Law Student Advisory

CV Writing/Review

Writing an effective CV is the first part of any job search tool. This is what will shape what options you have. Writing a CV is hard work and will take time to perfect. We are here to help advise what should be included and what should be discarded.

On top of providing advice on basic formatting and content, we are also here to help suggest what you should do to help boost the appeal of your CV. This could range anywhere from participating in volunteer work, legal placements, paralegal work, or business skills training. We will aim to help find you these placements at no additional cost to you.

Job Search Strategies

The dreaded job search. This is a big one and applies both at the graduate level, and as junior lawyers. We can advise you on the best time to apply for roles, and share with you techniques available to help you search out the jobs that are not immediately obvious. We can guide you on the jobs that you should be going after based on what you want to achieve.

We will assist and advise you through these search strategies, and be on hand to help when needed. Although we cannot write the application for you, we can suggest where to find the right information.

Application Advice

So you’ve gone through the effort of writing a killer CV and you’ve nailed the job search. Now its time to hit the apply button. However, this is where the hard stuff starts.

YLA will help you identify key weaknesses in your application form, and more importantly how to go about forging introductions. We will work through these with you to maximise your chances of success.

Always remember the 3P’s, Practice Practice Practice. You may not get it right first time, but we will make sure that you are given the chance that you need through providing active feedback and helpful tips and hints.

Transcript assessment and interpretation

YLA will review your transcript in detail to understand your strengths and weaknesses which are presented on paper. There is an art behind interpretation, and representation of a transcript. Subject results do not always represent a student’s true understanding of a subject. Our review and assessment involves understanding the specific subject matter, a breakdown of the assessment methodology, and the correlating results for each stage of the subject.

Upon completion of the review we will assist you in articulating how and why certain results were achieved (good and bad). We will also be able to match your interests, and subjects you excelled in with specific areas of law. Beyond rotating through a graduate rotation program, it is extremely difficult for a student to accurately determine which areas of law are of interest let alone which areas of law appropriately match, subjects of study at university.

Interview Technique

Interviews are tough for anyone at any level, however, when you are starting out they can be harder than most.

We will work through the interview preparation with you, helping answer all those questions to make sure that you are as prepared as you can be.

We aim to help you answer the all important question; What do hiring managers want? We will take you trough how best to answer this question, examples to prepare for and run through different types of practice interviews so you can be your best self when it matters for the right approach required.

Negotiation Skills and Employment Contract 101

The final part of a job search is the negotiation and employment contract. Obviously, you need to know if you can or should negotiate on salary, leave, position title etc. and this changes from case to case. We are here to help guide you through that process.

The Employment contract is a legally binding contract between you and the employer. Each will vary and it is important that you know what you are looking at in each case and, obviously, what you are agreeing to. It is always recommended that you seek professional legal advice on this. However, we will help you identify the ‘key’ points to look for in any given contract.

Legal Areas of Interest

Now you are about to start on your legal career. You have started as a Graduate lawyer and you are most likely about to rotate though a couple of different areas within your field. However, what are you best suited to? What areas will allow you to move internationally? What areas are better suited to in-house if that is a path you want to consider?

We will aim to give you a selection of ‘suggested’ paths to consider. This will be based on your interests, your potential plans as well as your results on various personality tests.

Optimisation of career prospects

YLA advisory services encapsulates a holistic approach to career management for young lawyers. We include strategy advice on key areas to maximise career potential. We connect you with senior lawyers and partners within the legal market who can act as informal mentors, coaches or to just be a sounding board for career objectives and steps. We also offer this service directly through our team of qualified legal practitioners. You will also have access to our network of young lawyer clients, which will assist immensely as it will provide you with the platform to compares notes with colleagues at your level, and learn from their successes and mistakes.

Market Intelligence

YLA provide you with ongoing in-depth legal market insight for both local and off-shore markets. YLA’s networks extends to the U.K, U.S and Asia. Such insight will include data and information relating to:

• law firms (including size, practice groups, areas of expertise, key people)
• market movement (including which areas of law are growing and are in demand)
• macro legal insight (including outsourcing, regulatory shifts and changes)
• types of legal roles within and outside of the legal sector (including in-house roles
• salary data and bonuses

Industry/Networking Events

YLA hold quarterly events and talks on pertinent topics in the legal market place with key note speakers from both in and outside of the legal industry. As a YLA client, attendance to these events is free of charge.

These events will be skills based and provide information from real world examples;

• What else can I do with my law degree – what transferrable skills do you have?
• Moving internationally – Hearing from someone who has already transferred their career and how to make it happen
• Practicing corporate law – The pros and cons
• Working in Insolvency – Is this for me?
• In-house – Is it what you expected? Examples of when and how to do it
• Moving out of law – At what point should you move?