How to Gain Legal Experience
Gaining legal work experience may seem daunting, but there are several ways you can gain legal experience as a law student. Getting your foot in the door doesn’t have to be stressful. It is also important not to discount your non-legal experience when applying for legal positions. Many law firms value the transferable skills that students gain in their roles in retail and hospitality.
Paralegal or Legal Assistant roles
As law students, paralegal and legal assistant roles are a stepping stone to beginning and developing your legal career. Many law firms advertise for such roles on Seek, Indeed or their own website. Such work is a great way to gain practical experience by conducting legal research and assisting lawyers with a wide range of work.
Volunteering
Volunteering at community legal centres or not for profit organisations is a great way to gain exposure to different areas of the law. This is also a good opportunity to engage in meaningful and rewarding work while you apply legal skills and knowledge that you learn at university. Volunteering allows you to develop technical legal skills as you learn how the law operates in practice. You can also gain valuable experience in dealing with clients from diverse backgrounds with varying circumstances. Most community legal centres look for student volunteers throughout the year, so keep an eye out on their websites or LinkedIn profiles to know when these positions are advertised. Some organisations you can look at include the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and Eastern Community Legal Centre.
Another way to look for legal positions as a student is to keep an eye out on LinkedIn for job openings. Once you have established your personal LinkedIn profile and built a network by connecting with people and organisations that align with your interests, you can be notified of job opportunities based on your profile. Additionally, the more you engage with organisations and firms’ posts on LinkedIn, the greater insight you can gain as to whether they are hiring for any positions that may be relevant to you. This is also a great way to reach out to legal professionals and engage in consistent networking, as they may be able to provide you with guidance in securing a legal position. We recommend following the Lawtitude LinkedIn page to get frequent tips on how to navigate LinkedIn effectively and receive updates about our upcoming employability workshop.
Networking
If you have friends or family that already have jobs within the legal industry, we suggest reaching out to them. Those working in the legal industry may have connections that would be of value to you and is a good way to keep in touch with professionals in the industry. While it may not instantly land you a legal role, these connections will always be useful at any stage of your career. Networking events are also a great opportunity to meet other law students and professionals. Attending events run by LSS or external organisations can allow you to listen to like-minded people and gain insight into their career progressions. When attending such events, it is super beneficial to connect with people you meet on LinkedIn so you can regularly keep in touch.
Placement
Law students in their later years of university can also enrol in law electives that allow you to take on work involving practical legal experience?. This is the perfect opportunity to gain legal experience while also getting university credit. More specifically, Monash Law has a wide range of partner organisations that you can choose from, including opportunities at law firms, in-house legal, courts and community legal centres. This can allow you to explore different areas of the law that you might be interested in or curious about, while developing skills that will benefit your future career.
Clerkships
Students in their penultimate or final year can apply for clerkships at commercial law firms. The MonashLSS Clerkship Guide is a great resource to look at to identify which firms interest you, allowing you to gain a better understanding of each firms’ recruitment process. Clerkships can teach you what working at a commercial law firm is like,where you canlearn about the broad practice areas that such firms specialise in.
Competitions
Competitions such as mooting and negotiations are an excellent way to develop important legal skills such as research and communication skills. Signing up for such competitions is especially rewarding as it mirrors proceedings and transactions that you will likely experience in your future career. The Monash LSS runs competitions throughout the year and are open for all law students, so this is great for students across all years. We encourage you to keep an eye on the LSS’ socials for information and updates on these various competitions.
Setting Up a LinkedIn Profile: The First Step in Building Your Personal Brand
In 2024, networking and personal branding have never been easier. A quick Google search of your name can showcase your education, experience, and employment history. Therefore, it's crucial to build a strong online presence to highlight your best skills and connect with influential people. LinkedIn is the primary platform for this purpose. In this post, we’ll explore why personal branding is vital for law students and provide straightforward steps to enhance your credibility, personal brand, and network.
Why Personal Branding is Important for Law Students
As technology and automation become increasingly integrated into the workplace, companies are focusing more on 'cultural fit' as opposed to focusing on only technical skills. In this environment, personality and authenticity can set you apart. While companies can teach many skills, your ability to adapt, learn, and collaborate effectively with colleagues is often a better indicator of success than specific legal knowledge. Therefore, LinkedIn and personal branding are essential for differentiating yourself. Show your potential employers why you would be a valuable addition to the team!
Tangible Steps to Enhance Your LinkedIn Network
1. Choose a Professional Photo and Background
The first thing classmates, colleagues, and potential employers see on your LinkedIn profile is your photo and background image. These elements create immediate impressions of your personal brand, making it important that you select a background that aligns with the image you want to project. For example, if you aim to present yourself as a creative thinker, consider a bookshelf background with a professional photo. Conversely, if you want to convey a commercially driven persona, a cityscape background would optimise this image.
2. Add Your Experience
On your profile you should also add relevant job experiences. All experiences is good experiences so make sure you include your old Woolies job as well as any more recent internships. Link each job to specific skills, such as ‘teamwork’ or ‘punctuality,’ and provide a brief description of each role. If you’ve never had a part-time job, you can always list academic projects under the ‘Projects’ tab. This is a great way of demonstrating your academic achievements and teamwork skills when you are still in your early professional career.
3. Highlight Awards and Honors
This section allows you to showcase your achievements. Include awards from high school, such as leadership awards or speech contests, and highlight any co-curricular activities.This is also the primary section where you can highlight your interests and demonstrate your uniqueness and creativity. For example, if you have a passion for music or writing, try to include your involvement in relevant activities or competitions. These details enhance both your personal brand as well as your online resume.
4. Utilise the Skills and Volunteer Sections
Include any volunteer work you’ve done, such as community service hours and unpaid programs. Finally, in the ‘Skills’ section, avoid generic buzzwords like ‘communication’ and ‘teamwork.’ Instead, link each ‘skill’ to a specific experience to evidence that skill set. For example, linking empathy as a skill to your volunteering and dedication to an academic achievement.
5. Build Your Network
With a well-crafted profile and personal brand, start building your network by connecting with friends, family, and classmates. LinkedIn’s algorithm will then start to recommend people to connect with, so stay active in expanding your network and try to connect with people with similar interests. For professional connections, follow major firms, organisations and universities to stay updated on recent engagement and be sure to like their posts too! Engaging with firm blog posts and activities can also provide valuable insights for clerkship applications and job opportunities as you will have a direct and authentic link to the activities of a firm.
6. Turn Connections into Opportunities
Now that you have created a profile and established a few followers you can slowly expand your network professionally. You can start by attending law or networking events (often posted on law gazettes or student society pages), and write down the names of people you met or found interesting. After the event, send them a LinkedIn connection request with a personalised note referencing the event and something you learned from the conversation. For example:
"Hi [Name], I enjoyed meeting you at the Women In Law event yesterday. I appreciated your insights on the importance of embracing support from female colleagues. Thank you for sharing your experiences—I’m looking forward to staying connected!"
Make sure you include the place you met them, something specific about your interaction, and a question, follow up or thank you. Try to stay consistent with your networking, stay engaged with company posts, and update and check on your online activity regularly. Remember, your authenticity is your greatest asset!
Introducing Lawtitude: Your Guide to Navigating the Legal Profession
Welcome to Lawtitude! We are thrilled to introduce our initiative, established in 2022, by a team of dedicated law students who are passionate about bridging the gap between legal education and professional practice. At Lawtitude, our mission is simple: to guide aspiring legal professionals through the complexities of the legal field, providing the resources and support essential for turning career aspirations into reality.
Our Vision
Our vision is to be the catalyst that connects law students to their dream legal careers. We aim to ignite your passion for law and provide the tools and opportunities necessary to build meaningful connections with future employers. Through comprehensive educational resources and accessible guidance, we strive to enhance the quality and effectiveness of graduate employment applications, paving the way for a successful transition from academia to the legal profession.
What We Offer
At Lawtitude, we are dedicated to providing students with a wealth of resources to help them improve their career prospects. Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect:
Personality Types: Gain insights into how different personality types can influence career paths and workplace dynamics.
Job Opportunities and Pathways: Navigate the myriad of career options available within the legal profession.
Current Firms: Access up-to-date information on law firms, including culture, areas of practice, and hiring trends.
Application Tips and Tricks: Receive expert advice on job applications, resume and cover letter writing, and interviewing techniques.
Clerkship Processes: Get detailed guidance on securing and excelling in clerkship positions, a crucial step for many aspiring lawyers.
Our Peer-Driven Approach
Lawtitude is an initiative run by law students, for law students. Our peer-driven approach ensures that our resources are relevant, practical, and grounded in real student experiences. We understand the unique challenges faced by law students and are dedicated to providing the support needed to overcome them.
Join Us on This Journey
We invite you to join us at Lawtitude as we embark on this journey together, empowering the next generation of legal professionals to achieve their goals and make a lasting impact in the legal community. Whether you’re looking for guidance on your career path, tips for improving your job applications, or information on current firms, Lawtitude is here to help.
If you have any questions or inquiries, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to support you every step of the way.
Stay connected with us for updates, resources, and more!
The Lawtitude Team