Doing some work experience in a legal environment is not only a good way to help you decide if a career in law is for you, but will also enhance your CV for any future university, apprenticeship and employment applications you might make. 

There are a variety of ways to obtain work experience and plenty of resources available to help you find it.  

Vacation schemes

Formal vacation schemes provide law and non-law university students with the chance to gain work experience on a law placement. Most placements take place over 1-4 weeks in the summer but can also happen during Christmas and Easter 'holiday' periods.

Vacation schemes can be found at a range of firms including City firms, national/regional firms, local high street firms and general practice, legal aid and advice centres. It is likely that, in a larger firm, they will organise for you to rotate around different departments.

Although most formal vacation schemes are done during law students' second and third years at university, with non-law students applying at the end of their third year at university, vacation schemes are becoming available to first year students and school students.

Chambers Student Guide - First year opportunities

Young Citizens SmartLaw - Mock trials for school pupils

Not only will a vacation scheme provide you with invaluable work experience, many firms will use them as a way of identifying future trainees and so can give you a useful foot in the door!

It's important to note that vacation schemes can be very competitive and feedback from past applicants tells us that many regret not realising how early you need to apply for them. Get ahead by doing your research in advance and making your application for a vacation scheme as early as possible.

Mini pupillages

Mini-pupillages tend to last for 3-4 days but can be longer and are used by university law students, including those studying on law conversion courses, and career change graduates to gain experience of the barrister role, by shadowing a barrister. 

They tend to be done during law students' second and third years at university, with non-law students applying at the end of their third year. It's important to note that mini-pupillages are competitive to get onto and many firms and chambers will use them as a way of identifying those suitable for future training contracts for future pupillages for aspiring barristers. 

Bridging the Bar is charity which supports aspiring barristers from a range of statistically underrepresented groups at the Bar by providing its beneficiaries with work experience opportunities, mentoring, personal development workshops and access to resources that will assist them to increase their chances of securing pupillage, whilst also preparing them for professional life at the Bar

Bar Placement Scheme allows students to spend up to four days shadowing a barrister in chambers and in court. Participants receive advocacy training from the Inns of Court College of Advocacy. The scheme provides a great opportunity to build up your skills and CV, and to work out whether a career at the Bar would be suitable for you.

Pupillage Gateway (barcouncil.org.uk) is a recruitment portal designed by the Bar, for aspiring barristers.

Work placements

If you don't have access to, or cannot get onto, a formal vacation scheme, you can still gain valuable work experience using your own initiative, whether in a legal firm, legal advice centre, an internship with an in-house legal team or through other opportunities. You may also want to consider firms that offer virtual work experience through internships or other online resources allowing you to find out about the work of a lawyer without the need to be 'in the office.

Work Placements can develop invaluable skills such as project work, client presentations, interviewing clients, drafting letters, legal research, as well as developing contacts with other legal professionals.

Outside of formal vacation schemes/mini pupillages, you can:

• Shadow a trainee or senior solicitor at a local high-street law firm;
• Visit the courts (County, Magistrates, Crown) and sit in on court hearings to see how barristers and solicitors advocate for their clients;
• Volunteer at a Citizens Advice Bureau - training is provided to ensure you deal appropriately with clients and give accurate advice;
• Volunteer for the Free Representation Unit (FRU) - this charity provides free legal representation for clients at tribunals;
• Apply for a Bar Placement Scheme place, open to state-educated sixth form and college students;
• Join your university law society and get involved in mooting. Moot court competitions simulate a court hearing which provides you with the opportunity to practice the role of a barrister, as it requires you to analyse, research, prepare written submissions and present oral arguments. You can also try online mock trials as a student. Mock trials are also available for school pupils through Young Citizens SmartLaw;
• Do pro bono work at universities' legal advice clinics - law students can develop their skills giving legal advice under supervision;
• lntern with an in-house legal team. These can range from a month to a year, but are usually three-six months in duration and can give you a real insight into a firm. Internships are often advertised directly on firms' websites;
• Volunteer on miscarriage of justice projects;
• Get involved in legal work with Amnesty International student groups.

Young Legal Aid Lawyers has useful suggestions for organisations that could provide volunteering opportunities in the legal aid sector.

Qualifying work experience

Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) is the term used for the work experience component of the new Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route to qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales.

Visit our Qualifying Work Experience section for more detailed information about QWE.