Law Careers for International students

1. UCL Careers Service Law Careers for International students Eric Evans UCL Careers Service

2. What skills do you have? Organisational Skills • Planning and organising • Working as a team Client Orientation • Commercial awareness • Client relationships Professional Skills • Legal Knowledge • Drafting Skills • Negotiation • Attention to Detail Interpersonal Skills • Articulate • Listening Skills • Written Communication What skills do you need to develop?

3. What experiences can you gain that will …give you the knowledge about your career…develop your skills Make use of your Careers Service Focus on Law Week • Lunchtime Forums 2-6 November Law Fair 16th and 17th November Law Faculty programme • in co-operation with Student Law Societies, the Department Careers Tutor and Patrice Ware Be proactive to grab more experiences • Get experience, mini pupillages, pupillages, relevant experience, voluntary work

4. Getting the experiences Vacation placement, mini pupillages and training: Pro bono programme within faculty chambersandpartners.com/student lawcareers.net studentlaw.com UCL VSU www.freerepresentationunit.org.uk Information on firms and latest legal developments gti.co.uk tsg.org venables.co.uk/legal Icclaw.com doctorjob.com Drink in as much information as you can Talk to any lawyers and trainees you know

5. Keep thinking about your skills Develop examples that: prove these skills to yourself andsuccessfully communicate to an employer Compile, polish and practice 10 highlights from Academic, work, and extra-curricular experience Outline examples by: Situation - the setting Task - the problem or task Action - the focus of your example, what specific steps did take to solve the problem Result - how effective These examples provide the foundation of your Covering Letter, CV, Application Form, even Networking

6. Covering Letter Tailor each letter to each position Structure clearly to say: • Who you are/why you’re writing to them • Why you want that particular role • Why you want to work for them • Why you are suited to both the role and organisation Be formal; remember it’s a business document Be accurate; spelling, punctuation and grammar Can be a speculative letter

7. What is the purpose of a CV? • Present yourself well on paper • Be specific to the job • Give enough relevant information – qualifications, skills, work experience • Give the right impression –motivation, knowledge of role and organisation • Set the agenda for the interview –what do you want to be asked? An effective CV should win you an interview

8. What’s different about a UK-style CV? • UK employers expect a CV to focus clearly on relevant skills and experience. • Employers expect a CV to be targeted to their vacancy. • Employers don’t expect a set format but expect to see certain required information. • CV’s are seen as a professional business document

9. The Golden Rules • Maximum 2 pages • No photos • Check spelling, grammar and punctuation • Don’t waffle – stay to the point • To catch a fish think like a fish

10. Basic CV structure Essential • Personal details do need how to contact you don’t need Date of Birth, Nationality, Gender • Education history may divide into relevant and other give concrete examples for skills developed • References available upon request Optional • Personal profile – make it specific and sharp not generic and dull • Positions of responsibility • Volunteering if you list it, explain the relevance • Interests / Leisure Activities

11. Applying for work and experience in the UK and in your home country Know the differences Prospects country specific information http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Explore working_and_studying_abroad/Country_specific_information/ Economist Country briefings http://www.economist.com/countries/ Global Resume and CV Guide Live & Work in…. …more in the Careers Service Library

12. More possible resources • International recruitment consultancies • Individual country directories, eg Graduan (Malaysia) • Chambers of Commerce for information on UK-based companies operating overseas • The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for lists of companies according to country - www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk • Foreign and Commonwealth Office website Directory - details of UK based Embassies representing overseas countries and lists of British Embassies overseas • International JobOnline - www.careers.lon.ac.uk/ijo • UCL Alumni http://www.ucl.ac.uk/alumni/ • International job search websites http://international.monster.co.uk/ http://www.overseasjobs.com/ http://www.rileyguide.com/intlinfo.html

13. Groups for information and networks European Law Students Association http://www.elsa.org/ Society of Asian Lawyers http://www.societyofasianlawyers.org/ The Association of Muslim Lawyers http://www.aml.org.uk/ International Law Students Organisation http://www.ilsa.org/ London Young Lawyers http://www.lylg.org.uk/ UCL Law Society http://uclawsoc.blogspot.com/ UCL LLM Society http://www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/current/graduate/llm-society/index.shtml

14. Sell your UK experience • You have gained valuable academic knowledge. Reflect the precise skills and techniques you have developed. • You have broadened your knowledge by learning something of another culture. An awareness of different cultures is one of the main criteria in many careers. • You have improved your language skills. • You may have taken on part-time jobs or work experience, developing more skills. • You might also have been on student committees, organised events or been a course representative. • UCL Ranked 4th - QS World University Rankings

15. International Challenges • Be clear about your immigration options • Guide to Post Study Work: 16th & 30th November • Visa Options Post-Graduation: 10th & 17th May • Visit UCL Rights & Advice unit • Not all employers willing to deal with visa issues • Your search will be more demanding than that of a UK graduate – prepare for this • Make the most of the Tier 1: Post Study Work scheme

16. International opportunities Register of sponsors from the UK Border Agency http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/employersan sponsors/pointsbasedsystem/pbsregisterofsponsors Directory of International employers http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/sd/careers/is/getting-a-job/directory-of -international-employers International Internship Section of the American Bar Association Website http://www.abanet.org/intlaw/internprofiles.html#uk SEO Londonoffers training, mentoring and summer vacation scheme placements with a range of corporate law firms in London. http://www.seo-london.com/corporate-law-vacation-placement-scheme

17. Becoming a Solicitor • Legal Practice Course (1 year) • Training Contract (2 years) • Including Professional Skills Course • Qualified Solicitor Becoming a Barrister • Bar Professional Training Course - 1 year • Pupillage -1 year shadowing a pupil master in chambers • Tenancy in Chambers or Employed Bar

18. Timeline for penultimate year - Prospects.ac.uk Autumn term • Research and apply for Christmas vacation placements • Attend Career Fairs and events December • Apply for Easter/Summer placements Spring • Investigate alternative work experience/visits May/June • Research training contracts. After exam results, submit online applications for training contracts commencing 2012 • Most large firms have 31st July deadlines Summer Vacation • Make full use of Summer vacation for relevant experience

19. Timeline for final year - Prospects.ac.uk August/September • Interviews for training contracts October • Apply for full time LPC course www.lawcabs.ac.uk • Plan your financial arrangements for the course • Continue to research/apply for training contracts Spring • Enrol with the Solicitors Regulation Authority by 1 April • Accept offer of LPC place Autumn • Start LPC • Continue training contract applications/ interviews as necessary http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/sectors/law_sector.jsp www.lawsociety.org.uk Solicitors Regulation Authority www.sra.org.uk

20. Qualifying for the New York BarThe Law Society • Lawyers with foreign law degrees may qualify to take the bar examination if they can demonstrate that their legal education is the qualitative and quantative equivalent of the legal education requirements to those who have received their education in the USA. • If not, applicants must complete a programme of a minimum 20 credit hours at an ABA-approved law school. • Solicitors qualified in England and Wales must have 3 years' formal education in order to sit the New York State bar examination. • Solicitors who have qualified via the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL formerly Common Professional Examination) route are not recognised as having an adequate legal qualification in order to sit the bar examination. These candidates must complete an additional 20 hours of study. • Solicitors who have qualified via the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test (QLTT) would have to demonstrate that they have a first degree in law acquired after three years' full-time or four years' part-time study.

21. New York Bar continued • Candidates can have their legal education evaluated by the New York State Board of Bar Examiners, forms to do this can be downloaded from the Board's website. http://www.nybarexam.org/foreign/foreignlegaleducation.htm • A Foreign Legal Consultant license allows lawyers qualified in a non-US jurisdiction to provide legal services in the State of New York on their home country law or the laws of other jurisdictions in which they are qualified if they are a member in good standing of a recognised legal profession in a foreign country and have been engaged in a practice of law for at least three of the five years immediately preceding the application.

22. What can the careers service do for you? • Quick query session • CV and application form checks • Recruitment events, presentations, careers fairs • Practise psychometric tests • Careers discussions • Practice interviews 4th floor ULU Building Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY telephone: 0207 866 3600 email:careers@ucl.ac.uk www.ucl.ac.uk/careers Opening times: Mon - Thurs 9:30am - 5pm Friday 11am - 5pm • Law Faculty programme • Law Fair • Our programme for other Law Employer Presentations and Skills4Work • Society programmes and Firm open houses