guidance. With a focus on boosting confidence and competencies, the coaching and mentoring team at AS works with candidates to strengthen applications, excel at interview and find the firm that’s right for them. Today, AS is also able to offer a wide range of additional opportunities, including events in partnership with law firms, work experience placements at industry-leading commercial organisations and UK-wide employability workshops. AS continues to provide bespoke careers coaching through its Aspire programme, which also offers access to law-firm-specific open days and bespoke coaching from partner law firms and legal teams. For diverse AS members, the annual Commercial Awareness Competition is not only an effective means of improving commercial acumen, but also of thoroughly preparing candidates for law firm assessments. Competitors are tested on their awareness of political, economic and current affairs and on their wider employability skills. The Grand Final takes place at Barclays HQ in Canary Wharf and winners are awarded five weeks’ work experience at sponsoring firms and Barclays Legal. A series of annual diversity events including AS Pride, AS Ability, AS Social Mobility and AS Culture are hosted throughout the academic year. In attendance are panels of diverse professionals who share their experiences of overcoming perceived and actual barriers within law on their road to success. Members seeking work experience can apply for placements with our partner organisations with in-house legal teams including American Express, Barclays, the Government Legal Profession, Network Rail, Virgin Money and XTX Markets. For those with ambitions of a career in private practice, experiencing life as an in-house lawyer can be highly beneficial, especially since City lawyers regularly advise client in-house teams.
On campus, the universities team delivers a series of workshops and presentations at over 70 Russell and non-Russell Group universities each academic year, including future trainee talks about their journeys to acquiring a training contract. The HeadStart Programme combines advice from graduate recruiters, future trainees and qualified solicitors on how to successfully navigate vacation schemes and applications to law firms. From February 2020, first-year law and second-year non-law students will again be able to participate in AS First to find out what a career in law can offer, as well as apply for individual coaching. The Professional Ambassador Network allows ASmembers to contact legal professionals directly via the AS website. Over 600 ambassadors representing 110 firms are extending their hand back down the ladder to provide insight and advice within this network. Finally, for those members who have started their training contracts, the Alumni Network ensures continued support throughout their careers. If you’re a talented aspiring solicitor from an underrepresented group, we hope you’ll be able to benefit from our coaching, programmes, events and other opportunities. Go to aspiringsolicitors.co.uk or follow AS on Instagram or Twitter to find out more about all AS opportunities. Applications for Aspire 2020-2021 open in Summer 2020. Further reading: • Diversity access schemes - www.lawcareers. net/MoreLaw/DiversityAccessSchemes • Gender diversity - https://www.lawcareers. net/Information/Features/12032019-A- picture-of-inequality-what-does-the-legal- profession-look-like-for-w • BAME candidates - https://www. lawcareers.net/Information/
Features/09042019-What-does-the- legal-profession-look-like-for-BAME- candidates-in-2019
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THE LAWCAREERS.NET HANDBOOK
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