Hey guys,

quick Q... those of you living in london at the moment (whether on undergrad course or LLM) how have you found it getting a legal job, if at all? Its difficult to see just online the availability of paralegal jobs when I'm not in London yet, especially with barely any legal work experience. I can only afford to do the LLM part-time and will have to work and I really want to utilise the time to work as a paralegal.

For postgraduate law students London has real possibilities for para-legal jobs. One point I have made to my lot that is that law firms do have a need for a wide range of legal support often on a temporary basis-if even it is just to deal with a major discovery operation.

My recommendation with getting some work is to apply to several law firms for para-legal work and then try and develop a relationship over time with those who respond. They could provide you with para-legal work all the way through your LLM and LPC/BVC (and CPE if you have to do that).

It requires some detective work on which law firms are likely to need support-but those firms do exist. Good luck.

Dr. Alan RIley
Director LLM Programme
City Law School
City University,
Northampton Sq
London, EC1V 0HB
Electronic Mail: alan.riley.1@city.ac.uk

Do you wish to stay in London/England/UK when you graduate from your LL.M? Would a valid option be to remain in your own town/city/country to find work there? If so, you could consider distance learning as a route to gain a fully accredited LL.M from one of your preferred institutions.

If you want to get the experience of London, and more importantly, working with London firms, then I appreciate that distance learning isn't the best thing.

Paralegal jobs in London dont come easy. A few months ago when we commenced our LL.M, a few friends and I (with considerable legal experience) searched in vain for placements.
Not to worry, if the real aim is to make money to pay those bills, then fold up your sleeves and get part time jobs at Pubs, Sainsbury's, Data Entry/Research agencies, etc.

James,
I would be interested to know how you approached it. The City firms do have a demand for people to carry out a variety of para-legal jobs from low-grade clerking through to some very technical para-legalling.

Did you use a legal recruitment firm-which is what I would initially recommend or work through the legal contacts of the academic staff-another good route.

Dr. Alan Riley
Director LLM Programme
City Law School
City University, London
Electronic Mail: alan.riley.1@city.ac.uk

Dr Alan,
Could you recommend some legal recruitment firm?

It is impossible to pay bills without work in UK.

I do want to stay in the UK (actually London). I really like the big city life and having everything I could ever need/want on my doorstep, even family!

Since originally posting, I've found my search for paralegal work to be largely in vain, due to not only to no experience but a dismal 2.2 (not my fault I swear!)

The LLM is the answer to problem no.2.2(!) but on a part-time basis that won't really help me until 2008, which is really the point at which I hope to have a training contract!

So I'm gonna have to solve problem no.1 - experience! And the best way I hear you ask? Well, if I can't get someone to pay me to be a paralegal, well even with a 2.2 law firms should find it hard to turn down a free 'work experience' LPC graduate for 3 months - right? And by that point September and the start (hopefully) of an LLM and then a paralegal job. Wish me luck! (I'm gonna need it to convince my parents to pay my loan repayments for the next 3 months!)

By the way, DrAlan, I'm sending my application for the City LLM soon as just got my references - please take pity and accept! (Sorry but had to get that in, "all's fair" right?)

The comments on this thread have been very interesting. I have also had a number of emails on this subject to my University email address. So let me give a broad an answer as possible to all those who responded to my messages on this thread.

To start with it is worth pinning down what we mean by "para-legal". It means doing some form of legal work in a firm under the direction of a qualified lawyer-sometime at a high level. This is not necessarily that easy to get into but not impossible-but you will need decent academics; a strong commercial approach and some maturity to get your foot in the door.

There is also a demand for a range of what we might call legal clerking jobs, such as proofreading; attending court with a barrister and reporting back the case (especially in the case of provincial law firms).

My suggestions for the desperate law students is as follows:

-Look first at www.thelawyer.com they include a lot of non-lawyer jobs and contacts, such as proofreading firms which are worth checking out in their jobs section. Also you can see which legal recruitment firms are advertising non-lawyer jobs.

-For foreign law students also have a look at the option of legal translation services; law firms based in London from their home countries and the general counsel's office of major firms from their home countries with significant operations here. Another approach is to look at UK law firms with a specific foreign business where your local language skills and legal knowledge may be of interest.

I hope the above is of help. I await your application with interest deepstar!

Dr. Alan Riley
Director LLM Programme
City Law School,
City University, London.
Electronic Mail: alan.riley.1@city.ac.uk

Hi Dr Riley,
did you get my email?
I was looking for some help since I'm going to contact some London lawyers and I should prepare an email...
Thanks in advance
Valerio Torti

Valerio
The email has been playing up.

Re-send me on my University account and I'll look at it

Dr. Alan Riley
Director LLM Programme
City Law School
City University, London
Electronic Mail: alan.riley.1@city.ac.uk