Careers & Employability

Students will be supported by the University’s Careers & Employability Service and the School of Law:

The Careers & Employability Service (situated in the ISS Building, reception 513266, email careers@swansea.ac.uk) provides high quality advice on graduate opportunities. This is supplemented by handouts and information booklets you can take away. In addition, a number of computer based systems are available which can help you identify your skills, abilities, values and interests, and thus the most suitable career. There is also advice on how to write curriculum vitae, and how to approach employers generally. Careers materials may also be found when you log in to blackboard and access ‘Careers’: here there is guidance on writing cvs, skills acquisition and many links to law related websites. The School’s link person at Careers is Catherine Allemano email C.M.Allemano@Swansea.ac.uk. Appointments may be made to discuss careers and employability issues by contacting Careers on 513266.   

The School of Law has an Undergraduate Careers Tutor, Mr Jane Williams (email jane.m.williams@swansea.ac.uk) and the School’s Employability Officer is Dr Jon Howden-Evans (email j.p.howden-evans@swansea.ac.uk).  Both will provide further guidance during your time with us.  Students are also referred to the School’s Employability Notice Board for details of placement opportunites and career talks

New for 2010/11

The School will provide practical career sessions to assist Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 and GDL students in achieving their career ambitions.  These are timetabled sessions that take place during the first few weeks of the lecture cycle in October.  The sessions have been designed to answer your questions and will cover a range of topics including:

• your career options
• the job application process
• how to choose the right employer for you
• what to put in your application form / CV and covering letter
• what to do when attending for interview or on work placement

There is no preparation work (or homework as such!), all you need to do is come along with your questions. Whilst there are no “credits” awarded for these sessions, they will prove to be just as valuable as your module lectures.

Steps to take at university if you want a career in the legal profession

You must make sure that your degree is a qualifying degree (by studying all of the legal foundation subjects as stipulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or Bar Council) so that you are exempt from taking the one year conversion course for students with non-qualifying degrees (the GDL). 

During your first year, do what you can to arrange vacation placements with firms of solicitors, the Crown Prosecution Service, the legal departments of local authorities or large undertakings. It may also be interesting for you to do a mini pupillage (i.e. a short period of work experience) with a barrister. It is never too soon to start doing this. It helps you to make contacts and it shows potential employers that you are dedicated to the pursuit of this branch of the profession. You should familiarise yourself with the Careers & Employability Service.  An early visit to Careers is essential.

WORK PLACEMENTS

A further opportunity which you might consider in the second year is the one year placement programme operated by the School with local law firms. Students who are successful in applying for this programme have the opportunity to work in a law firm and gain valuable experience for just under one year, before going on to level three of the undergraduate programme. The application process begins in January. Look out for information about this or contact the School Employability Officer (Dr Jon Howden-Evans) or the Administrator (Trish Rees).

The School also operates a Criminal Law work placement scheme for those studying Criminal Law (for more details students should refer to the Criminal Law blackboard site).

ENTERING THE LEGAL PROFESSION

Solicitors – Legal Practice Course (LPC)

Information on becoming a solicitor can be accessed at: http://www.sra.org.uk/students/lpc.page.  This link also details the providers who offer full time / part time LPC’s.  

During the summer following your second year, start applying for a training contract. Many of the large firms have closing dates around the end of August. Interviews for training contracts start from the 1st September of your final year.  Further dates will be provided by the Careers & Employability Service.

From October in your final year, you can apply for a place on the LPC via the Legal Practice Course Central Applications Board: http://www.lawcabs.ac.uk/.  From the beginning of February in your final year you should receive offers of places for the LPC. You must confirm that you intend to take up the offer before the stipulated date. You must also ensure that you contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to enrol as a student and obtain their confirmation that you have completed the academic stage of your training (i.e. the LLB).  Details of when and how to do this are at http://www.sra.org.uk/students/student-enrolment.page. Please note that some of the deadlines for enrollment occur in the spring of your final year. 

Swansea students undertaking the LPC at Swansea may do so at a discounted rate. Further details can be obtained from the course administrator, Mrs Sarah Holtom (email s.holtom@swansea.ac.uk).

Barristers – Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC)

Students should be aware that it is very difficult to become established at the bar. In general students are not advised to attempt it unless they are of a very high academic ability. More information on becoming a barrister can be accessed at http://www.become-a-barrister.com/.

Intending barristers must take the one year full time or two year part time BPTC offered by the Council of Legal Education. You can apply for a place from the autumn of your final year - see http://www.barcouncil.org.uk/CareersHome/TrainingtoBecomeaBarrister/BarProfessionalTrainingCourse/ for further details. You should have undertaken at least one vacation attachment before beginning to apply for a pupillage. Start your enquiries about pupillages in the summer of your second year. Applications can then be made from the start of your final year via a central website – please see http://www.barcouncil.org.uk/CareersHome/TrainingtoBecomeaBarrister/Pupillage/.  An offer of a pupillage may bring with it financial assistance through Bar School.   

You must be a member of one of the Inns of Court before you can embark upon the vocational stage of your training. Each Inn has a Student Officer who can provide a great deal of practical advice and assistance.