christal

So you need legal work experience... To get experience? I'm confused too!

Ok, so this post is about something that JUST this moment occurred to me! The title of this post is: So you need legal work experience... To get experience? I'm confused too!

And in essence I would be inclined to tell you that the answer is yes... And let me explain.

I have been applying for vacation schemes recently (closing dates on most are the 31 of January if you didn't know) and the questions have been pretty much what I expected. Why do you want to be a commercial lawyer? Where do you see yourself in the firm? Describe a position of responsibility you have held in school or college? Blah, blah, blah.....

And then you get to the work experience part of the online application. And if you're like me you start to panic. Yes I have undertaken legal work experience, I've worked in my local CAB, did a week in the Birmingham Crown Courts and a solicitors around the corner from there but then it hit me. I need legal work experience to gain legal work experience?

Surely, that can't be true. But it is! After having one application rejected on that basis it got me thinking. Between the ages of 16-21 you are expected to suck up every legally inspired position you can find, while studying and if your families anything like mine dealing with a WHOLE load of stress. Then you get to uni, and if you went to the University of Derby you will know that legal work experience was restricted to the type of module you undertake i.e. the Skills module in 3rd year. This may have changed now but this was the case at the time. So where is this experience meant to come from other than the CAB which I am now thinking may not even be enough.

Then you go for a post graduate degree to invest in your future and develop your skills, and you find out all the pro bono work is aimed at undergraduates and you are no longer an undergraduate so this is no help to you at all. So you go back to the CAB, where you started, to gain MORE work experience.

Now, I'm not saying law was ever going to be easy. And for me it's not a bed of roses, I'm a black, Muslim woman (blog post coming in the future on this topic) hitting at least 3 of the under recruited sectors in the working world but come on! Someone give me a break!!

In realising all of this I thought I'd give my top 4 points on how to prepare yourself for this particular section of the online application forms, especially if you're just thinking about a career in law and you're either still in secondary school, just about to start your degree or you're a post graduate like me. 

1. A lot of firms are now participating in schemes that encourage secondary school pupils to pursue a career in law. Grab this opportunity with BOTH hands! Nothing even on this scale was available to me when I was in secondary school and I think this is a GREAT initiative. 
2. Contact your local CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau). It may not be glamorous to start with but it's good hands on experience and cannot be passed up because you don't want to roll up your sleeves and get down to the nitty gritty.
3. Write and phone as many law firms as you can, asking for a week, or even a day of shadowing someone for experience. It may feel like you're cold calling like a sales person but this is your career, it requires work to reach the top.
4. Start your own pro bono work. Now this may sound daunting but it is something I am looking into myself because of the SERIOUS lack of post graduate opportunities there are at my university. Any changes that could be made to the system unfortunately will be made too late to benefit me in any way. If you see a niche or something that needs doing, do it. As the phrase goes if you want something done properly you have to do it yourself.

On the topic of transferable skills, I would say don't underestimate these either but you will need to sell them HARD like you work on a market stall. In my opinion, firms say they want transferable skills but I'd imagine they're take legal work over these any time. Join societies and clubs but don't let them cloud the end goal. playing for the local 5-a-side sounds good but where does the law come in?

Well, I hope this helps. Feel free to leave comments and tell me your experiences with legal and non- legal work experiences. 
I'm going to a commercial awareness panel at Linklaters LLP this evening (post on this coming soon). Commercial awareness is always a tricky one to pin point and hopefully I'll be able to help you with that as well.

Take Care,
Christal :D

Hello and Welcome to my blog "The Good, the Bad and The Legal!"

My name is Christal Williams I am a future lawyer (or that's what those of use who are scrabbling for vacation schemes and training contracts would like to think!).

Keeping this to the 'legal format' I have attained a 2:1 qualifying law degree in Law (International Law) and my A level results are A B C (below what most firms are looking for but I will persevere).

As many of the law students out there I am currently applying for schemes and training contracts in law firms, mostly because as most of the legal student population  I cannot afford to pay upfront for an LPC. This is nothing new to those of us who are banging away at our keys trying to remember why we wanted to do law and what positions of responsibility we have held during school or college!!

Like most I have dreams of being a City lawyer. And by City lawyer I mean having the luxury to grab a subsidised tea (or coffee) at the in house restaurant while checking my emails on my iPhone or Blackberry in the lift to my office which I share with another solicitor before checking the in tray on my desk for new assignments. Did I capture the dream well?

The most helpful thing you can do to help your chances, in my opinion, to gain one of these elusive training contracts or even a vacation scheme (more elusive than a unicorn spouting pineapple fizzy soda from the front and money from the back) is to book an appointment with the careers adviser in your respective universities. I did this and it did WONDERS not just for my application but for my self esteem.

My hopes and aspirations for this blog is to bring the concept of 'commercial awareness' to life (something that was MUCH needed when I was at undergrad) and to share my experiences and news stories that interest me to you. 

You are not alone in this, law is no picnic in the park but we've all got to get there at some point in time. 

Persevere with the vacation scheme and training contract applications, they're all worth it in the end.

Christal :D

P.S. I'm hoping to make these blog posts a regular thing so people feel free to comment on what you'd like me to cover or any important issues you think are affecting law students today.