BSG Bites 28: SOCIAL MOBILITY- How to get IN without the leg UP

How to get IN without the leg UP: Tips on entering the legal profession  

Hi! I’m Aaliyah Simms, one of the three EDI Officers for BSG. I’m also incredibly passionate about increasing access to the legal profession for those from all walks of life. As a card-carrying member of the “widening participation access” community, I am excited to share my brutally honest, learnt-the-hard-way tips on getting into the legal profession for those at the earlier stages of their careers.

STAGE 1: SOUL-SEARCHING / IDENTIFY YOUR NEEDS, PASSIONS AND VALUES

• THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT AND FIND YOUR NICHE

Don’t just follow what is marketable or flashy.

Most people don’t know what a TC seat looks like until they’re in one. When you are trying to be socially mobile, it is tricky.

Scarcity and wanting to break the cycle mean we can be drawn to the highest salary possible. But money does not always equal security or suitability.

• Does Magic Circle corporate law (i.e., mergers & acquisitions) sound brilliant, or does the NQ salary catch your eye? Magic Circle, Silver Circle – forget the labels and first think about what you want out of an employer.
• Good work-life balance?  Competitiveness aside, reality is different to fantasy.
• Does something sound like it carries a lot of prestige or glamour? It may, but what draws you to it? Think about what you want to spend much of your working life doing.
• Is it speaking to clients?
• Is it being involved in big-picture jurisprudence?
• Is it advocating for those who have been repeatedly failed by modern society?
• Maybe a moderate salary at a boutique or regional law firm would provide the life you want without the higher salaries and pressure of an international firm.
• Do you want to change the world or make enough money to do self-assessment tax returns?
• Maybe you can do both, ideally with a work-life balance (hybrid, anyone?). It’s about analysing what you’re willing to tolerate doing for 40-ish years (early retirement or not!).
• Have you ever considered going in-house?
• Or working for the regulator?
• Do you prefer contentious areas of law or non-contentious?
• Working with people, or working with companies? What about smaller businesses?

Do not let blanket statements or outdated stereotypes stop your passions.

Most lawyers end up working in areas they didn’t know existed until they did a seat in it at their TC.

Be flexible to change and to new, exciting areas of law.

Squiggly careers and lateral moves are becoming increasingly common.

• FIND YOUR COMMUNITY

It can be incredibly lonely and isolating to feel like you are the only one in your circumstance. BSG would love to see you at one of our socials!

Moreover, various networks may not be legally focused, such as the 93% Club for state-school-educated individuals, Making the Leap, a social mobility charity.

There may also be diversity networks within your place of employment/education. These will be similarly full of determined people trying to achieve their goals.

My two closest friends in my undergraduate LLB were two mature students, who both had children and understood the plate-spinning of education and other responsibilities. I found more community in them than in peers my age at several points!

Break the ice with people you meet, as they likely feel the same as you but do not want to voice it first.

Offering to make a group chat goes down a treat for study groups, as does keeping in touch with people from assessment days for networking purposes (sometimes to gauge the dress code!).

• FIND YOURSELF IN A FIRM 

One that aligns with your values. This may minimise rejections with the “spray and pray” application approach while also enabling you to come across as more genuine. 

Although firms’ values may look the same, doing your research is vital.

Glassdoor, online forums, insight days and checking the firm out on LinkedIn can be key to seeing how they match your personality and energy.

When networking, seek out people from your chosen firms and enquire about what they find enjoyable at their firm.

• WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE

Assess the traits and habits of someone (or multiple people) you admire.

Choose a couple you could learn from and think about how you could regularly institute them into your life.

Are they forthright and communicative, while you find direct communication uncomfortable? Are they resilient and always ready for the next challenge while you are fairly risk averse? Seeing what you admire in someone else is a great way to consider your values, providing a basis for personal improvement.

Hopefully, these tips will help guide you on your journey to entering the legal profession. Stay tuned for part 2, which will be released soon.