First year schemes

[ML07]

Are applications for first year schemes on a rolling basis?
Also, as a non law student, what are some good activities I can do this year to boost my CV and prepare for VS? Thanks

 

[Monica Badescu]

Are applications for first year schemes on a rolling basis?
Also, as a non law student, what are some good activities I can do this year to boost my CV and prepare for VS? Thanks

Hey!

For the first point, I think this will vary between firms. Some first-year schemes are reviewed on a rolling basis and others are not, so I would always check the individual firm's website/application guidance rather than assume. If a firm does recruit on a rolling basis, there can be an advantage to applying earlier, but I still wouldn't rush an application before it is ready.

As a non-law student, I also wouldn't worry about trying to fill your CV with lots of specifically legal activities. I would focus more on building experiences that give you transferable skills and help you understand commercial law better.

A few things I would consider are:

• Attending open days, insight events or firm presentations to learn more about different firms and practice areas.
• Joining societies, volunteering or taking on positions of responsibility where you can develop teamwork, communication, organisation or leadership.
• Getting involved in competitions such as negotiation, commercial awareness or mooting if they interest you.
• Building your commercial awareness by following business news and thinking about how developments affect clients and law firms.
• Looking for any part-time work or internships where you can develop client-facing, analytical or organisational skills, even if the role is not legal.

I think the key thing is not necessarily having the most "legal" CV, but being able to explain what you learnt from your experiences and why the skills you developed would be relevant to a trainee solicitor.

You have plenty of time at this stage, so I would focus on exploring the profession and building experiences you genuinely enjoy rather than trying to do everything at once.

Hope this helps!