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With the first day of school looming, we thought we would share these handy tips for those about to embark on their legal studies.
By Editorial Team. Published 18 September 2015. Last updated 23 October 2026.
Settle into student life
With no exams or dissertations immediately looming, the first few months of the aforementioned courses are undoubtedly the best time to enjoy the broader benefits of student life. A common error is for pumped-up students to work almost too hard in their first term, leaving them susceptible to burn-out when the tempo increases later in the year.
Build strong study habits
A habit of sacking off 9am lectures from the off can be hard to reverse. There are no shortcuts when it comes to learning complex legal principles and understanding how they fit together in often intricate ways.
Explore career options
Graduate recruitment at big law firms operates an outwardly rather strange model which sees students hired two years in advance of them actually beginning work. The legal graduate recruitment cycle opens each year in October – three years from when you might wish to start as a trainee – with university campus law fairs, official open days and winter work placements. Deadlines for the latter close from the end of this month, passing before many students have even become aware of their existence. Those in the know have a clear advantage.
Here is checklist how you can prepare your professional presence early:
- Create or update your LinkedIn profile
- Attend at least one law fair
- Join a law society
- Research five legal firms or chambers
- Book a careers appointment
- Subscribe to legal news sources
- Keep record of achievements and feedbacks.
The early birds win the scholarships
While law firms are a source of funding for prospective solicitors' studies, chambers tend to be less generous, with only a handful of top sets offering their barristers-to-be advance pupillage awards to cover bar school costs. The best source of funding, then, for wannabe barristers are scholarships from the four Inns of Court. Combined, Inner Temple, Gray's Inn, Lincoln's Inn and Middle Temple award students a whopping £5 million-a-year in funding.
Do some law extra-curricular activities, but not too many
With the demands of job applications – which ULaw advises students to treat as "like another module of their course", try not to over-commit to extra-curricular law activities. But nor should you under-commit. Firms and chambers value pro bono and other legal advice experience highly because it demonstrates a commitment to a career as a lawyer and gives you an insight into what legal practice is all about. Similarly, for those interested in advocacy, mooting represents an invaluable window into life as a barrister or solicitor-advocate. Be selective, then commit whole-heartedly to whatever you choose.
Develop your commercial awareness
Developing commercial awareness from the start of law school can benefit future training contract applications. We recommend you follow the news, whilst thinking about how the law you are learning might apply to it. The trick is to do this every day. Build a professional social presence early. Follow law firms where you would like to work, chambers, legal journalists and professional bodies on LinkedIn. Use legal newsletters and podcasts to stay up to date about developments in the legal profession. From BBC News, to specialist legal news sites like Legal Cheek to individual legal blogs such as the UK Human Rights Blog and Head of Legal, there are a diverse range of sources out there which help wannabe lawyers gradually build this knowledge.
Build your professional network
ULaw has one of the best-developed legal mentor networks in the country, helping students connect with alumni who are dotted across top chambers and law firms. The Inns of Court run similar programmes, while City law student network Aspiring Solicitors helps introduce legal hopefuls to lawyers in leading firms.
Hodge Jones & Allen trainee solicitor Rebecca Aron, one of ULaw’s professional mentors, believes that “she would never have got a training contract without my mentor” – hence her decision to become a mentor herself. In her role helping students she tries to convey “what life in practice as a solicitor is like”, “why specific training contract interview questions are asked” and how regulatory changes, such as the Jackson reforms, actually affect her.
In our experience, practising solicitors and barristers actually quite like giving advice to young hopefuls. It's a trait that is well worth exploiting.
Get your social media life in order
If you are not doing so already, whilst you have a little time organise your social media channels to ensure you are the first in the know. Create a list of industry commentators, law firms, law recruiters and publications to follow on your LinkedIn account. The University Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts have regular updates on industry stories, tips for law students as well as opportunities to attend Employability Events like our Springboard Programme. Time spent getting your social media life organised in these early days could very quickly pay off.
Look after your well-being from day one
Lots of new students say ‘yes’ to everything: every networking event, workshop, society and social activity. Trying to do everything can very quickly lead to exhaustion. Focus on building sustainable a schedule rather than striving for perfection. The students who perform best are those who manage their time and energy effectively, not those who work the longest hours in the first few weeks.
Consider:
- Setting realistic daily study goals
- Protecting time for hobbies and social activities
- Avoid comparing yourself with other students
- Maintaining a regular sleep schedule
- Spending time outside when possible.
Understand where the SQE fits into your development
Though it might lie way into the future, understanding the Solicitor Qualifying Examination (SQE) early can help you make informed decisions about skills development, work development and career planning.
Learn how to use AI responsibly
Responsible use of AI is becoming an increasingly important skill for future lawyers. Generative AI tools can help you to summarise and create generative questions to check your understanding of a concept. However, they should never replace reading cases, legislation or academic sources. Learning good habits around responsible AI use now will give a competitive position throughout law school and your future legal career.
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*A version of this article was first published on FLN on 15 October 2014.
