Welcome to BRISTOL EYE

Training Contracts
To become a solicitor you must complete a training contract and the prime objective of every aspiring lawyer is to successfully apply for a training contract. This process starts at University. Law students can apply for summer placements during the summer between their second and final years, whilst non-law students can wait to apply during their third year.

Training contracts represent a large undertaking by firms as they will pay for the Legal Practice Course (LPC) and Common Professional Examination (CPE) or Graduate Diploma in Law (GDP) (CPE/GDL are a one year conversion course for non-law students), whilst also paying an allowance to living costs for successful applicants whilst undertaking the training.

This is followed by a two-year period of practice-based training taken after the LPC and it is the last step on the way to becoming a qualified solicitor. At this point you will have an opportunity to use the skills and knowledge acquired at university and in your postgraduate studies the working environment.

The importance of winning a training contract cannot be stressed enough. If you do not complete a training contract, you cannot qualify as a solicitor; it is as simple as that. All is not lost if you fail to get a training contract while you are still at university, but the vast majority of the trainee intake at big firms is recruited at this early stage.

Apply yourself
Apply directly to the law firms you wish to work for. Check out the firms' websites for contacts and exact closing dates. Some firms will want a CV and covering letter, while many use paper and online application forms.

Applying for training contract places is a time-consuming exercise if you do it properly. If you get fed-up half way through and descend into cut-and-paste mode, you are likely to get found out. Although it is accepted that a candidate will apply to a large number of firms, recruiters will still want evidence that candidates know something about their firm, although this does not mean regurgitating the firm's brochure either.

The selection process itself may encompass interviews, psychometric tests, written tests and group exercises and the firms should tell you the result as soon as possible and be able to provide feedback.

I'm in... What Now?
During the two-year training contract you will get to work in at least four, sometimes six, different departments (this is sometimes refered to as a seat. In some international law firms you get to do this overseas. Some firms also offer trainees an opportunity to do a seat seconded at one of their clients' in-house legal departments.

During the training contract, trainees also develop and apply the practice skills they will use as qualified solicitors through their everyday activities. However, it is also compulsory to take the Law Society's Professional Skills Course, which covers advocacy and communication; financial and business; client care and professional standards. Trainees should be supported throughout their training by a 'training principal'. Usually a partner, they will give appraisals, supervision and feedback on how things are going. For your part, you will also be required to keep a training record.

This rotational system can help you choose which department to qualify into. What you actually do will depend on the firm. Although some believe in giving trainees a certain level of responsibility, a constant moan from trainees at some of the larger firms is the amount of photocopying they have to do.

You will be required to work for the firm that sponsored you through the PLC and Graduate Diploma throughout your two years training with them. Early departure will require a siginificant financial repayment to cover the costs of the training.

However, once training is complete and you are qualified, the firm is under no obligation to keep you on and by the same token if you feel that the firm is not for you, or you cannot qualify into the department of your choice, the arrangement allows you to search for another employer at this point.

The process differs between the legal system of England and Wales and that of Scotland. The differences in training are highlighted below:

England and Wales
Solicitors undertake a one-year Legal Practice Course (LPC) then a two-year training contract. Non-law students are required to do a one-year conversion- either the Common Professional Examination (CPE) or Graduate Diploma of Law (GDL).

Scotland
Prospective solicitors in Scotland are similar to those in England and Wales in that they undertake the one-year Diploma in Legal Practice followed by a two-year traineeship to qualify as a solicitor. Non-law students wishing to train in Scotland are not provided with an equivalent conversion to either the GDL or CPE. There are, however, a number of accelerated law degrees.

Type of Employer
Solicitors are employed in private companies and central and local government. However, firms of solicitors are the biggest employers of solicitors and the starting point for a career as a Solicitor. The below gives a feel for the type of lawfirms:

Global and international firms- These firms operate on a global basis with offices in all the world's major cities. Clients will be international companies. The work can consider different legal treatments in different terrortories and contracts can be extensive and highly lucrative.
City firms - located predominantly in central London, many have presences in international offices to reflect the nature of the work undertaken.
US firms - Similar in nature to City firms, but with a more pronounced specialism in technology and telecommunications. The incidence of US firms merging with UK counterparts is increasing.
National firms - Operate in a number of UK cities to provide services to national based clients. An increasing international presence is also a trend in these tpes of firms.
Medium-sized firms - Regionaly or technically specialised firms dealing with local commercial interests and private clients.
High street firms - Small firms of partners serving the needs of smaller clients. Cases typically cover family issues, wills, tax, crime and employment.