Reimagine Law (Frances Ridout (QMUL), Kerry Jarred (Jarred Consulting), Simon Reichwald (My Kind Of Future), Nigel Spencer (QMUL))

This is the first episode in our mini-series to give listeners tips and ideas for how people can best develop themselves.  A key point is about personal responsibility – it’s down to you to guide your career.   

Also, we discuss the importance of understanding your strengths and building on them.  What gives you energy, and what does your best or favourite day look like? 

Finally, keep your learning fresh.  It’s not (just) about “going on a course”.  There are so many other ways to develop yourself, building the broader skill sets to set you up to succeed in the long-term. 

Actions:·       
Jot down what your favourite project from the last 12 months has been.  What does this tell you about what you enjoy, and your strengths?      Ask a friend – what did they try recently from which they learnt the most?  

A competency is another word for a skill. Employers use competency based interviews as a way for you to give examples when you have actually used / put into practice some of the key skills / competencies, needed for the role you are applying for. Why does Simon think it is easier to prepare these types of interviews and what are his tips and tricks to work out the types of questions you are likely to be asked? Kerry talks listeners through the very useful STAR technique, to ensure the answer you give are complete and full. And the team discuss the dreaded question…. what is your biggest weakness!

Useful resources-   

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/interview-advice-       

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips-       

https://career-advice.jobs.ac.uk/professional/how-to-be-more-than-competent-in-competency-based-interviews/#:~:text=Competency%2Dbased%20interviews%20use%20questions,often%20used%20in%20first%20interviews. 

In this bumper episode we explore Real Estate Law, including areas such as what it really is, what a typical day looks like, the types of clients and work involved, as well as career path options within this area of law.  We also find out about ESG in the context of property and the impact of ESG advice for Real Estate clients.  We are joined by Cheryl Gurnham (partner), Amit Unadkat (partner) and Sofiya Yerokhina (Associate) from International Law Firm, CMS.

This episode discusses how to develop your creative mind-set in ways you might not have considered. Nigel and Kerry discuss the fact that creativity includes; having an open mind, experimenting and thinking ‘what if we did X’. They give practical ways to increase creativity as you work towards a wider goal.   See how far you can go with a creative mind-set, and be persistent, continuing to explore – perhaps part of the original idea will stick and become a great new way of doing things!  

Useful resources

• Tim Harford: A powerful way to unleash your natural creativity | TED Talk
• Building a Culture of Innovation with Dr. David Ricketts: Part 1 | IGNIUM (igniumconsult.com)
• Linda Hill: How to manage for collective creativity | TED Talk
• Adam Grant: The surprising habits of original thinkers | TED Talk

In this podcast Jonny Hurst (Head of Outreach and Law Marketing at BPP) and Kerry Jarred talk about SQE pass rates, how they are published, and the things students should consider when deciding on the type of SQE training which would suit them best.  

Some useful resources, supporting this podcast are:

https://sqe.sra.org.uk/exam-arrangements/sqe-reports

https://www.youtube.com/@SQETV

https://www.bpp.com/courses/law/postgraduate/sqe-courses 

We encourage listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to this episode. 

1. Start investigating which organisations share your values.  How did you know that? 
2. What is the follow up question to the obvious question that you might ask? 
3. Develop the two questions habit (whether at an event, or online or by email).
4. Do a personal SWOT analysis (strengths / weaknesses / opportunities / threats). What limitations might you face? 

Useful resources:

1. 7 habits of highly effective people
2. 7 Networking Tips for Getting a Job (Tip number 5 is particularly crucial)
3. The power of questions
4. Here are some useful links on networking:

• Target Jobs - Networking Tips for Aspiring Lawyers
• Harvard Business Review - Networking Myths Dispelled

Take a look at the Drop Box for this episode which contains a SWOT analysis template that you can use and a note on CVs, Cover Letters and Interviews.

Is anyone actually a ‘self-made’ person? The team deconstruct what collaboration actually means and give suggestions of how to get into a collaborative mind-set.  Nigel and Simon stress the benefits of diversity of thought, openness and saying “yes and” rather than “yes but”!  If one plus one equals three, can you think of all the less obvious times you have collaborated? 

Useful resources

https://hbr.org/2016/06/the-secrets-of-great-teamwork 

https://blogs.thomsonreuters.com/answerson/case-for-smart-collaboration/

How can having the right mind-set help you achieve in the job hunting process?  How you think about your application and the process, can really help you to stay calm and make the right choices.  In this final episode of our mini-series on applications, Kerry and Simon discuss how mind-set can ultimately ensure you end up working in an environment which is best for you.  

Useful resources

https://www.forbes.com/sites/adunolaadeshola/2018/10/30/5-mindset-shifts-you-need-to-secure-a-job-youll-love/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMiSf7LpFQE

Our guest today is Akber Datoo, CEO and Founder of D2 Legal Technology, and both technologist and private practice lawyer, adviser to financial institutions on how process re-engineering, use of legal technology and data can optimise business decisions and provide solutions to challenges.
 
In this special episode we are joined by Akber Datoo, who discusses his career path as well as the future trends of the use of technology in law and in the businesses that lawyers support.  Akber talks about his initial studies in computer science, early career roles exploring banking technologies, his decision to retrain and qualify as a lawyer, and then applying this knowledge back in the financial services sector.  Also, Akber reflects how critical it was to work across the functions of a business to understand one is solving not just for legal problems, but business problems that just happen to have a legal component to them, using data and technology.
 
Akber explains the importance of following one’s passion, being curious, and of understanding the broader principles of one’s area of expertise: challenging and asking “Why…?” things are done in certain ways, to drive better approaches.  In the discussion Akber also explores the cultural differences he noticed between sectors such as law, banking and technology. 

In particular, how does innovation happen?  How comfortable are people with “failing”, so that learning from initial attempts at a new solution are welcomed and celebrated, helping an organisation reach to an optimised and more efficient outcome. 

Key skills Akber highlights include the importance of understanding the “root cause” of challenges, and also remaining sharply focused on the business, rather than the legal problem, in creating value for one’s clients. Collaborating across functions and building one’s own multi-disciplinary expertise to support one’s career choices are also highlighted. 

Actions and resources for listeners:
       
Look at these insights into technology and law, and read one which interests you – and for all you studying currently, into which modules and assignments can you connect some of the insights?

Look at the transferable skills from the world of Computer Science.  Which of these are important to develop in the legal sector, to help clients to solve their business (not just legal) challenges?  

This podcast is packed with useful advice from Clare Grant, BPP’s Commercial Director of Legal Apprenticeships.  Kerry Jarred and Clare discuss the increasing adoption and impact of apprenticeship programs in the legal sector, particularly solicitor apprenticeships.  If you want to understand how apprenticeships differ from the traditional training contract route, how they are structured and what would be expected of you, this is the key podcast to listen to!

Resources:

Apprenticeships | Learn About Apprenticeships And Find The Right One For You (ucas.com)

Find an apprenticeship - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships at BPP | BPP

GetMyFirstJob | Apprenticeships, Degree Apprenticeships, Work Experience & Graduate Jobs

Home (notgoingtouni.co.uk)

Young Professionals – YPUK (young-professionals.uk)

Professional network for young people (uptree.co)

Free Virtual Work Experience Programs from Top Companies - Forage (theforage.com)

Welcome to The 93% Club | The State School Members' Club (93percent.club)

Our guests this week are Mary Westcott, an extradition Barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, Rosemary Rollason a Solicitor who specialises in regulatory law (including the regulation of barristers and solicitors) and Lisa McClory an independent consultant who set up Fractal Knowledge advising businesses on ethics.   

This panel discussion considers what we mean by legal ethics and why it is important for lawyers in practice.  Our guests discuss ethics in the general sense, and whether lawyers have a duty to be ‘ethical’? The specific rules which govern the behaviour of barristers and solicitors are considered and illuminated with specific examples from practice. Amongst other things our panel consider the purpose of legal ethics?  Is it to regulate and restrict the behaviour or lawyers or should the regulation of lawyers be more aspirational to seek to achieve something in society? 

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode...
 
Take a look at the Bar Standards Ethics Hub and see some of the common dilemmas that arise in practice:
 https://www.barcouncilethics.co.uk/subject/ethics/       
Take a look at the Solicitor Regulation Authority Principles:
https://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/standards-regulations/principles/       
Take a look at the Bar Standards Board Core Duties:
https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/for-barristers/compliance-with-your-obligations/the-core-duties.html   

Useful resources         
Law Students for Climate Accountability: https://www.ls4ca.org/       
The Law Gazette https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news       
The Bar Standards Board website has useful resources about how Barristers are regulated: https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/       
The Solicitors Regulatory Authority has useful resources about how Solicitors are regulated: https://www.sra.org.uk/       
The Law Society Guidance on refusing to provide a service: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/contact-or-visit-us/helplines/practice-advice-service/q-and-as/refusing-to-provide-a-service   

There are four parts to the new Solicitors Qualifying Examination, the SQE1 and SQE2 assessments, satisfying the character and suitability requirement and gaining 2 years’ worth of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE).  In this episode the team are joined by Lucy Blackburn (University of Central Lancaster) and Lisa Slater (A-maze Consulting) to discuss what this means in practice.  This episode will look at what qualifying work experience is, as well as a closer look at how and when it can be accumulated.  

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

-       Review your latest CV and see if there is any experience which might count as QWE. 

-       Speak to law firms to see what their approach to QWE is. 

Useful resources

-       Read about QWE on the Solicitors Regulation Authority website: https://www.sra.org.uk/become-solicitor/sqe/qualifying-work-experience/  

-       Explore the Law Society website for QWE updates: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/career-advice/becoming-a-solicitor/solicitors-qualifying-examination-sqe/qualifying-work-experience-qwe

Comparing the training contract and QWE with Legal Cheek: https://www.legalcheek.com/paths-to-becoming-a-lawyer/the-training-contract-qualifying-work-experience/  

In this podcast, Simon Reichwald, Elizabeth Robertson and Tim Smith discuss how law firms can support legal professionals from less privileged backgrounds to progress their careers. The discussion focuses on three key areas:

·       The evidence and research underpinning the need to focus on progression

·       The tools available to support progression such as mentoring; how to avoid marginal mentoring and instead deliver ‘mentoring with purpose’; why choice of mentor matters

·       How creating the right culture and environment matters

Simon Reichwald is Strategic Lead for Talent at MyKindaFuture and a Delivery Partner for the Government commissioned taskforce to improve socio-economic diversity at senior levels in UK financial and professional services.

Elizabeth Robertson is a partner and white collar crime specialist at Skadden Arps, an international law firm. She is also a Board member of PRIME, an alliance of law firms across the UK and Republic of Ireland determined to improve access to, and socio-economic diversity within, the legal profession.

Tim Smith is a partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner where he specialises in planning and environmental law. Tim is also Chair of PRIME’s Partner Advisory Group and a trustee of the Bridge Group.

Useful links:

PRIME - https://primecommitment.co.uk

PRIME is an alliance of law firms across the UK and Republic of Ireland determined to improve access to, and socio-economic diversity within, the legal profession. Visit our website for more information on how your law firm can join PRIME.

Taskforce to address Socio-Economic Diversity at Senior Levels in Financial & Professional Services - https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/supporting-businesses/business-support-and-advice/socio-economic-diversity-taskforce/socio-economic-diversity-taskforce-brochure  

Why mentoring programmes often deliver only marginal impact - https://hbr.org/2020/07/why-your-mentorship-program-isnt-working

The Government backed ‘Get into Work’ Technology platform to support those who need it get into work and progress when in work - https://getintowork.co.uk/lp-a

How firms are delivering ‘Social Impact’ through mentoring https://www.mykindafuture.com/2021/04/08/supporting-young-people-hit-hardest-by-covid-19-with-mykindafutures-partnership-with-the-jobcentre-plus/

https://www.mykindafuture.com/2021/07/08/6995/

Zaneta Sedilekova is a lawyer and director of climate and biodiversity risk consultancy firm Planet Law Lab.  Ryan (Ra) James is a trailblazer at the intersection of cross-cultural wisdom & worldview and modern business. He draws upon the profound insights of his personal journey, travelling and working in over fifty-five countries on six continents with indigenous mentors and cultures, infusing the most innovative leaders and businesses with a remarkably rich tapestry of interconnected and eloquent thought to inspire insight, curiosity, innovation and resilience whilst shaping a new paradigm for sustainable, future-ready enterprises. 

Zaneta and Ryan have partnered to create (re)purpose law – a five-week online course designed to enable lawyers to understand the current ecological crises, including climate change and biodiversity loss, from a systems perspective, looking at the role of law from economic, societal, behavioural, psychological and evolutionary angles. Zaneta and Ryan also look at law through the lens of often forgotten Indigenous paradigms to offer an alternative way of finding our purpose as lawyers in addressing the current ecological crisis.

Ryan and Zaneta challenge some established concepts in our legal frames of thinking. What does ownership really mean and, when we have possession of property, does that really give us the right (literally, and legally) to destroy as well as enjoy the benefits from it? Or to exclude others from it? We explore in the discussion how we can approach some legal and cultural concepts differently, using a kinship-centric, Indigenous worldview: a worldview that challenges the more anthropo-centric construction of cultural (and legal) systems and “rights” – asking us to adopt a humbler perspective where we have responsibility for what we “own”, hand on, and our legacy from generation to generation.

The episode looks at how law and legal systems might embrace more of the Indigenous knowledge-systems from an ally-ship perspective: ranging from our concepts of criminal justice and the court process to a songwriter’s IP or land law.  How can we look at these afresh?  Also, what role can lawyers play in the future to ensure that such perspectives are fully integrated with legal practice so that we can be better stewards of the planet we live in? 

Actions and resources for listeners:

●        See the “(re)purpose law” course syllabus.  Zaneta and Ryan are offering the course to the first 10 students who want to sign up for 500 GBP. You can email them directly to take advantage of this generous offer - zaneta-ryan@repurposelaw.com.
●        For adventurous listeners, to understand different worldviews, we recommend looking into Restoring the KinshipWorldview by Wahinkpe Topa (Four Arrows), with a video on the topic here.

In this special episode we are joined by three guests.  William Harris, who was a barristers’ clerk for 35 years, with 25 years of those being as a Senior Clerk at a London set of chambers. Also, Poppy Maddison and Kazia Myrie, who are both Assistant Practice Managers at 15 New Bridge Street Chambers – a barristers set in London working in the area of criminal law.

Our guests begin by outlining what the role of a barristers’ clerk is, and the varied roles and responsibilities.  The need to be able to manage a complex series of relationships, both externally and internally, is highlighted – and also the need, above all, to keep calm under pressure given the fast-moving nature of a chamber’s business.  Kazia, Poppy and William all talk about the skills needed for the clerking role: an ability to manage the group of barristers in chambers, the flows of potential cases for them, and how they needed often to think about the strengths and career goals of different barristers to guide their decisions as a clerk in terms of which barristers should be offered different cases.  Changes in the work of clerks, with the move to digital records and paperwork, is also described.

The career progression of a clerk is discussed, and also the increasing amount of management work which now takes place in a barrister’s chambers, and how the clerk has become a key person in this activity.  Skill-sets to succeed in the clerking role are highlighted, including the importance of staying calm, and the critical need to be able to build relationships with both senior and junior colleagues, and court administrators.  The impact of clerks doing all these tasks well is described, showing how this allows your chamber’s barristers to maximise earnings from a case, and can remove the administrative load from barristers themselves, thus enabling them to focus on their advocacy.

We are extremely grateful to the generous sponsorship of BPP University and International Law Firm CMS which makes the continued production of the podcast possible.

Actions and resources for listeners:

·         Do an internet search for a barristers’ chambers.  Pick a chambers and look at the clerking or Practice Manager roles listed there.

·         Look at the website for the Institute for Barristers’ Clerks, in particular the compliance obligations of clerks.  What does that tell you about the role, and how this might match your skills and strengths?

There are so many opportunities to find out about the legal profession and what it involves, but you need to know where to look for them and find which ones interest you.  Looking early and matching opportunties to your values can really help maximise your development.  Laura Bruce gives a fantastic overview of the work of the Sutton Trust who provide many opportunities to future lawyers and Blessing gives a great insight as to what it is like to undertake them.

This episode encourage listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode.

- Confidence is important, and difficult to gain. Reflect on the different areas that you feel you lack confidence in and think about what opportunties might help you increase your competence in that area.
- Opportunities are there and they are open to you.  Look at the search terms and organisations mentioned by Laura Bruce to see if any of them interest you. 

Resources
- Have a look at the Sutton Trust website here
- Have a look at Prime
- The Pegasus Access and Support Scheme at Inner Temple is here
- Middle Temple have an access to the Bar scheme here
- There are lots of pro bono opportunities listed here

In this special episode we are joined by Gordon Tsang and Amelia Mah who discuss their work in dispute resolution at international law firm CMS.  Gordon and Amelia explore the different approaches to working with their clients to settle disputes, including litigation through the courts and the alternative dispute resolution process of arbitration and mediation. 

Gordon and Amelia explain how it is hard to define a “usual” day in the life of a litigator as the work is so varied!  Working individually on drafting, speaking with different experts ranging from IP (intellectual property) or employment law colleagues at CMS, going to Court, or consulting with barristers or other external experts from industry who are needed to input into building the evidence base for a case.  Key skills for this career path are highlighted, including the skill to be able to adapt one’s communication style for different stakeholders, to make complex, technical issues readily understood, and the skill of being able to identify and summarise key points for your audience.  Time management and the ability to manage projects well are also emphasised and the need to be proactive and plan ahead, always keeping in mind too your client’s goal.  Is this dispute work about reputation management, recovering an investment or seeking to save a client’s business?  Every situation differs and a tailored strategy is needed each time.   

Actions and resources for listeners:   

See this introductory webinar guide to “Disputes 101” from CMS, covering lots of areas mentioned in this episode related to Civil Litigation.
See this summary of the arbitration process, understand what it is and some of the international dimensions to using this as a form of dispute resolution.

In this episode, Deepak Malhotra, Corporate Adviser and former senior in-house lawyer (General Counsel) explains how he developed his career as an in-house lawyer. He discusses the experience of moving to a role where from day 1 was literally ‘sitting amongst your clients’ in corporate business. Deepak speaks about the critical skills of communication, building trust, influencing, being proactive and how he saw his in-house team’s role as being ‘educators’ of the businesses he sat within.  The episode also explores the growth of in-house roles (with 1 in 4 solicitors now working in-house) and how that opens up opportunities to hold for roles in corporate businesses, government, charities and human rights organisations.  Finally, Deepak discusses the long-term career options, and the wide range of opportunities that in-house roles can offer to develop different skill-sets. 

This episode encourage listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode. 

1. Consider what interests you most. Do you want to be a deep, niche specialist in an area of law, or have a broader, commercial role?
2. In your network, ask if anyone knows a solicitor who has an in-house legal role and seek an introduction.  Ask them what they enjoy about the role, and compare this conversation with another contact who works in private practice.

Useful resources:

• Look at websites such as the ‘Association of Corporate Counsel’ where there are career resources and information about in-house roles.
• Explore what opportunities exist for in-house training contracts, and the different government or corporate entities which offer them. 

In this episode, Kishan Mathy (trainee solicitor, insta @sqbrkt) speaks about how he tried to stand out from peers in a competitive job market, seeking a role at a City law firm, especially as he did not ‘tick all’ the traditional boxes; e.g. his academic grades.  Job hunters can focus too much on the employer they want to work for and rarely look from the point of view of the clients of the organisation they are seeking to join.  However, focusing on the ‘client angle’ can both demonstrate great commercial awareness and differentiate you from the rest.  Kishan explains how he showed curiosity to explore, research and gain experience in a range of industry sectors which interested him – where the organisations were the clients of law firms.  In subsequent interviews, these broader experiences allowed Kishan to speak from experience about trends in industry sectors, showing the broader industry understanding which law firms often seek from future trainees. 

This episode encourages listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode. 

• To stand out, be curious about sectors of industry or public sector bodies which interest you – which might be clients of law firms.  Attend talks and speak to people who work in those organisations, so that when you have interviews with law firms you can speak about these broader commercial topics and the range of people you have spoken to and the insights it has given you 
• Meet people who are actually doing the job you are aspiring to gain – get ‘beyond the marketing brochure’!
• Look at LinkedIn profiles of peers you meet – what do you notice from their profiles that they have studied, or experiences they have sought out?  How is it different to your own?

Resources

• Attend school, college or university careers fairs and events, be proactive and ask questions (prepare some in advance).
• LinkedIn and Google search.
• Law firm websites – look at which industry sectors they focus on to guide you on which industries their main clients may be in.

Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not.  The profession has made some improvement in relation to recruitment but how do we retain lawyers from all backgrounds within the profession?  The ReImagine Law team are joined by Debo Nwauzu (founder of the Black Lawyers Directory) and James Alao (Clifford Chance).  James and Debo discuss a number of themes including; the challenges with the breadth of the phrase 'BAME' when trying to identify specific challenges around inclusion, how possible it is to bring your whole self to work, and the importance of work allocation to enable equality of opportunity.

This episode encourages listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode. 

• Speak to people from the 'inside out' to understand and learn what the culture is really like within an organisation.  Then consider, what suggestions you could make to create a greater sense of inclusion in a team of which you are a member?
• Make yourself aware of 'unconscious bias' and how that might be impacting your style as an colleague / manager / fellow student, and how you create inclusive team cultures. We all have it, and can reduce it through awareness.  

Resources

• Read the bias page on the Pearn Kandola website  
• Watch this YouTube video titled: "How can racism at work: The danger of indifference help?" by Professor Binna Kandola OBE
• Read or listen to the Book "Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People" by Mahzarin R Banaji. 
• Consider undertaking the Project Implicit Test run by Harvard University where you can test and see where your own unconscious bias may lie by taking Implicit Association Test/s: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/selectatest.html 

The third episode in our mini-series with tips and ideas for personal development explores the core of the ‘how’ of personal development.  How do we know we are learning, and what should we do to maximise each experience to draw out learning from it?

 We talk about David Kolb’s learning styles model, blending action and reflection, and the importance of balancing your development time between activity and capturing what we have learnt.

 We also touch on resilience, and the importance of having the confidence to keep stretching yourself with something new, even if the new ideas don’t go well 100% of the time.

Resources:

·       Kolb’s learning cycle: https://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html.

Understanding your learning style: https://www.ilfm.org.uk/cms/document/ILFM_Learning_Styles_Resource_TK_09Oct17_Ver1.0.pdf

Growing the next generation of social justice lawyers is vital for a well-rounded legal system.  This episode explores the brilliant Justice First Fellowship programme which provides training opportunities within a range of charities and social justice law firms to create graduate roles to qualification.
 
In this episode Fran welcomes Deborah Acquaah (who manages the Justice First Fellowship within the Legal Education Foundation) and Myriam Naoual (a Justice First Fellow).  They explain this brilliant programme giving opportunities for training and development in the social justice sector.  They describe the sense of community Fellows have, and how the programme helps create change makers in the sector. A must listen for anyone wanting to work in the social justice sector but not knowing how.     

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode.
 
1.     Read the Justice First Fellowship Brochure (see below).
2.     Look on different websites and start to look at the types of roles which are available in different Law Centres and charities.

Useful resources:  -       
The Justice First Fellowship https://jff.thelegaleducationfoundation.org/about/about-the-fellowship/ -       
Justice First Fellowship Brochure https://jff.thelegaleducationfoundation.org/about/justice-first-fellowship-brochure/ -       
Become a Fellow https://jff.thelegaleducationfoundation.org/how-to-apply/eligibility/  

Law firms and chambers often list project management as a key competency, but what does it actually mean and how can you develop this skill? In this episode Simon and Kerry demystify what project management is and help listeners identify where it exists for all of us in our daily lives.  They discuss the ‘nuts and bolts’ of managing a process of activities to reach an outcome, with simple, yet powerful approaches to use to use such as ‘What needs to be achieved’, ‘by when’ and ‘by who’ and ‘who needs to be involved?’, this episode also discusses mile stones, inter-dependencies and of course the joy of ‘keeping it simple'

Useful resources
https://lawahead.ie.edu/the-rise-and-future-of-legal-project-management/
https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/project-management-skills

Are you interested in becoming a barrister? This episode discusses how to get there, the data around it and has other useful tips on what to read.

Becoming a barrister can feel overwhelming and difficult.  This episode aims to de-mystify the process and gives an important steer for how you can find out more information.   

Fran welcomes Kian Goodall and Caroline Entwistle from the Bar Council (the regulatory body for the Bar) and pupil barrister Savannah Sevenzo. 

They unpack details of the new Pupillage Gateway Report and generally explain how applying for pupillage works. 

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode.
 -       Look on the Bar Council website under the tab ‘Becoming a Barrister’.
 -       Go to a court and sit in the public gallery.
-       Read the Pupillage Gateway Report for 2024 (link below). 

Useful resources
 -       The Pupillage Gateway Report https://www.barcouncil.org.uk/resource/pupillage-gateway-report-2024.html 
-       The Pupillage Fair 2024 https://www.barcouncil.org.uk/training-events/calendar/pupillage-fair-2024.html
-       The Pegasus Access Scheme https://www.innertemple.org.uk/becoming-a-barrister/how-to-get-involved/pass/
-       Chambers and Partners list of mini-pupillages  https://www.chambersstudent.co.uk/the-bar/mini-pupillage-vacancies  

Our guests this week are Carole Mehigan the Responsible Business Manager at Reed Smith and Robert Barnard-Weston the ‘grandfather’ of sustainability who is also the Co-Founder of Transform ESG and a Member of the Board of Directors at the Association of Sustainability Practitioners. 

We learn about the importance of both the ‘environmental’ and ‘social’ aspect of governance, and discuss how caring about issues outside of the firm can increase productivity and profitability. Carole also gives listeners an insight into why Reed Smith has chosen to adopt the term ‘Responsible Business’. 

Listen in to get advice on how to get more involved with CSR and ESG not just in your career, but your personal life too! Check out the first episode in the series to learn more about the theoretical layer of CSR here: https://www.re-imaginelaw.org.uk/industry-insights/pcr9qne1fsjizp2t1f3wxz9hdkbiar 

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

-       Take a look at the four enablers (https://engageforsuccess.org/the-four-enablers) How can you apply these principles in your working life and use them to expand your personal outreach? 

-       Look at your local community, how can you reach out and support with the skills you have? What can you learn? Visit your local borough website to find out more!

-       There are many student legal clinics looking for helping hands- could you reach out and offer any help?

Useful resources

-       Transform ESG: https://www.transform-esg.com/ 

Association of Sustainability Practitioners: https://sustainabilitypractitioners.org/ 

This week ReImagineLaw’s Nigel Spencer and Kaylee Campbell are joined by special guest Sadhvi Dar who shines a light on the complex area of CSR. Sadhvi defines the tensions present between the state, business and society, and provides a brief overview of the development of this area of activity.  We discuss also how CSR has come to be not only a board-level agenda issue, but one which businesses (especially law firms) use to seek competitive advantage. In their application processes, law firms now ask applicants questions about their thoughts on the CSR strategies that the firm adopts! Sadhvi also explains the importance of having an identity outside of our workplace ‘persona’ in order to fully engage with all aspects of our true selves. 

Often larger CSR issues like the climate crisis and migration displacement can feel incredibly daunting in terms of how we, as individuals, can make a difference. Added to that, the ‘green-washing’ phenomenon, misinformation and clever marketing tactics make it really easy for us, not only as students but as consumers as well, to feel powerless or unclear in how we can best contribute to important global challenges. 

This episode provides us with actionable steps that we as students and graduates can take to support the communities around us and to reach outside of our ‘corporate’ or ‘online’ identity. 

Useful Resources: 

 WaterBear (free streaming platform for CSR related documentaries coupled with direct ‘action items’)
https://www.waterbear.com/watch

Behind the Scenes of a Law Degree episode
https://www.re-imaginelaw.org.uk/pathways/jwf8u1qq01yhtq9oh18qajc2eo3yud

Sadhvi Dar
https://www.qmul.ac.uk/busman/staff/academic/profiles/dars.html and on Twitter @drsadhvidar

Example of a Law Firm’s CSR Report
https://www.reedsmith.com/en/news/2021/04/reed-smith-launches-its-seventh-annual-emea-responsible-business-report

In this episode listeners learn the art of good conversation and relationship building from the principles of ‘improv’ (improvisation). What is ‘accept and build’, and how can the technique be used by all of us?  Pippa Evans and Steve Weiner discuss what listening really means, and how you can focus on the other person in your conversation whilst keeping the ebb and flow of a joint discussion.   

Every key conversation should raise questions in your mind; what is my purpose, what is the other person’s purpose and what is the purpose of the relationship?  The particular challenges of managing conversations with people who are more senior is explored, as well as what Steve means by the ‘cake’ and the ‘icing’! 

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

-       Practice listening.  And we mean, really listening.  Perhaps choose a conversation and use the techniques discussed in the episode.  How did you find it?

-       Watch some improvisation.  We usually think of ‘improv’ as purely comedy, but there are lots of different environments where the techniques are used (tv, theatre etc.) Can you see the techniques when watching?  And which of them could you bring into situations in your current environment (work, college, school)?  

-       Before a next project meeting you are attending, whether at university or in the office, try ‘contracting’ with your senior colleague leading it: “What will my role be?”, or “I was thinking of leading this part of the discussion, how do you think I can best contribute?”

Useful resources

-       Steve Weiner’s website: https://www.swlearning.co.uk/

-       Pippa Evan’s website: http://www.pippaevans.com/

-       Read the book ‘Quiet’ by Susan Cain

-       The power of introverts by Susan Cain (Ted Talks) https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts

-       Watch Pippa’s talk on Talks at Google: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNq71AjQZLc

We hear from two apprentices, Amy and Hamza, one in house and one in private practice, sharing their own and different journey into a solicitor apprenticeship & why is was right for them.

They also share the skills and behaviours you need and will develop to succeed, including why you need to be brave, the importance and power of building networks and accessing mentors, as well as their top tips for success!

Amy Marren on LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/amy-marren
Hamza Islam on LinkedIn: (7) Hamza (Yusuf) Islam | LinkedIn 

In this episode of ReImagineLaw we speak with two lawyers who work in the field of public interest law, solicitor Helen Mowatt from the Public Interest Law Centre and employed barrister Matthew Aluwahilia from the Public Law Project.  Helen and Matthew talk about how their work takes them to the front line of live social issues ranging from policy issues, to education and homelessness.  This episode explores the feeling of being ‘on the front line’ of campaigns and social movements and the rewards that having a career centred around social good can bring. 

The episode also discusses what it means to ‘be a human rights lawyer’. Helen and Matthew talk about the challenges they faced in developing careers in this area, the need for proactivity and how to ask for support at certain key moments.

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

1. Stop and think for a moment: what do I care passionately about and what type of impact do I want to have in my career?
2. At different phases of your career doors will close and you will need to open others.  Stretch outside your comfort zone and reach out to someone who does a job you would like to do: “I’ve admired what you do for a long time and am considering a similar career path: do you have 10 minutes for a quick call so I could learn more about your role?”

Useful resources:

• Public interest law, what is it? - https://www.pilc.org.uk/ 
• Skills and characteristics of Public Interest lawyers - https://www.thebalancecareers.com/public-interest-law-2164664 
• Information on being a Justice First Fellow like Matthew Ahluwalia: https://jff.thelegaleducationfoundation.org/  
• The Public Law Project: https://publiclawproject.org.uk/   

There are many different types of courts and one less discussed, is the Coroners’ Court. 

We are joined by Nadia Persaud, a Coroner for East London to unpack this interesting area.  This area discusses the role of a Coroner, the powers of the Coroners’ Court and how this type of inquisitorial judicial role is unique in the English legal system. 
We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

-       Coroners’ Courts are open courts – go along to your local Coroners’ Court and listen to the proceedings.
-       Read “A Guide to Coroner Services for Bereaved People” https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-coroner-services-and-coroner-investigations-a-short-guide   

Useful resources -       The Coroners’ Court: https://www.judiciary.uk/courts-and-tribunals/coroners-courts/

Immigration law is wide and varied but there is a particularly important and urgent legal issues to be discussed: climate migration / displacement.   

This episode looks at what we mean by climate migration, why it is an imminent threat, and how it links to matters of social justice. The ReImagine Law team are joined by Maria Patsalos and Becca Hird from Mishcon de Reya who talk about their work on the Mishcon Climate Migration Project and how listeners can help put this important issue on the political agenda despite it not being on the COP26 agenda. 

This episode encourages listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode.

 1.     Visit the COP26 website. Have a look at the issues and the agenda – can you spot what is missing?
 https://ukcop26.org/
2.     Mishcon de Reya have many resources and links on their website. Take a look at their release of the 5th October to understand the topic more:
https://www.mishcon.com/news/climate-migration-a-growing-human-rights-emergency-without-definition

Useful Resources: -       

Mischon de Reya:
https://www.mishcon.com/news/mishcon-de-reya-announces-climate-migration-project     
The Global Report on International Displacement 2020:
https://www.internal-displacement.org/global-report/grid2020/       
Visit the Plan B website:
https://planb.earth/plan-b-v-government-bailouts-for-polluters/
The Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk:
https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/independent-assessment-of-uk-climate-risk/-     
Look at the Race to Resilience:
https://racetozero.unfccc.int/race-to-resilience/

Academic Francine Ryan guides listeners through a virtual reality court room which is being developed by the Open University. 

The Open University provides a unique place to learn with students dispersed around the UK and internationally.  This has spurred academics to be specialists in online legal education.  In this episode Solicitor and Senior Lecturer Francine Ryan describes a new virtual court room being developed to help train students.  She also raises a broader discussion on the use of legal tech for litigants in person, technology equity and the ethical questions that come into play through technology. 

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode.
 
 -       Try using different large language models of AI e.g. Chat GPT.  Put a legal question in and see what the quality of the answer is.
 -       Look at the virtual reality court room at https://www5.open.ac.uk/scholarship-and-innovation/scilab/blog/virtual-reality-courtroom-project
-       Look at the free courses and content that is produced by the Open University https://www.open.edu/openlearn/

Useful resources  
-       Studying law at the Open University https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/choose/ppclaw?ps_kw=the%20open%20university%20law&cid=sem-9237400975&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA-P-rBhBEEiwAQEXhH89bQ9lPIakzJ2QT3wE6SVMQv_wdjcW-BfHrYGAGFVEXSzYrzxkReBoCDF0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

-       ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt  

This episode encourages, and guides, students on the nuts and bolts of how to go to court and watch a court case from the public gallery. 
Most courts in the country have public galleries where members of the public over the age of 14 can attend and watch hearings.   

Watching a court case whether a trial, hearing or an appeal is a wonderful way to learn more about the legal profession.  This episode aims to give listeners all the nitty gritty information they need to get the confidence to go to court and watch. 

Useful Resources:         
Here is a page about criminal sentencing being televised and there is a You Tube link towards the bottom of the page: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/broadcasting-crown-court-sentencing       
Watch current and past cases at the Supreme Court here: https://www.supremecourt.uk/         
Competition Appeal Tribunal Website (with livestream towards the top of the page). https://www.catribunal.org.uk/   

In this special episode we are joined by two guests.  Dominika Gasiorowski and Ibinabo Osasona, who are both Associates in the Pensions Law Team at CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP.  Dominika is based in the Manchester offices of CMS and Ibinabo is based in the firm’s Glasgow offices.
 
In this episode we aim to “de-mystify” pensions law, explaining why it is an important and interesting area of legal practice in which to develop a career.  Dominika begins by talking about how pensions law came to be high profile, following the 1991 Robert Maxwell case, in which £450m of assets were found to be missing from the pension funds of companies under Maxwell’s control.  Ibinabo explains how pension management is often linked to changes in the current economic climate, leading to issues such as the affordability of pension savings and the need for younger people to start their pension planning as early as possible.  Our guests also explain the types of work they do in their Pensions Team at CMS, ranging from litigation to advising Trustees of pension schemes and also working with individuals who require pensions-related advice.  Dominika and Ibinabo discuss how this area of law gives insights into the legal work in other departments, as they are often working collaboratively with colleagues on topics ranging from employment law to data protection, or with their Corporate teams on large mergers or acquisitions where they are pensions issues to be considered.  We explore too the skills needed to work as a Pensions lawyer, including research; the skill of asking good questions and “being a good detective”; communication and managing deadlines; and also the skill of empathy to build long-term client relationships – as clients often work with their advisers for many years. 

Actions and resources for listeners:

·         See the CMS Pensions Team knowledge resources, highlighting current issues for Pensions law.
·         On this Chambers Guide for Pensions law, look at the section “What lawyers do” and the “Realities of the job”: how do your own skills match up against these areas (and those highlighted by Dominika and Ibinabo in the podcast)?

In this episode, Nigel and Simon discuss what emotional intelligence is and how you can use this skill to build self-awareness.  They share tips and tricks about how these capabilities can help you to develop your career, increasing your impact in key situations and building strong networks.   

Useful resources
     
Daniel Goleman (psychologist – 5 core elements of emotional intelligence)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7m9eNoB3NU
       
Five ways to develop emotional intelligence, Forbes
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2018/05/29/5-ways-to-develop-your-emotional-intelligence/?sh=31371e986976

 In this special episode we are joined by two final year QMUL Law students, Simran Patel and William Green, who took up the option of embedding a year of paid work experience into their law studies.  We talk about how the opportunity to apply one’s academic learning in the workplace is powerful, the skills they built, the different private practice and in-house work environments, and the career insights which a work placement offers to guide your development.

For the in-house environment, Williams speaks about how working in the Corporate and Legal Operations teams at CHANEL led to feeling very close to the business units across the company.  How he built his commercial awareness, giving him great insight into issues a lawyer needs to think about as part of their work in a world-leading luxury brand business.  Also, William compares this experience with the private practice environment of ICB Law Firm in Kuwait, which was a fascinating insight into a law firm in a different region. 

Simran talks about how much insight her placement at BCLP gave into a career in private practice – especially how she built her confidence in dealing directly with clients, the need to be responsive, and build one’s communication skills.  Also Simran describes how the technologies which are now becoming a key part of a lawyer’s daily tool-kit mean that attention to detail is even more critical – checking what the AI and other automation tools have created.  Finally, Simran compares this private practice experience with her previous internships as part of an in-house legal team, and how all this experience has helped to shape her career thinking.   

Actions and resources for listeners:
·       Look at the QMUL placement degree student experience videos and statements here – what skills did the students develop?  And how does this list of skills link to some skills you would like to develop?
·       Read this article about In-House career paths and how you can find a path toward them – and plan your answers for the interview questions listed there!

In this special episode we are joined by Sylvain Magdinier, Senior Vice-President, Legal and Compliance, at Integreon, a leading Alternative Legal Services Provider (ALSP).  We explore how ALSP businesses developed, the types of work they do, the use of technology in the work, and the roles and career paths available – highlighting the skill-sets which can help you to succeed in these businesses.

In this special episode we are joined by Sylvain Magdinier, Senior Vice-President, Legal and Compliance, at Integreon, a leading Alternative Legal Services Provider (ALSP).  We explore how ALSP businesses developed, the types of work they do, the use of technology in the work, and the roles and career paths available – highlighting the skill-sets which can help you to succeed in these businesses.  In this episode, Sylvain summarises how ALSP businesses evolved, arising from deregulation in the England & Wales legal services market allowing different types of legal service provision, coupled with a client-led drive for greater efficiency and value delivery.  Sylvain talks about the wide range of services which ALSPs can offer, ranging from provision of expert staffing to projects where legal teams need to analyse or manage high volumes of documents for litigation or transactions, regulatory-driven reporting requirements, or consultancy services.  The episode also looks at the different career paths to gaining a role in an ASLP, including the route which Sylvain took via private practice law firms and in-house roles.  We explore the skills which will help you to progress in an ALSP, the possible career paths, and how technology is constantly evolving the ways in which these businesses are working with their clients (both law firms and in-house teams).  The discussion highlights too the importance of trying different roles to gain practical experience of how businesses like an ALSP can offer interesting and challenging pathways which are at the leading edge of how the legal sector is changing. 

Actions and resources for listeners:
 
·        Check this webpage for the Chambers guide to ALSPs – read two of the articles and think what are three main trends you see in this part of the legal services market?
·        Look at two of the different services offered by Integreon as a ALSP: and for each of the two areas make a list of the skills you think will be important in providing that service.
·        Where do your skills match?  After reading this article, consider how your own skill-set and interests fit into a ALSP and the opportunities there.

As a final revisiting of our “Skill-Kit” episode for listeners, we think about the related areas of communication and project management.  What does “good” look like when we are managing a project in terms of our communication?  What choices of communication do we need to consider in general?  And how have things changed as we emerge from the pandemic into a world of hybrid working, where communication options become potentially more complicated?  Again, all three episodes will offer our ideas, perspectives, and some practical approaches to try!

Communication

Two ears and one mouth! Use them in that order and proportion. Communication is not about talking at another person, it is a complex and intricate process which actually holds listening at the heart.

If Albert Mehrabian is right and only 7% of communication are the words that we use, what is the other 93 %? In this episode Kerry and Simon from the ReImagine Law team get under the skin of what is involved in the two way process of communication. How do you make sure that you are totally present in the conversation, and really listen to the other person? And what difference does tone and body language make?

This episode explores whose responsibility it is to make sure the other person ‘hears’ and why does Simon not consider an email as communication? Are your own views on communication holding you back from being a great communicator?

Useful resources
 
 -Read more on Albert Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 Rule of Personal Communication: https://www.rightattitudes.com/2008/10/04/7-38-55-rule-personal-communication/

- 70% of business mistakes are due to poor communication says US Firm Gartner: https://www.careeraddict.com/the-importance-of-effective-communication-in-the-workplace

Project management

Project management is something we do every day, often without realising it, but how do we, first, identify project management in our lives and then articulate it as a skill / competency that we have

Law firms and chambers often list project management as a key competency, but what does it actually mean and how can you develop this skill? In this episode Simon and Kerry demystify what project management is and help listeners identify where it exists for all of us in our daily lives.  They discuss the ‘nuts and bolts’ of managing a process of activities to reach an outcome, with simple, yet powerful approaches to use to use such as ‘What needs to be achieved’, ‘by when’ and ‘by who’ and ‘who needs to be involved?’, this episode also discusses mile stones, inter-dependencies and of course the joy of ‘keeping it simple'
 
 Useful resources
https://lawahead.ie.edu/the-rise-and-future-of-legal-project-management/
https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/project-management-skills

Apprenticeships are a paid job and a programme of study funded by your employer. Within Law firms, Public Sector and In House, there are apprenticeships be to become a Solicitor or Paralegal, and there is a growing volume of Digital, Finance, Business Admin, HR, Project Management opportunities too

In this bumper episode we hear from some of the experts at BPP, on the hugely important topic of Apprenticeships:

How your apprentice qualification can take you right up to graduate and even post-graduate level, with no tuition fee debt!

Whether you come via the apprentice or undergraduate route, the final assessment (SQE) to become a solicitor is the same for all

What you should both expect and look for from your Employer and the Training Provider, who delivers the apprentice training, in terms of training, resources, support and how to manage your time to both work and study    

And finally how for some, an apprenticeship in the legal sector could be the ‘Golden ticket’ to a great and long career!

 Some useful links:

SRA | Solicitor apprenticeships – is it for you? | Solicitors Regulation Authority

Solicitor Apprenticeship | Law | BPP

Legal sector apprenticeships | The Law Society

Law apprenticeships | Prospects.ac.uk

Apprenticeships in Legal Services (cilex.org.uk)

https://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/

https://www.allaboutschoolleavers.co.uk/ 

https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/

This special one-off edition is a roving recording from the London Legal Walk 2021 where Fran and Sassy talk to walkers about what access to justice really means.   

The London Legal Walk is a huge annual event in the Legal calendar, where the whole legal community come together to walk 10km and raise vital funds for the London Legal Support Trust. They in turn fund front line legal services. 

Between drinks, chips and photos with hedge people, Fran and Sassy head to the start line and talk to a fascinating range of walkers about why access to justice is so important. 

This episode features;
-   Robert Rinder MBE (aka Judge Rinder)
-  Derek Sweeting QC (Chair of the Bar)
-  Lubna Shuja (Vice President of the Law Society)
-  Elizabeth Harper, Amanda Illing and Bob Nightingale MBE (London Legal Support Trust)
-  Matthew Leopold (Lexis Nexis)
- Paola Bruni (Dentons)
-  Ifeoluwa Ogunsakin, Rachel Robbins and Ralph Cox (Clyde and Co)

Useful Resources:
- The London Legal Support Trust (https://londonlegalsupporttrust.org.uk/)
- James Harper talks about the Rule of Law;
https://www.barcouncil.org.uk/becoming-a-barrister.html       
https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/career-advice/becoming-a-solicitor/     
- The World Justice Project https://worldjusticeproject.org/about-us/overview/what-rule-law
- The Access to Justice Foundation https://atjf.org.uk/ 

 Kerry (Jarred Consulting) explores this topic with Julie Harris (Head of Law BPP University South East) and Kathleen O’Reilly (Head of Law BPP University South West), in order to bring to life examples of the type of tech used in the sector, and what this means in the context of the role of a future facing lawyer.

We also hear from Julie and Kathleen about the kind of tech skills needed to flourish as a legal professional, and how technology is incorporated into the provision of legal education to develop students’ skills.

So if you are interested in de-mystifying this topic, listen on!

For those curious to learn more, some further resources are found below:

SRA | Technology and Innovation in Legal Services | Solicitors Regulation Authority

10 Trends in the Legal Tech Sector for 2022 | IE LawAhead

How Technology is Revolutionizing the Legal Sector? (appinventiv.com)

In this podcast we share:

• Insights into programmes offered by law firms before you apply
• How to deal with those tough questions  
• What interviewers look for in the answers they hear - the good ones and poor ones!
• Some great tips on how best to use LinkedIn
• What is and what makes a good elevator pitch

Useful links for listeners:

DLA Piper Early Careers  - Early Careers - DLA Piper Early Careers
The Pathways to Law programme run by The Sutton Trust  - Sutton Trust Pathways
DLA Piper offer work experience through the Social Mobility Business Partnership - Home - Social Mobility Business Partnership (smbp.org.uk)

Home - Pay.UK (wearepay.uk)

We might think that telephone interviews are now a thing of the past, but they are still commonly used as part of the application process so employers can test how you communicate (pace, tone of voice, succinctness etc.)

Kerry and Simon explore how video interviews can be live (with another person at the other end like a face to face interview) or pre-recorded.  They discuss how pre-recorded video interviews work (ie when you now answering questions to a live person), why are they used and what are the tips to make sure that your video stands out? Not forgetting a bucket load of tips on logistics like backgrounds, cameras, connectivity, and appropriate dress!  

Useful resources
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/telephone-interviews
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/how-to-do-well-in-telephone-interviews/

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/video-interview-guide

Nigel, Simon and Fran from the ReImagine Law team discuss the interconnectedness of resilience and agility, as well as giving some key tips to listeners to help them develop these skills.

Most of us learn most from when we fail at something, so one key to building resilience is to try something different where you’ll find it a stretch.  Keep a curious, mind-set, and have ‘fail fast and learn fast’ as one motto to build resilience, with ‘FAIL’ as a ‘First Attempt In Learning!  We often talk about the ability to bounce back.  If you try something new the advantage is that you will bounce back in a slightly different direction ‘because if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you always got’! 

How can connecting with different people help you build resilience? This episodes encourages listeners to embrace failure, jump in the deep end and think about stretching their boundaries to ensure they have opportunities to develop, and develop at speed!

Useful resources

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/resilience.htm

https://www.ted.com/talks/raphael_rose_how_failure_cultivates_resilience

In this episode, ReImagineLaw’s Nigel Spencer is joined by special guests Liz Ritter and Lisa Slater to discuss the change in how you qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales, the move to the new “Solicitor’s Qualifying Examination” of “SQE”. 

Liz and Lisa looks at a number of areas to de-mystify the new examination:

·      What is the SQE, and why is the profession’s regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) making the change?

·      What do the two parts to the new SQE examination, “SQE1” and “SQE2” include?  

·      What will you need to know, and how is it assessed?

·      How are the requirements for gaining workplace experience changing under the new SQE regime?

In addition, the episode clarifies the timelines for the different pathways open to students, the “old” Legal Practice Course” (LPC) route and the transition period to the new SQE, and what students who have not studied law can do as a next step.

Actions for listeners:

·      Do your research: be clear what type of legal role you are interested in, the firm you might like to join, and check what they are doing about the SQE.

·      Check the skill-sets now being considered for lawyers of the future (the “O-Shaped” Lawyer initiative as one example, a group set up by clients of law firms to discuss what skills they would like lawyers to possess).

·      Reach out to firms and ask what the options are for the SQE pathway if you were to join their firm.  Do they offer apprenticeship pathways, sponsor students through the SQE, or is there another approach?

Useful Resources: 

·      Understand the key building blocks of the SQE from the profession’s regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

·      About the SQE – information for students from BPP.

·      “O-Shaped Lawyer” skillsets for the future.

The Rule of Law covers four key principles; accountability, just law, open government, and accessible and impartial justice. In this episode Nigel and Fran are joined by lawyer James Harper from Lexis Nexis who is an expert in this area to discuss how we can see the Rule of Law all around us.  The team challenge James to link news stories of the day to the principle and discuss how it links to economics and business development.

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

-       Look at a reputable new website for today.  Can you pick a news story and link it to the Rule of Law? 

-       Speak to your friends / family about the concept.  Start the discussion to help create awareness. 

Useful resources

-       https://www.un.org/ruleoflaw/what-is-the-rule-of-law/  

-       https://www.ruleoflaw.org.au/what-is-the-rule-of-law/
-       https://vimeo.com/275908642

How much do you really know about what judicial roles exist? What areas of life and law do they cover?  This episodes gives an overview of the judiciary and spends time considering the value and importance of a diverse judiciary in society.  Judge Ikram shares an insight into his own background and how he doesn't think he looks like a judge!

This episode encourages listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode. 

1.  Judge Ikram emphasised the importance in his role of understanding different perspectives across society.  So to develop your own career successfully, consider: “How broad are my networks and sources of information? And who could help me to connect with other perspectives, so I see issues from other angles?”
2. Take some time to sit in the public gallery of your local court.  Absorb the atmosphere, the staff, the judges.  Did anything surprise you?

Useful resources:

- Read about Judge Tan Ikrams career and background at these two links: here and here.
- At the time of recording these were the latest statistics on judicial diversity: here
- Read about the different types of judicial roles that exist on the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary website: here 

The ReImagine Law team are joined by Jane Cotton (Pro Bono Manager at Eversheds Sutherland) and Rebecca Wilkinson (CEO of LawWorks) to join in the discussion and unpack all things pro bono.

This episode gives listeners an in-depth look at the definition of pro bono and some practical examples of how it works in practice.  Current issues in the pro bono sector are discussed, as well as ways that listeners can get involved.

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode.

• Have a look at what is happening during National Pro Bono Week, held each year in November http://probonoweek.org.uk/
• Research pro bono opportunities that you can get involved with in your local area, perhaps via your education institution, local court or Law Centre / Citizens Advice.

Useful resources

• The Pro Bono Protocol: https://www.lawworks.org.uk/why-pro-bono/what-pro-bono/pro-bono-protocol
• National Pro Bono Week: http://probonoweek.org.uk/
• LawWorks website: https://www.lawworks.org.uk/
• The Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishing of Offenders Act 2012: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/10/contents/enacted

Networking is not about taking: it is about generously giving, and connecting.  In this episode, Nigel and Fran are joined by Anne Marcotty and Beth Crocker who discuss how to build your networking ‘muscle’, and how important it is to focus on this activity from your time in education as well as in the workplace. 

We often think about networking in a very short-term, transactional way, but in reality it is a skill to be practised over time, and a habit that we can develop.  This episode discusses the importance of bonding with people who are both like, and unlike you, listen out for their personal interests and hobbies, look for common ground.  Did you know that networking has benefits ranging from your happiness and mental health to quicker promotions in the work place? The pandemic has shrunk all of our networks, but what can we do to compensate?

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

-       Evaluate your web of contacts. Think about where you have gaps and what those gaps are.
-       Once you have thought about those gaps, in the next week reach out to five people in a personal, education or professional context and connect with them.   

Useful resources
-      Consider reading the book Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time.
-       https://news.linkedin.com/2017/6/eighty-percent-of-professionals-consider-networking-important-to-career-success
-       Professional Networking Makes People Feel Dirty by Carmen Nobel. https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/professional-networking-makes-people-feel-dirty

Nicholas Cheffings who was Global Chair at Hogan Lovells, and was also until recently Chair of the Prime Commitment shared his insights as to how the legal sector has changed in the last 10 years, with more law firms focusing more on their wider purpose and creating more routes into the profession for people from all backgrounds.

On the skills needed, strong technical legal skills are key but IT and coding skills, as well as a wider knowledge and set of skills can bring real advantage when it comes to clients in different sectors.

Covid-19 has proved lawyers can perform at a high level and not need to be in the office, and that is leading to a rise in more flexible and hybrid working, as well as outsourcing and a rise of contract lawyers. But spending time in office around others is still important to grow knowledge, especially in early stages of your career. 

Nicholas shares his views on the Partnership model in law firms and also discusses the issues around when to specialise.

Finally, he encouraged all who either want to come into and are working in the legal sector to ‘believe in yourself’, as everyone has doubts and fears (some hide it better than others|)  and enjoy your work!

If Albert Mehrabian is right and only 7% of communication are the words that we use, what is the other 93 %? In this episode Kerry and Simon from the ReImagine Law team get under the skin of what is involved in the two way process of communication. How do you make sure that you are totally present in the conversation, and really listen to the other person? And what difference does tone and body language make?

This episode explores whose responsibility it is to make sure the other person ‘hears’ and why does Simon not consider an email as communication? Are your own views on communication holding you back from being a great communicator?

Useful resources

-Read more on Albert Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 Rule of Personal Communication: https://www.rightattitudes.com/2008/10/04/7-38-55-rule-personal-communication/

- 70% of business mistakes are due to poor communication says US Firm Gartner: https://www.careeraddict.com/the-importance-of-effective-communication-in-the-workplace

Today we are talking about diversity and inclusion within the Solicitors Profession.  This episode considers the progress in the profession to date and the vital need to keep momentum going to drive further change.  This week our guest is Chris White from Aspiring Solicitors who talks frankly about the work still to do and the importance of data to progress diversity initiatives.  One of the values of Aspiring Solicitors is “be impatient for change” and Chris discusses the importance of sharing your data to help progress that change.  

The team discuss; the importance of long term change and programmes rather than short term initiatives, diversity as a strength which is individual, and the importance of workplace understanding of difference once in a role.  

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

-       Do a simple Google search for “diversity in law” or your diversity characteristic and the area of law you want to get into. 

-       Use your initiative and look for practical opportunities you can do to help understand the profession. Think differently about how you can bring your desires and passion to life – do what others don’t (within the boundaries of legal and ethical). 

-       Go to court and watch a hearing in any area of law. 

Useful resources

-       Aspiring Solicitors https://www.aspiringsolicitors.co.uk/ 

-       Aspiring Solicitors Foundation https://www.theasf.org.uk/ 

This episode explores working life in the hybrid world, it’s effect on the skills apprentices and trainees need to develop and the impact on employers, staffing and legal issues.  Kerry Jarred is joined by Imogen Reseigh, a managing associate and trainee supervisor in the Employment and Pensions team at Trowers & Hamlins; and Elisha Wilson a trainee solicitor at Trowers, in her third seat and currently sitting with Imogen in the Employment & Pensions team.

ACAS: working from home and hybrid working
https://www.acas.org.uk/working-from-home-and-hybrid-working

Flexible and agile working  

https://www.trowers.com/services/employment-and-pensions/flexible-and-agile-working 

Webinar: Future of Agile Working – the Productivity Paradox

https://www.trowers.com/insights/2023/september/webinarfuture-of-agile-working-the-productivity-paradox 

In this special episode we are joined by Mark Karnowski and Tom Evans, who hold senior roles in delivering Legal Project Management services for international law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, and Robert Dudley, Head of Employability & Engagement at The BARBRI Group. We explore the expanding career opportunities in “Legal Project Management”, the skills needed, and why this is a fast-growing area in both law firms and the in-house legal teams of their clients. 

In this episode, Mark and Tom speak about what “Legal Project Management” (or “LPM”) is, and how the need for firms to deliver this LPM service arose from the greater client demand for efficiency and pricing certainty after the Financial Crash in 2007-09.  Mark and Tom explain how this is a fast-growing area of practice, relevant to different practice areas, from Banking and Corporate to Litigation.  Our guests explain how you can build a career in LPM from different career backgrounds ranging from being a lawyer, to accountancy or management consultancy, and the graduate programmes in law firms in “Legal Operations” which offer you the chance to develop a career in LPM.  The differences between LPM roles in law firms and in-house legal teams are also discussed. 

The episode then considers the skill-sets which are important for LPM, highlighting core capabilities such as organisation, project management and attention to detail.  Also, our guests emphasise the need for high levels of emotional intelligence, managing and negotiating with one’s busy stakeholders, adaptability as projects you are managing evolve and change, and a need for resilience and being able to manage tight deadlines.
 
Actions and resources for listeners:
·         Check this webpage and read one of the “how we are helping out clients” stories – what skills would the legal project managers need to deliver really well on this project?
·         See this summary of the importance of legal project management to in-house legal teams.  How do you own skills match with those highlighted there?

Finding the right mentor can be transformational, but where do you start? We speak with law firm partners Tim Smith and Elizabeth Robertson about how to find a mentor and make the most of the relationship, as well as Simon Reichwald at MyKindaFuture, where they leverage technology to make finding and accessing mentors easy! They talk about researching to identify the right mentor, being clear on what you want to achieve from the relationship, and preparing for your conversations with your mentor. But first you have to ask someone to be your mentor, and that may not be as hard as it might seem, because people love being mentors! 

Elizabeth Robertson is a partner and white collar crime specialist at Skadden Arps, an international full-service law firm based in New York.

Tim Smith is partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner where he specialises in planning and environmental law.

Simon Reichwald is Strategic Lead for Talent at MyKindaFuture, a technology business, supporting ‘new’ talent get into work and ‘existing’ talent progress when in work. 

Useful links:

PRIME - https://primecommitment.co.uk

PRIME is an alliance of law firms across the UK and Republic of Ireland determined to improve access to, and socio-economic diversity within, the legal profession. A successful career in the law is based on what you can do, not where you are from. Start, develop 

and excel in your legal career. It all starts with work experience from PRIME. Visit our website to find out more.

‘Get into Work’ - https://getintowork.co.uk/lp-a a Government supported technology platform giving those who need it access to mentors from across multiple industries

“Mentoring has such a valuable role in supporting young people with their future success, and it’s great to see DWP partnering the team at MyKindaFuture to match young people with mentors and content”. DWP Minister for Employment, Mims Davies MP

In this special episode we are joined by Barry Matthews, Group Deputy General Counsel at the Pennon Group Plc, and Holly Moore, Legal Advisor in the in-house legal team at broadcaster ITV. We explore how you can develop a career path as an in-house lawyer, how the role differs from other types of legal practice, the opportunities such pathways offer, the skills which help you to succeed as an in-house lawyer, and how the role is changing.

In this episode, Barry and Holly explain how they each developed their career paths to in-house legal roles and what attracted them to this area of legal practice.  For Barry, this was a route via private practice in a City law firm, whilst Holly gained an in-house solicitor apprentice role and went directly into in-house practice.  Areas discussed include the diversity of the roles and opportunities, and the closeness of the in-house legal role to the commercial business you are advising.

Holly speaks about the fast-moving, and varied work at ITV from commercial negotiations to drafting and brand protection work.  Also Holly discusses how the in-house role gives a great “helicopter view” of the business as her role rotated through different departments during training.  Barry also emphasises the variety of his in-house work at a senior level, ranging from the legal and commercial strategy work to collaborating with academic partner organisations on societal issues such as water supply resilience.  Both guests talk about skills such as agility, project management and relationship building as being key to success – and how they see in-house legal functions developing in the future.

Actions and resources for listeners:

·         Check this webpage to find out some differences between working as an  in-house lawyer and in private practice.

On this list of “10 Business Skills every in-house lawyer should master”, where are you already strong, and which 1 skill could you work more to develop? 

The ReImagineLAW team welcome guests Joseph Toft, second year LLB Law student and Jessica Piggot a solicitor at Reed Smith LLP.

Joseph discusses the actions from episode 3 and speaks with Jess about her career pathway of not undertaking a law degree. 

This episode encourages listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode:

1. Topics you initially aren't considering might surprise you: talk to a fellow student or tutor about a module in next year's course you know little about.
2. Talk to someone working in the sector you are considering: and then ask them "What other routes did you consider?".
3. Do something which stretches yourself and takes you out of your comfort zone in relation to you educational and/or career path. 

Useful resources:

- There is some more information on the Graduate Diploma in Law here
- Doing a law conversion course
- What if you have a Law Degree but don't want to practice law?  This might be a useful article for you to read

This is the first episode in our mini-series about applications.  We start with an episode exploring how to write successful CVs and online application forms. In this episode Kerry and Simon explore the top tips to help you stand out from the crowd and get off to a good start in the application process. 

In this episode we speak with Lisa McClory, who talks about how she developed her career from practising as a solicitor in large firms to running her own consultancy advising businesses on Knowledge Management, data, AI and ethics.

Lisa reflects on her career path choices and what she particularly enjoyed about the different phases of her early career as a solicitor: ranging from working at major City firms on institutional clients to a subsequent phase when she specialised in clients in the charities sector.  

In addition, Lisa explains how her interest developed in regulation and how she has seen regulation drive transparency and behavioural change at an industry sector level – plus the challenge of establishing objective metrics for measuring such change.  As an example of such industry-level shifts, we discuss the “Environmental, Social and Governance” (ESG) agenda, reflect on where pressure has come from for organisational engagement with these areas, and also discuss the related area of ethics in technology and artificial intelligence (AI).

Finally, Lisa discusses how she sees the impact of technology as a driver of collaboration across the legal sector and the collaborative work being done by many firms to establish industry standards and benchmarks which will benefit all stakeholders.

Resources for listeners:

·         What is Knowledge Management in the legal sector? https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com/w-014-7368?transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default)&firstPage=true 

·         Understanding the EU’s AI regulatory proposals: https://www.allenovery.com/en-gb/global/news-and-insights/publications/key-provisions-of-the-draft-ai-regulation#:~:text=On%2021%20April%202021%2C%20the,regulating%20artificial%20intelligence%20(AI). 

Action for listeners:

1.       Look at the website of “The Chancery Lane Project”.  

a.    For 10 minutes, capture some notes on why you think that competitor law firms want to collaborate on this project.  

b.    Discuss your notes with a friend or colleague. 

This special episode records a live stream panel event with criminal lawyers discussing their work and views.  The episode has audience contributions from aspiring lawyers.   

In this special episode Fran welcomes three criminal lawyers to join her on a panel discussing the nuts and bolts of working in criminal practice.  Barristers Beth Crocker and Sonal Dishani and solicitor Harun Matin get stuck in to all the wonderful questions that our audience and Fran have for them.  A must listen for anyone interested in working in criminal law.   

How is law and regulation being used to support the world’s attempt to slow climate change and achieve environmental sustainability?  In this episode Zaneta Sedilekova, Associate in Climate Risk at global law firm Clyde & Co, and Biodiversity Risk Consultant at the Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative explains to listeners how current climate issues are being implemented into international legal frameworks – the challenges which legislators face, and progress that has been made.

We discuss how these issues translate into the daily work of lawyers and how legal teams are being created to advise organisations on issues surrounding Climate and Biodiversity risk, helping them to understand the fast-moving regulatory requirements in this area. 

Zaneta also talks about how her own career has taken her into this area of work, the career path decisions she made, the importance of seeking out practical placements and experiences in these new areas of law, and skills you can usefully develop as you build a legal career in the area of climate and biodiversity law.

Resources for listeners:

·         Law Society report on climate change and the law: Climate Change Risks: the future of law as we know it?

·         Biodiversity risk and liabilities:  Biodiversity liability and value chain risk report 

Action for listeners:

Look at the Law Society report provided above:  

1.       Pick one of the Climate Change risks identified on pp. 5-9.

2.       Discuss with a friend or colleague for 15 minutes what skills and knowledge you will need to develop as a lawyer to help governments or other organisations to work on these environmental elements of the law in the next 10 years. Think across disciplines, not just legal skills and knowledge!

This episode takes an in-depth look at the advantages and opportunities of qualiying into the legal profession through the CILEx route. Three wonderful guests talk through the advantages and practical realities of studying while working.

This episode encourage listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode.

- Research into the different routes available in CILEx including distance learning.
- Research what a career in the legal profession means to you and how it fits with the kind of life you want long term.

Resources
- Here is a link to the CILEx website with details of specialist practice areas
- Look at the costs of CILEx qualification here
- Check out the Regulation Matters webpage
- This is a video on the CILEx continuing professional development

In this episode we speak with Roy Lee, a Legislative Counsel at the Law Officers of the Crown, Guernsey, who has worked across the world in many jurisdictions, consulting to governments for over 25 years to draft legislation in a range of areas.

Roy explains how his formative years led him to become passionate about Human Rights and Governance issues, and why the law became his chosen career, after exploring pathways in journalism.  Also, Roy explains his career choices, and how early experience in legal publishing led on to a career in “writing the law”, working with many different governments around the world, from New Zealand and Pacific States, to Guernsey.

Key skills for this career path are highlighted by Roy, including curiosity and an interest in a broad range of legal practice areas from transactional work to litigation.  We also discuss how those drafting the law work with government teams to co-create legislation and how it is updated through time.

Actions and resources for listeners:

·         Look at the Government’s webpages about Legislative drafting to understand more.

·         Also see the case studies from people who have taken up this career path.

The fourth episode in our mini-series of tips and ideas for personal development explores the topic of feedback.  

 We discuss why getting feedback is so important.  The need to gain different perspectives on how you are developing, how the last project was received by colleagues you assisted, and how this information can then guide your career thinking.

 There’s also the key question of how to have the feedback conversation, what will make it as effective as possible, how you can best create some good actions, and what will help the person giving you feedback to be as open as possible.

 Questions to consider:

·       To give you some useful data on your strengths and any areas for development, who do you need to speak with?

·       What would you really like to get out of this specific conversation, which will most help you? 

·       After you receive the feedback, which 2 specific actions will you take?

 
Resources:

·       Tips on receiving feedback: https://ardencoaching.com/ten-tips-accepting-feedback-gracefully/

In this episode we speak with Deborah Lawunmi about the different elements of her career path.  We discuss how Deborah first became interested in law, in particular her interest in civil liberties and Human Rights.

Deborah explains how her career developed, her specialisation in employment law, and the roles she held working across different Whitehall departments in the Government Legal Service, before moving to an advisory role in the Office of Fair Trading, advising businesses on regulatory compliance issues.

Deborah’s interest in driving greater inclusion in the legal sector, particularly in elite City law firms, led her to study for a PhD at Queen Mary University of London – and Deborah speaks about her findings of how firms can be more successful at attracting, developing and retaining lawyers from different backgrounds.

Finally, Deborah speaks about her most recent career phase, working as a consultant in a UK-wide network of lawyers, an example of the more flexible career models now available in one of the new types of legal service providers.

Actions for listeners:

·         Look at the different areas of the Government Legal Service (now called the Government Legal Profession) to find out about career opportunities there.

·         Understand more about “alternative legal service providers” and the types of career opportunities they offer in this article.

Useful Resources: 

·         A short video on the Government Legal Profession careers options.

·         Career information from an “alternative legal services provider”, Axiom.

·         For details of Deborah’s PhD research at the School of Law, Queen Mary University of London, on the career experience of socially marginalized groups in elite City law firms, see this summary.

How should we approach making career decisions?  What should be the balance of logical analysis versus our “intuition”, and how can one guide the other?  Also, are there lessons from how we make decisions in other contexts which we can apply to our career planning?

In this episode, Roger Parker, former EMEA Managing Partner at global law firm Reed Smith, adviser to leaders and mentor to those beginning their careers at Resurgo, shares tips and advice on how we can approach career decision-making.  Roger reflects also on how he needed to make decisions in his senior management roles and the principles which one can take from those approaches to decision-making related to our career paths. 

Roger considers a range of issues ranging from how one aligns with one’s values to the importance of listening to feedback from your trusted circles of friends and colleagues.  Also, Roger emphasises how important it is to balance risk and opportunity, to consider saying “no” to opportunities, and also to be patient and considered at times of uncertainty: having the confidence to “wait for the fog to clear” as one plans a next career step.   

Action for listeners:  Spend 10 minutes making notes about these 3 career questions, and then discuss your answers with a trusted colleague:   1.       In my current, and next role(s), what do I want to contribute?  (Tip: think about your values, what is really important to you.)  
2.       Think about a potential next role you have considered and ask yourself: what would I be giving up, as well as gaining, if I took that route? (Tip: Think about networks you may lose, and also future opportunities in a current role which you would no longer have.)  
3.       If you are uncertain about a possible career route, stop and consider: what is driving that uncertainty? (Tip: Breaking down the uncertainty can help you to clarify what conversations, or data, you need before taking your decision.)  

When the pandemic struck in March 2020 the court system in England and Wales had to adjust - and quickly.  Adaptations included making some hearings virtual, ensuring other face-to-face hearings could be made ‘Covid secure’, and introducing ‘hybrid’ models which uses elements of both approaches. 

This episode welcomes Her Honour Judge Sarah Cove, a Circuit Judge in the Family Court, and Rudi Fortson QC, a criminal barrister at 25 Bedford Row, to discuss what changes were made and which adaptations might remain in the future.  They discuss which types of hearings are more suited to virtual court hearings and the advantages and disadvantages of technology in court rooms.   

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode.

-       Take a look through the Nuffield Report which reflects on the experiences of court users in the family law, discussed by Her Honour Judge Cove. https://www.nuffieldfjo.org.uk/app/nuffield/files-module/local/documents/remote_hearings_sept_2020.pdf

-       After listening to the podcast, discuss with a friend / class mate which skills might be needed in the future, especially if more technology is used into the courtroom. 

-       Tune into the Supreme Court website to watch a live remote court hearing. If you are listening to this after the pandemic, watch a court hearing in person and see what tech you can see being engaged: https://www.supremecourt.uk/ 

Useful resources

-       The Nuffield Report referred to by Her Honour Judge Cove in the episode.  https://www.nuffieldfjo.org.uk/resource/remote-hearings-rapid-consultation

-       A follow up to the Nuffield Report above: https://www.nuffieldfjo.org.uk/resource/remote-hearings-september-2020#:~:text=In%20light%20of%20this%20significant,well%20over%201%2C000%20people%20responded. 

-       Yes we can. Remote Justice. The New Norm? by Jane Colston and Ravinder Thukral:  http://www.brownrudnick.com/alert/yes-we-can-remote-justice-the-new-normal/

-       An anonymous post written by a Circuit Judge in the Family Court on remote justice: http://www.transparencyproject.org.uk/remote-justice-a-judges-perspective/ 

Career changers

Hear three different journeys to becoming a solicitor, from those who has different careers previously.

In this episode you'll hear:

How the support needed to becoming a solicitor can be shaped to make the most of the previous experiences, as well as the benefits past experiences bring. 

How to manage imposter syndrome and lots of top tips for career changers.

Useful links:

·         Managing imposter syndrome as a student: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/news/2021/sep/3-tips-manage-imposter-syndrome

Ever wondered what a career in Real Estate Law, and in particular affordable housing entails?  This podcast will give you real insight into how law firms like Trowers and Hamlin provide services within this sector.  Kerry Jarred is joined by Rob Beiley, Emma Kirby and Nikita Asher from Trowers and Hamlin, one of our sponsors here at ReImagine Law.  The show is packed with advice and guidance, one not to be missed!

Resources:

Inside Housing - Home

Trowers & Hamlins - International law firm -Trowers & Hamlins

Navigating the UK market investment in student accommodation -Trowers & Hamlins

Resilience and agility

We often talk about the importance of resilience, but what does it actually mean in the workplace and how can you build this key attribute?

Nigel, Simon and Fran from the ReImagine Law team discuss the interconnectedness of resilience and agility, as well as giving some key tips to listeners to help them develop these skills.
 
 Most of us learn most from when we fail at something, so one key to building resilience is to try something different where you’ll find it a stretch.  Keep a curious, mind-set, and have ‘fail fast and learn fast’ as one motto to build resilience, with ‘FAIL’ as a ‘First Attempt In Learning!  We often talk about the ability to bounce back.  If you try something new the advantage is that you will bounce back in a slightly different direction ‘because if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you always got’!
 
 How can connecting with different people help you build resilience? This episodes encourages listeners to embrace failure, jump in the deep end and think about stretching their boundaries to ensure they have opportunities to develop, and develop at speed!
 
 Useful resources
 
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/resilience.htm

https://www.ted.com/talks/raphael_rose_how_failure_cultivates_resilience

Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

The expression; ‘people buy people first’ demonstrates the importance of using ‘emotional intelligence’ to understand the impact you have.  It is a key professional and personal skill. But what is emotional intelligence and how can it be developed?

In this episode, Nigel and Simon discuss what emotional intelligence is and how you can use this skill to build self-awareness.  They share tips and tricks about how these capabilities can help you to develop your career, increasing your impact in key situations and building strong networks.   
 
 Useful resources
     
 Daniel Goleman (psychologist – 5 core elements of emotional intelligence)
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7m9eNoB3NU
       
Five ways to develop emotional intelligence, Forbes
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2018/05/29/5-ways-to-develop-your-emotional-intelligence/?sh=31371e986976

Personal brand and impact

How would you like to be perceived by others? What impact would you like to leave? This episode discusses how to build your own personal brand and highlights some of the common errors that people make!

In this episode, Kerry and Simon discuss the balance between being authentic to yourself, and purposefully creating the right impact.  What do you want people to say about you when you are not in the room? In an increasingly consumer-oriented society, authenticity is important – and you need to get the balance right between raising your profile and not ‘over-selling’! So look deep and let your values lead how you structure your personal brand.  The team give some helpful examples of authentic and non-authentic behaviour they have seen from individuals when interviewing for a new job or promotion.
 
 Useful resources
 Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/goldiechan/2018/11/08/10-golden-rules-personal-branding/?sh=71e9c7a458a7
Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2011/03/reinventing-your-personal-brand

Reflective practice

We know that reflection is not a ‘fad’ – it is one of the key ways we learn and develop as human beings. But how can you do it effectively to benefit your development and gain the most from your experiences?

Reflection is an important tool to turn an experience into a moment when learning is captured for the future.  In this episode Nigel and Fran explore why it is important to reflect and how to do this practically.  They discuss the importance of ‘journaling’ (or even ‘double journaling’) and how your peers and networks can help you with reflection.
 
 Useful resources
-       What is reflection (The Open University): file:///C:/Users/ltw571/Downloads/Activity%2011%20What%20is%20reflection.pdf
-        Jisc – Student Self Reflection: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/transforming-assessment-and-feedback/self-reflection

Ted Talks – Personal Empowerment through Reflection and Learning https://www.ted.com/talks/dr_craig_mertler_personal_empowerment_through_reflection_and_learning

The second episode in our mini-series with tips and ideas for personal development talks about learning through experimentation.  What projects could you try in parallel to, or as part of your current role, which also allow you to think about future roles and career options?  

 These experiments can help you to think a couple of steps ahead – and give you some ideas to challenge whether the current path you are on is a good long-term fit for you.

 Also, keep a log of how you feel about these new ideas you are trying out.  Are they exciting, challenging, or perhaps not what you imagined (in a positive, or less positive way)?

Questions to consider:

·       If you were planning 2 steps ahead in your career, what do you think you might you like to be doing then? 

·       To explore these ideas more, what live experiments could you create now to let you see if these types of roles or projects might be ones you enjoy?  

Resources:

·       Working identity, unconventional strategies for your career

Flora Curtis, barrister and member of the UK “Legal Voices for the Future” initiative.  Camila Bustos, Assistant Professor of Law at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Pace University (NY), and co-founder of the US body “Law Students for Climate Accountability”.   

In this special episode we are joined by two guests.  Flora Curtis, a London-based barrister specialising in environmental law, and a member of “Legal Voices for the Future” (LVF), a learning forum acting as a voice for positive change about climate-related issues for the next generation of lawyers.  Professor Camila Bustos teaches on environment and climate justice and co-founded the “Law Students for Climate Accountability” initiative in the US to highlight the role lawyers can play on key environmental issues.
 
In this special episode we are joined by two guests. Flora Curtis, a London-based barrister specialising in environmental law, and a member of “Legal Voices for the Future” (LVF), a learning forum acting as a voice for positive change about climate-related issues for the next generation of lawyers.  Professor Camila Bustos teaches on environment and climate justice and co-founded the “Law Students for Climate Accountability” (LSCA) initiative in the US to highlight the role lawyers can play on key environmental issues. 

Flora talks about how a barrister’s work can focus on different aspects of environmental law, and the actual role a barrister can play in cases – including understanding important technical areas of environmental law, and discussing scientific findings with expert witnesses.  The challenge of the “cab rank” rule is considered, where barristers are under an obligation to offer representation to clients to enable access to justice, where climate-related ethical issues may arise from representing certain individuals or organisations.  Flora talks about the skills you use in such work, the importance of good research and questioning skills, and the need to have the confidence to challenge senior experts.  The work of LVF in running education sessions is highlighted, with topics ranging from climate litigation to “greenwashing” by corporations.

Camila speaks about what led her to be one of the co-founders at Yale Law School of the LSCA initiative, now active across the whole US.  The disconnect between the rhetoric of law firms and their actions is explored, including how the group has put together an annual “Scorecard” to measure the performance of different law firms on climate-related issues – and also invites students, law firms and their clients to make a pledge on how they are contributing positively on climate-related issues. 

Camila discusses the purpose of publishing this information, including the goal of empowering students to consider for which organisations they may like to work, and encourages students to remember what brought them to law in the first place as a field of study – remembering to keep their “Why?” and purpose front of mind as they build their careers. 

Actions and resources for listeners:         
Read the UK “Carbon Circle” report from the Law Students for Climate Accountability – what does this tell you about the Legal Industry’s ties to the Fossil Fuel Industry?
Also look at the organisation’s latest “scorecard” for how major law firms rank in their activities related to fossil fuels: https://www.ls4ca.org/scorecard.         
Follow the “Legal Voices for the Future” LinkedIn page to learn about their work, and recent knowledge sessions they have run.  

In this episode you'll hear:

What are they, how long do they last?

What do you learn and how do they benefit the apprentice and the firm?

 Useful links:

·         Benefits of secondments (in general): https://www.allaboutlaw.co.uk/law-careers/secondments/benefits-of-secondment

·         Benefits of secondments for early career stage lawyers (as trainee): https://www.shoosmiths.co.uk/careers/careers-early/early-careers-blog/blog/why-secondments-are-beneficial-to-trainee-solicitors

·         Solicitor apprenticeship example, including reference to secondment: https://www.shlegal-futuretalent.com/opportunities/apprenticeships

There is more to being a lawyer than knowing the law.  More and more firms are recognising the importance of ‘how’ lawyers approach working with colleagues and clients.  

The business of law is the provision of a service, and the people buying that service, want to work with people they enjoy working with.  They want to feel connected and understood.  Irrelevant of how well someone does academically, at the end of the day solicitors and barristers work with people, on behalf of people, and the decisions that are made affect people's lives.

In this episode we will be exploring the professional behaviours and mindsets needed to set you up for success as a lawyer.

Our guests today are:

Charlotte Wanendeya - Head of Law at BPP University, Holborn Centre London, with 25 years’ teaching and module leading experience across a range of knowledge and skills areas. An accredited Mediator, Charlotte qualified as a solicitor at Clifford Chance and committee member of the City of London Law Society Training Committee.

Nigel Jamieson – Head of Law at BPP University, Leeds.  Previously a solicitor specialising in criminal law since 1995, and also a Higher Courts Advocate from 2011.  Nigel also qualified as a Barrister in 2015.

This episode features four students who are either on or have recently graduated from an LLB Law. 

1.     Hannah Whiterow, 3rd Year, Law LLB @ University of Exeter 

2.     Evy Quinn, 3rd Year, Law and Politics @ Queen Mary University of London

3.     Nickolas Tan, Graduate, Law LLB @ University of Durham 

4.     Madeline Field, Graduate (primary school teacher), Law LLB @ Queen Mary University of London

 Studying for a law degree teaches you so much more than the law. It gives you access to interesting people, conversations and vital skills such as researching, self-discipline and communication. Law at an undergraduate level can also lead to a wide breadth of career options. This is a terrific episode to listen to if you are considering studying Law at degree level or want to know more about modules, programmes and all the extra-curricular opportunities on offer. 

 We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

-       Look online at 3 different institutions Law programmes. Take time to look at the different LLB programmes on offer and the types of optional modules that might be available during the course. 

Useful resources

-       Episode #1 Your Career Starts with Knowing Yourself (https://www.re-imaginelaw.org.uk/pathways/international-careers-think-big-9gp5b-jfry8-thb35) 

-       Episode #2 Graduate Route into Law (https://www.re-imaginelaw.org.uk/pathways/international-careers-think-big-9gp5b-jfry8-m3d28) 

-       https://www.ucas.com/explore/subjects/law

-       https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/subjects/law

-       https://www.topuniversities.com/courses/law-legal-studies/guide

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/law

Legal aid is the mechanism whereby public funds pay for a client to be represented by a lawyer.  Cuts have been in place or decades and the areas of law covered by legal aid have changed. This episode welcomes legal aid solicitors; Harun Matin (National Legal Services) and Vivien Cochrane (Sherman Bowen) who discuss some issues from all sides.  They talk eligibility for legal aid, the impact it has on legal practice and why it is vital for all those working in the legal sector to care about. A must listen episode for all aspiring lawyers!

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

-       Have a look at the independent review on legal aid released in November 2021. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1041117/clar-independent-review-report-2021.pdf

-       Watch some Magistrates Court proceedings (especially first appearances), can you see when there is reference to legal aid?

Useful resources

-       https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/6979/documents/72829/default/

-       https://www.chambersstudent.co.uk/where-to-start/newsletter/legal-aid-cuts-and-reforms

-       https://www.ft.com/content/daa5085e-4fd7-4459-9f83-01761dd8aca0

https://www.lawyer-monthly.com/2021/08/laspo-how-a-near-decade-of-legal-aid-cuts-has-affected-britains-most-vulnerable/  

 In this special episode we are joined by Tamara Box.  Tamara is a partner, and Head of Structured Finance at global law firm Reed Smith and, in the immediate past, was the firm’s Managing Partner for Europe and the Middle East.  We “horizon scan” with Tamara on how she sees the legal services sector changing in the coming years, and what that means for the careers, skills and opportunities for those entering the sector.
 
In this special episode we are joined by Tamara Box.  Tamara is a partner, and Head of Structured Finance at global law firm Reed Smith and, in the immediate past, was the firm’s Managing Partner for Europe and the Middle East.  We “horizon scan” with Tamara on how she sees the legal services sector changing in the coming years, and what that means for the careers, skills and opportunities for those entering the sector.  In this episode, Tamara talks about her own career path, the importance of being open to exploring opportunities, “being brave” and not expecting that one’s career will develop in a linear way.  Tamara also highlights how legal education and training gives a great set of foundational skills to pivot into many career paths – and how more diversity of skill-set and mind-set will be critical to deliver on client service needs in the future.  For those entering the sector, Tamara sets out the breadth of opportunities across the private, public and non-for profit sectors – and above all how key skill-sets for students to focus on developing are those of customer service, communication and writing skills too, which will be critical for building great professional connections and opening up opportunities. 

Actions and resources for listeners:
·       Check this blog by Jordan Furlong for how the legal sector may look (“if we’re lucky”) in 2033.
·       Look at this list of 7 client/customer service skills.  Which 1 skill could you develop more in the coming 6 months?

From lost work bags, to news echo chambers! In this episode Nigel, Kerry and Fran discuss what one top tip they each have to aspiring lawyers as we head into 2022.  

In a changing legal landscape where transactions or litigation cases are increasingly complex, and often cross-border, clients (and therefore employers) expect more from their lawyers; they require practitioners with a flexibility of approach and thinking, and an international mind-set. This episode discusses how international educational experiences can build exciting careers for the lawyers of tomorrow. 

The ReImagine Law team are joined by Eileen Murphy (3rd year student on Queen Mary University of London’s dual qualification degree in England and France), and Chris Jorgenson (Director of Institutional Partnerships at Barbri Global) who is qualified in both the USA and the UK. Together, they discuss themes ranging from the contrasting approaches of different global legal systems to the challenges of studying in different languages – and the range of career paths which international studies can open up. 

Lessons from them include, ‘Think Big’ and make yourself relevant by building a broad skill-set.  And be ambitious to apply for international opportunities even when there might be only a few places available – after all, someone will be successful! 

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

• Think about difference: what differences might there be between working in your native country and a different jurisdiction? How can you benefit from this difference?  Find someone in your network who might have this experience, and ask them!
• Research ten different international career options.  It might be helpful to start by looking at the following; Government Legal Services, the United Nations, a global law firm, and the judicial appointments commission.  

Useful resources:

• Here are some tips and tricks from Chris.
• Read about the double degree that Eileen undertakes. 
• Look at recruitment pages to see what types of opportunities exist.

In this podcast we hear from the CEO of Clarilis, a market leading technology platform in the sector, who shares insights into:

• The different ways technology and Generative AI are impacting the sector, including how technology is making the most of the best legal minds 
• The different elements of legal technology and how for example, large language models are being used
• The pace of change & what drives it
• How embracing generative AI frees up those in the sector to enjoy their work even more 

Plus of course tips on both routes into legal technology and how to know if it is for you

Useful links and resources:

https://www.clarilis.com/

https://www.clarilis.com/about-clarilis/careers

https://www.artificiallawyer.com/

https://www.legalcheek.com/

https://www.legalgeek.co/

In this episode Julia Robinson, Senior Manager of Professional Development at global law firm Ropes and Gray, discusses the importance of developing one’s ‘human skills’ in order to develop a career in the legal sector of the 21stcentury.

 We explore on the episode how the ability to adapt, to relate to others, to empathise, and to show deep levels of emotional intelligence have all been highlighted by the pandemic – and why these skills are all relevant to “robot-proofing” your career.  Also, we discuss why these skills are important to the clients of legal practitioners and how leaders of law firms are focusing increasingly on maintaining the human connection and “glue” across their organisation, especially as we look ahead to increasingly hybrid work patterns, with some team members in the office and some choosing to work flexibly.

 Questions to consider:

·       Being adaptable is helped by having a mind-set of ‘lifelong learning’.  Could you volunteer to be involved in a new project or different type of work, where you will learn a lot on the job?

·       When in meetings or in conversations, how often do you focus on the other person’s needs and ‘check-in’ what is going on for them?  Being curious and interested in others is a great way to learn how to relate well and build emotional intelligence.

 
Resources:

·       Training in a pandemic: the last 12 months

·       Robot proofing for lawyers

In this episode, the ReImagineLaw team are joined by Cathy Goodman, Lead Practice Innovation and Knowledge Counsel, Paul Hastings LLP.  Cathy speaks about her own career pathway from qualifying as a solicitor to teaching law, and then developing expertise in the new technologies which law firms are adopting to deliver service to clients in a more efficient and effective way.

Cathy explains why law firms are increasingly looking to experiment with new technologies in their service delivery and gives some examples of how new tools are helpful in the types of legal work carried out by different departments of a firm.  Also, Cathy explains where pioneering work is being done by the Law Commission in areas such as the e-signing of documents and digital signatures.

We also explore with Cathy what the “next frontier” of these new ways of delivering legal service looks like – not just in terms of the range of technology tools which are available, but also the mind-sets and skill-sets which will be needed to see this tech-enabled legal service provision become the norm in the future.

Actions for listeners:·       
Reflect for 5 minutes on: “What legal processes do you think could benefit from the adoption of technology?”       
What do you see law firms talking about in terms of where they are using technology? Check the websites of two firms and compare their approaches.       
Check the skill-sets now being considered for lawyers of the future (the “O-Shaped” Lawyer initiative as one example, a group set up by clients of law firms to discuss what skills they would like lawyers to possess).

Useful Resources:       
The Law Commission’s work on the electronic execution of documents: https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/electronic-execution-of-documents/.       
The Law Commission’s work on smart contracts: https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/smart-contracts/·       
HM Land Registry: electronic execution of deeds: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/execution-of-deeds/practice-guide-8-execution-of-deeds     
Potential growth in legal technology: https://news.crunchbase.com/news/legaltech-hypergrowth-legalzoom-startups-venture-raj-goyle-onit/       
Legal technology trends to watch in 2022: https://www.clio.com/blog/legal-technology-trends/       
The “O-Shaped Lawyer” skillsets. 

Reflection is an important tool to turn an experience into a moment when learning is captured for the future.  In this episode Nigel and Fran explore why it is important to reflect and how to do this practically.  They discuss the importance of ‘journaling’ (or even ‘double journaling’) and how your peers and networks can help you with reflection.

Useful resources
-       What is reflection (The Open University): file:///C:/Users/ltw571/Downloads/Activity%2011%20What%20is%20reflection.pdf
-        Jisc – Student Self Reflection: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/transforming-assessment-and-feedback/self-reflection

Ted Talks – Personal Empowerment through Reflection and Learning https://www.ted.com/talks/dr_craig_mertler_personal_empowerment_through_reflection_and_learning

in this special episode we are joined by Katie Benedickter, Trainee Solicitor at D2 Legal Technology. Katie discusses her career path to date, and how exploring different areas of law, and other disciplines, in her studies led Katie to roles where there was a broad, international and commercial focus where she could look at law with a “business mind”. 

Katie talks about the importance of proactively seeking different work experience also and being open to a wide range of opportunities and new, potential career paths.  The skills needed for Katie’s current role, advising clients in the financial services sector, on how technology and managing data can solve business problems, are discussed – in particular how seeing the broader commercial picture is important for your clients and also how legal expertise fits into these broader business needs.  The episode also talks about the learning habits which Katie has found important build early in her career: a curiosity and keenness to learn, being willing to “jump in at the deep end” and try new projects, the importance of collaboration across different disciplines, and especially of developing the ability to keep a “business mind” and to see law within its context.  Also Katie talks about the importance of recognising your own progress and achievements at all stages of your education and early career, and staying focused on maximising the opportunities in front of you to develop your own, unique path. 

Actions and resources for listeners:

·         Look at these “10 important lawyer skills – and how to develop them”. 
·         Give yourself a score against each of them.  
·         What is one strength to build on, and which one could you usefully spend more time on also?

In this fifth episode in our mini-series of tips and ideas for personal development, we discuss goal-setting.  What do good goals look like?  Why are they important, and how do they link to motivation?   

We look at the need to break down goals into manageable steps, to make them practical and also how important it is to co-create them with your manager, family or other people impacted – ensuring everyone gives you their ideas.  We look too at the specific situation of starting a new job or role and give tips on how best to set goals at that time to maximise your chances of success in the new position.

Questions to consider:·       
How can you break down the bigger career goals you currently have into a practical next 1-2 steps? 
Do you know ‘what good looks like’ to your manager or project leader for the role you are doing?  If not, ask.
Going into a new role, what should be your focus in the first 90 days?

Resources:·       
SMART goals: https://www.mindtools.com/page6.html
Planning your first 90 says: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GERACy54gDk   

Unlike competency based interviews (see other podcast for this), strengths based interviews are more about who you are and your natural strengths rather than asking you to draw on past experiences to showcase skills. They allow recruiters to gain a genuine insight into the personalities of candidates and to see whether they'd be a good fit for the role applied to.  They also allow you, as the interviewee, to be selected on the basis of what you are best at being a good fit for what is required in the role.In this episode, Kerry and Simon explore the types of questions you might be asked, how to spot a strengths based interview and how to be successful in answering the questions.  They also consider what the less commonly used ‘values based interview’ is and how to spot it!

Useful resources

 https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/strength-based-interviews-     
https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/interview-types/275395-strengths-based-interviews-for-jobs-and-grad-schemes-       https://www.totaljobs.com/advice/how-to-prepare-for-a-strengths-based-interview

Clinical legal education is a type of experience-based learning which mixes the theory and practice of law.  This episode explores the different types of clinical work that students can get involved with and how it can be beneficial to your future career. 

The ReImagine Law team are joined by Professor Elaine Hall from Northumbria University and Lauren Fisher (a graduate from the Student Law Office at Northumbria University).  They discuss the unique benefits of student law clinics in giving students practical (often client facing) experience within a supporting and supervised environment.  Elaine and Lauren highlight especially how clinical legal education allows students to build skills in client relationship management: gaining experience in how to support clients, often during times of great personal stress, by showing empathy, good listening, and asking good questions.

Elaine highlights some interesting research which demonstrates how law students engaging in clinical legal education can simultaneously improve their academic outcomes.   Lauren also outlines how her experiences assisted her in developing skills and confidence, and in applying for roles. 

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

• The charity LawWorks have recently published a study into the work of student law clinics around the country.  Read this report and particularly the viewpoints of students who engage in clinics. 
• If you are not at university or your university does not have a student law clinic you might find opportunities to get involved at Citizens Advice.  Visit their website and see what volunteering opportunities exist in your area to see if you can get involved.

Useful resources

• The Clinical Legal Education Organisation is a charity which supports student law clinics. Their website gives a great overview of clinical work: https://www.cleo-uk.org/. 
• Have a look at the Law Society page on clinical legal education  
• The International Journal of Clinical Legal Education is a free online journal.  There are lots of good articles about student law clinics.  You can look through the archives to see if any of the articles interest you.

In this special episode we are joined by two guests to talk about the area of Family Law and Private Client work as a solicitor.  Paul Antoniou, Family and Private Client Solicitor, Taylor Rowe MW Solicitors, and Abigail Wadlow, Final year LLB student, Queen Mary University of London, who spent her third year on a work placement at a London Family Law practice.

In this episode, Paul and Abigail talk about the daily variety of work in Family Law and Private Client work: advising clients on wills, inheritance issues, divorces, child custody, co-habitation or pre-nuptial agreements (to name just 6 areas!).  The origin of the legislation is explored, how one works with the Courts, and Paul also talks about where he sees the law will develop in the future, following changes in society and people’s needs.

Abigail reflects on the skills she developed on the placement, and especially the importance of developing strong “emotional intelligence”, creating a trusted advisory relationship with your client as you are often dealing with them at a very emotional time and the issues involved are inevitably very personal.  Paul explains also how mediation is used in this area of practice, the skills one needs to be an effective mediator, and how this can help in the resolving of family-related disputes.

Actions and resources for listeners:

·         See the Austin Kemp insights series – and read two of the articles there.  

Check this page for finding out more about “Private Client” work and the skills required (in addition to those highlighted by Paul and Abigail in the podcast) – how do your strengths align with this area of practice? 

Continuing our series about each of our four co-hosts, this episode takes a look at Fran’s career to date.  

 Fran was a Middle Temple scholarship student and then undertook pupillage and tenancy at the criminal bar.  She talks about the realities of how she got to the independent criminal bar, her shift in career eight years later, and what it all taught her along the way.  Fran moved roles to work in at Queen Mary University of London in their student law clinic - the Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre.  Listen in to see what all this taught her and what she means by ‘getting the gloss’. 

 Useful resources

-       https://www.qmul.ac.uk/law/people/academic-staff/items/ridout.html

-       http://www.lac.qmul.ac.uk/  

Scholarships at Middle Temple: https://www.middletemple.org.uk/education-and-training/scholarships-and-prizes/bptc-and-gdl-scholarships  

In this episode Dr Mike Drayton looks at the area of “burn-out” and the risk to the mental health of those working in high-pressure industries such as the legal sector.  Mike begins to defining what “burn-out” is, and what the impact can be, both on individuals and their organisations.  How does one notice it, and when it is most likely to impact us?

Mike then goes on to discuss some strategies which individuals can employ to mitigate the risk of feeling “burn-out”, and also talks about the team environment which leaders of organisations need to create to minimise the risk of people working for them being impacted by “burn-out”, in particular the need for creating “psychological safety” in teams. 

With Mike, we discuss the obstacles and challenges to creating such safe working environments, in particular because of the pandemic and the shift to remote working, and with the likely future pattern of work being a “hybrid” model where we are often remote from colleagues.

Actions for listeners:

·      What strategies could you use from the podcast to reduce any symptoms of “burn-out” you are noticing, either in yourself or others? 

·      How could you set “boundaries” around your work?

·      Remember and note down your “purpose”: why did you embark on the career you did, and how can you reconnect with this sense of meaning in your daily activities?

Useful Resources: 

·      “Anti-Burnout” Drayton, M. (2021). Anti-burnout: How to Create a Psychologically Safe and High-performance Organisation: Routledge.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anti-burnout-Create-Psychologically-High-performance-Organisation-ebook/dp/B08PKNC9K9/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1645534139&sr=8-1

·      Burnout and remote working: https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/burnout-and-remote-working.    

·      Cal Newport’s “Deep work”: https://medium.com/@nina.semczuk/5-practices-from-deep-work-by-cal-newport-thatll-change-your-life-303847ec5f3c  

·      Healthy organisations post-Covid: Drayton, M., & Kuster, M. (2021). Healthy organizations post Covid 19 need a sense of coherence. Occupational Medicine . https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqab106

Leading under pressure: https://www.epcresilience.com/insight/documents-and-videos/blog/leading-under-pressure

In this episode, Kerry and Simon discuss the balance between being authentic to yourself, and purposefully creating the right impact.  What do you want people to say about you when you are not in the room? In an increasingly consumer-oriented society, authenticity is important – and you need to get the balance right between raising your profile and not ‘over-selling’! So look deep and let your values lead how you structure your personal brand.  The team give some helpful examples of authentic and non-authentic behaviour they have seen from individuals when interviewing for a new job or promotion.

Useful resources
 Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/goldiechan/2018/11/08/10-golden-rules-personal-branding/?sh=71e9c7a458a7
Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2011/03/reinventing-your-personal-brand

This podcast addresses whether the SQE syllabus delivers what is needed to be able to be effective in role as a newly qualified solicitor.  Kerry Jarred is once again joined by Jonny Hurst of BPP and also, by Chloe Hayes who has recently passed her SQE 2 exams and is currently working towards to fulfilling her QWE requirements.   

We cover the differences between the LPC and SQE course content, How the SQE course content sets students up for deciding the area of law to specialise in; what students can do to gain more experience and insight; and is packed full of top tips and advice.

Links: 

LLM SQE1&2 | Courses | BPP

BPP Legal Advice Clinic (BLAC) | Pro Bono Centre | BPP University Law School

SQE preparation courses - Courses (lawcareers.net)

CommercialAwareness - Commercial awareness (lawcareers.net)

The SQE Hub - Legal Cheek

It is no secret that studying Law can be expensive.  This episode explores all the ways that you can look for support and assistance to help pay for your studies.  

Hilary Chadwick and Vicky Walden from BPP take an in-depth look at the options available for undergraduate Law courses, apprenticeships and post graduate studies.  They share their tips and tricks and outline the breadth of funding available for both the barristers and solicitors arms of the profession.  

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

-       Look at the BPP employability webinars which are freely available to all.  You can find out more about the schedule by emailing lawoutreach@bpp.com. 

-       Look at the Student Loans Company website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/student-loans-company

Useful resources

-       Scholarships from the Inns of Court: https://www.lawcareers.net/Barristers/Inns-of-Court-Scholarships 

-       The Law Society Diversity Access Scheme: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/campaigns/diversity-access-scheme 

-       Aspiring Solicitors: https://www.aspiringsolicitors.co.uk/ 

The legal sector is vast and has so many career options.  The legal system and private practice involves a lot of talented, professional individuals who do not work as lawyers earning fees from clients. This episode shines a light of the various roles in human resources, information technology, business development, marketing, and learning and development.

The Re-Imagine Law team meet Abena Poku, Head of Marketing and Business Development for Africa at Hogan Lovells and Deborah McCormack, Head of Early Talent at Pinsent Masons. They explain their roles, the departments they work in and how they support the business of law firms. 

In this episode we hear about Abena’s journey into the legal world, what attracted her to marketing, her journey with big corporates and smaller firms and how she ended up in the legal sector; as well as what is involved in her role. For Debs, she will share why she chose to stop working as a corporate lawyer, and how so many of the skills she learned stood her in good stead for a role not directing practicing law; how she followed her values to then work in early talent with the support of a colleague she had always admired.  Our guests highlight the transferable skills generated through legal studies and career, and how these can lead to a world of rarely considered and too often overlooked, opportunities. 

And as with so many of our episodes key themes shine through whoever we talk to, and from this one…if you really want to find a career and role where you will be happy and grow you need to match your values to the right culture & environment of the company you work with.  

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

1. Visit 3 large law firm websites and look at the different careers which are advertised (other than as a lawyer).

• https://www.hoganlovells.com/en/global-careers/careers-in-birmingham/career-categories/business-services-professionals-pa-support
• https://www.pinsentmasons.com/about-us#3 

2.  Reflect on the pandemic period.  What have you learnt about yourself and what you enjoy during this time? For example interacting with people and so does this rule out some roles? How have you adapted to the changes that Covid19 has brought to us? Does this impact your career choice?

Useful resources:

• What is business development? https://www.indeed.co.uk/career-advice/career-development/business-development-skills 
• Learning and Development in Law Firms – a benchmark: https://www.thelawyer.com/reports/learning-development-benchmarking-2020/ 
• Explore the world of marketing at Marketing Week: https://www.marketingweek.com/ 

The title Barrister conjours up all kinds of images, and it is easy to think careers as a barrister always take one form.  But that is not always the case.   

In this episode the ReImagine Law team are joined by Angharad Price, a Welsh, employed Barrister, at the Equality Human Rights Commission.  Angharad talks about how her non-traditional background, has been a catalyst for a successful career at the Bar.  This episode encourages listeners to think of the variety of ways that barristers practice and Angharad goes through some of the student questions she addressed at this year’s pupillage fair. 

This episode encourages listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode. 

1. Log on to the Supreme Court website and watch a court hearing. 
2. Think about other ways that you can get work experience – it might be different but there are still lots of opportunities to attend online events.  

Useful Resources:

• The Bar Council – I Am The Bar
• Watch a court hearing at the Supreme Court
• Have a look at the Chambers Student website and select the Bar tab 
• Have a look at the student section of the Bar Council website 

Do you know yourself, your values and what drives you? How do you match these values up with potential career choices? There is a lot of pressure on school leavers, students and graduates to follow certain career paths, but how well suited are these paths to the actual person?  This episode explores the importance of understanding who you are and using this to inform your path, whilst encouraging listeners to undertake some practical actions. 

1. Consider where you get your energy from?  Are you an extrovert or an introvert? Are there certain times of the day / activities / people / topics who energise you? 

2. What values are important to you?  Can or do these link to a certain career path? 

3. Consider the different groups of people who you can trust and go to for advice.  Who is your personal advisory board?

Links and Useful resources: 

1. Next Step Support - A collaborative website which provides support services to students and recent graduates 
2. Ted Talk: The power of introverts
3. Here are some interesting links on personal advisory boards: 

• MentorLoop
• LiveCareer
• Success.com

Look at the Drop Box for this episode which contains 3 document; Career Focus tips tricks and resources, Edgar Scheins table of career Anchors, Schwartz table of Career Values.

In this episode we speak with Lucy Dillon, senior Legal Knowledge and Innovation Consultant, and Michaela Hanzelova, trainee solicitor at Reed Smith who has worked on a number of projects in the firm’s “Innovation Hub”.

Lucy speaks about how innovation in the delivery of legal service needs to be a key focus for law firms now, and also talks about the positive impact this can have in terms of a firm’s relationships with its clients.  

In addition, Michaela talks about her early experiences working with the Reed Smith Innovation Engagement team led by Lucy and Alex Smith, and later by Adam Curphey, reflects on the different skills built during these projects and, importantly, how some of the projects helped her to ask different questions of herself and her clients (both internal colleagues and external clients). 

Lucy and Michaela also reflect on what this means for the skill-sets of future lawyers, the importance of a strong basis of legal knowledge, and how such early placements and formative experiences in areas of a firm such as an “Innovation Hub” can enrich your perspectives of legal practice and your career!

Action for listeners:

·         Think of one of your favourite suppliers and the service they deliver to you.  Now think: “And if they could no longer deliver it in that way, how might they supply it differently?”

Anyone can say that they have transferable skills, but demonstrating these skills in the context required of you can be the challenge.  In this episode, the ReImagine Law team consider law as a second career.  What are the challenges and advantages of undertaking law as a second career, and what lessons can be learnt for aspiring lawyers who are on their first career. Our two guests Robert de Souza and Christine Ohuruogu highlight the value of talking to others, understanding the landscape and embracing an adaptable journey. 

This episode encourages listeners to undertake some practical actions after listening to the episode. 

• Reflect on skills that you may have obtained from other experiences / jobs / volunteer positions. 
• Speak to others and build your networks on Linked In. Use this as a method to be confident when being adaptable.  
• Look into what pro bono opportunities are available to you.  Use it as a platform to develop your drive and commitment. 

Useful resources

• LawWorks are a national charity who help to Coordinate pro bono opportunities, they may be able to point you to pro bono opportunities in your area.
• LawCareers.Net: https://www.lawcareers.net/ 
• The University of Law is one of a number of legal providers.  Have a look at their website for ideas.
• Have a look at the Chambers Student Guide 2021.

We often think of innovation and risk-taking as being linked to big, stressful ‘eureka’ moments. The truth is that change can be quite small, simple and uncomplicated.  Innovating is about connecting with the person you are trying to communicate with, or the person who might use your product or service. How does this link with the principles of delivering legal services?  In this episode Fran and Nigel explore these issues, starting with the question: ‘If you could change one thing about the way we work together, what would it be?’  There are also practical examples to help listeners identify their own innovation and how they might present it.

Useful resources

-       The importance of team culture to innovation and giving each other the confidence to take risks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WylNA2LWsfQ
-       The Harvard Business Review, The Discipline of Innovation by Peter F Druker (August 2002)
https://hbr.org/2002/08/the-discipline-of-innovation
-        Forbes, Why Innovation Is Crucial To Your Organisation’s Long-Term Success:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/05/08/why-innovation-is-crucial-to-your-organizations-long-term-success/?sh=1589e14e3098