How do you get law experience before law school?

Nov 11, 2022

Written By Zara Arif

Completing legal work experience is a great way to learn whether law is the right career for you, and learn more about the industry. Here are some ways you can get legal experience before attending law school.

Do you need to get experience before law school?

It can definitely be worth waiting until you get to law school to get legal work experience as having technical knowledge of the legal system and different areas of law can be of great help in the world of work.

However, it might be a good idea to get some legal experience before law school too, just so you can make sure that it is definitely the right profession for you. The work you carry out, whether it is administrative or technical, might also give you an insight into the more theoretical things that you will go on to learn.

There are also plenty of other ways in which you can learn about the law and prepare for law school. This can just be keeping up to date with the news or legal journals and reading about new legislation or trends.

However, if you do want to get some experience, there are definitely some ways you can get legal experience before you even have much knowledge of the law.

Networking

A really important skill to master regardless of what you will go on to study, is networking. In the digital world, forging relationships with people who are in the industry you want to be in, can open infinite doors. Networking via events held by law firms and chambers or reaching out to people on LinkedIn can be helpful to gain advice and insight into what a job in law entails.

These conversations could lead to potential opportunities for legal experience but it is important to understand that some may not have the time or capacity to assist you. Nevertheless, speaking to people who work at the firms/chambers where you want to apply is the perfect way to personalise your applications and make them stand out.

Virtual Work Experience

Another fortunate advent of the digital world is the rise of virtual internships. More and more firms are now offering virtual work experience via online platforms. The best part about these is that anyone can do them at any time.

They normally take several hours to work through but are self-paced and can walk you through a diverse range of legal work. These are the perfect way to get legal experience before law school if you don’t have many contacts or prior legal knowledge to get work experience by any other means.

Open Days and Insight Schemes

Many law firms and chambers also put on open days and other types of insight schemes to allow students to get a taste for their culture and the way they work. These can be competitive to apply for but are often a valuable and unique opportunity which can often lead to graduate employment.

Different firms and chambers offer different opportunities depending on the stage you are at in higher education and your interests but further specific information can be easily found on each firm’s website.

Is non-law experience valued?

Although it is important to have legal experience, a lot of employers in the legal field are keen to know what you have done outside of law. What matters most is the skills you have gained from a diverse range of experiences.

Examples of transferable skills include: organisation, the ability to work in a team and attention to detail. These can be gained from a variety of non-legal experiences and jobs such as working in retail or volunteering.

For this reason, not having legal experience is not the end of the world. The most important thing is that you understand both the theoretical and practical implications of pursuing a career in law before law school, but this is also something that can be developed over time.

Legal Work Experience