The value of work experience when exploring a career in the legal sector

“Pens down. Time’s up.” 

Up and down the country, school pupils are completing their preliminary exams in preparation for the real thing in April and May. It’s an unfortunate reality that exams are a rite of passage to the world of work, training or further and higher education. 

This is also the time when schools, careers advisors and guidance teachers will be talking to their pupils about work experience. 

Work experience is an important part of a young person’s life as it helps them to understand the day-to-day reality of working in a professional environment. That is particularly true for anyone thinking about a career in the legal profession.  Work experience provides opportunities to network with people at different stages of their careers. It can also help with CVs and personal statements if applying for university, college, training or work after leaving school. 

At Harper Macleod, we run three work experience programmes a year for S5 and S6 pupils from all over Scotland. The next session runs from Tuesday 6^th February to Thursday 8^th February. 

Our three-day virtual programme allows pupils from all over Scotland to come together and explore what a career in law might look like. We delve into what working in the legal profession is Scotland is like on a day-to-day basis with colleagues from across the business talking about what they do and how they got there. 

Pupils will take part in sessions with qualified solicitors, exploring various areas of law, debates and negotiations, wills and executries and employment tribunals.

The firm’s trainees will also offer their insights on their journey from school to university to the workplace.

Pupils will learn about all the other roles in a law firm that support solicitors doing their daily roles such as IT, HR and marketing. 

If you are a school pupil, teacher or careers professional in a secondary school in Scotland, contact work.experience@harpermacleod.co.uk for more information.