A recent Q&A session on Guardian Careers threw up the fact that law is the third most popular degree option, according to the UCAS choices table. And the number of questions we received suggested that the competition for places isn't going to get any easier. When you add into this the recent research by High Fliers which suggests that law is one of two professions which will be offering fewer graduate places this year than last, getting a foot in the door can seem a daunting prospect.
We chat to Susan Wamanga-Wamai, a trainee solicitor at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer about what it takes to become a City solicitor, what her top tips for applicants are and just how you secure that illusive training contract.
Tell me about your background and why you wanted to pursue a career in the law.
I was born and grew up in Uganda, but moved to England for university. I studied law at Leeds University before doing an LLM in International Business Law at the London School of Economics.
While I knew that a law degree could lead on to several career options, I wasn't sure that I wanted to be a solicitor. I got interested in commercial law only when I went to an event for ethnic minority students organized by TargetChances and learned about City law firms and what exactly their solicitors do.
How competitive is the legal recruitment market for graduates?
To work as a City solicitor you need to secure a training contract and, as anyone who has tried will tell you, this can at times be both daunting and stressful. There are not enough training contracts to go round and the competition is even stiffer right now, because of a backlog of trainee-hopefuls who were not able to get training contracts during the recession. However, there are jobs out there, you just have to work hard to get them.
What was the application process like?
The application process really begins with going to law fairs, workshops and presentations to find out what kind of firm you want to work for and what kind of lawyer you want to be. I went during my LLM year, but the earlier you start this process the better — ideally in your first year at university.
I applied to do a vacation scheme (a sort of extended work placement) at Freshfields so I could get a real feel for the firm and the kind of work its lawyers get involved in. Although a vacation scheme is not required to get a training contract, it does help a firm get to know you better and vice versa.
Applying for a vacation scheme is similar to applying for a job. You need to complete an application form (what it will contain varies from firm to firm but expect questions along the line of: "describe a time you have demonstrated initiative") and then you'll be invited to interview. If you get an interview make sure you have to know your application form inside-out and be ready to expand on what you have written. I was asked about specific experiences I had mentioned, other careers I had considered and optional subjects I had chosen to study at university (among others).
At the end of the vacation scheme I applied for a training contract with the firm, which required me to write an updated personal statement about myself. I was also asked to complete an online verbal reasoning test, which I found quite tricky even though I had done practice tests. I then had to attend another interview, where the interviewers discussed an article I had been asked to read beforehand. They also asked me questions about myself and why I wanted to join the firm, based on my application form and covering letter.
The interview for the training contract itself was certainly more challenging than the interview for my vacation scheme, and I was much more nervous. To prepare, I spent hours reading various articles in the business pages of newspapers. A useful tip, that I found out a bit late, is to try and avoid giving responses that you think the interviewers want to hear, especially if they are not entirely true. If your favourite subject is criminal law and not company law, it's ok to say so!
What advice would you give to students thinking about a career in the law?
A lot of students begin to think about their law careers only in their second year — which is too late. First year grades actually do matter to firms, who are often interviewing you then for vacation schemes.
To get a training contract, though, you need to have a life outside the library. Grades can't show what sort of person you are, or whether you'll be enjoyable to work with, firms want to get an idea of your personality. I worked in a bar, the university shop and the accommodation office, as well as being a sub-warden in my halls of residence.
Law firms will also want to know that you have thought through your decision to become a solicitor. You can find out a lot from campus presentations but spending some time at firms, either through open days or vacation schemes, can be invaluable.
What were your initial impressions of life as a lawyer?
I expected to be working until after midnight every day when I started work — that is the classic image of a City lawyer. While you do have to stay late when you're needed, it was good to find out that this isn't the norm and most nights I leave the office by 7pm.
I was also apprehensive about getting lost among all the other bright trainees and not having the opportunity to get involved in any of the "big deals" you hear so much about. But my experience has been pretty varied. This summer, for example, I'm spending time in our office in Dubai on a six-month secondment. It's great to get that kind of opportunity.
I have, to be sure, had my share of character-building moments and late nights. You have to be committed to the job to enjoy it and to feel you are making the contribution that the firm is trusting you to make.
What are your career goals?
When I return to London in September, I will qualify as an associate in the Finance team and expect to face (another) steep learning curve with new challenges and more responsibility.
As I am just starting a new stage in my career, I have not thought too far ahead in terms of where I want to be in the longer term but I'm confident that the skills I develop during my time there will prepare me for whatever I decide to do.
