Report comment

My experience is that we find that there are graduates with an overblown expectation of their own worth and ability and little if any real understanding of the roles within a Solicitors' office and the reality of daily tasks.
Some are " too good" to answer a phone and some (ie those who lack any initiative and lack any intuition) wish for every aspect of the job to be explained in NASA-like detail, even though it isn't rocket science.
Two things: the sooner Legal Apprenticeships and Legal Administration Apprenticeships become the norm and people (potential employees and employers) recognise the worth of CILEx and the variety of pathways they offer, the better; and, Universities and those who offer LPC should ensure that all students experience real life in a real Solicitor's office by students volunteering to work and experience reality.
Too many graduates with law degrees tell me that no-one has ever explained to them about CILEx. Clearly the Universities are only interested in the huge sums they earn from Law Students and do not care about offering proper guidance. Employers also have failed to look at the variety of pathways to qualification for professional staff and for administrative colleagues.

I remember at one event-I wasnt invited back-I told the assembled throng that they needed to understand that most firms are 2-4 partners, that they dont have a human resources department, that they cant really be bothered due to lack of time in reading 100's of cv's and that volunteering whilst at University or during the holidays would bring them (the student) to the attention of a potential employer and give them something useful to add to the cv. I told them about CILEx. I told them to not work as a paralegal in a PI or conveyancing factory in the hope of getting a Training Contract, as its a trap and offers very little to an alternative future employer who has to start again with the training.
In essence I pointed out that not everyone can work for a law firm that has bright shiny human resources staff, a lot of glass and expensive art and the High Street is a great place to work (your employers tend to let you keep your soul). The looks of hatred, derision and superiority directed at me were hilarious. "So far up their own backsides" was my departing head chatter.
If you are at University-get real and get volunteering.
If you are an employer-get real, look at CILEx and Legal Apprenticeships and allow students to volunteer.
Anyone looking for a job as a crime/motoring/prison law advocate do get in touch Twitter @emmersonslaw