Legal apprenticeship: any tips on trying to find a trainee solicitor job

I think what needs to be realised as well is that in the last numbers of years an unsustainable number of trainees have been attending the professional practice courses and qualifying. The level could not continue.
It is already acknowledged I believe that we have the highest level of lawyers per head in the world.

I know its frustrating, but that's life. No one is entitled to an apprenticeship, everyone has to work hard to get theirs and the reality is that perhaps rightly there is not enough to go around. The numbers qualifying in the last 4-5 years could not and should not be sustained.

Sorry if I sound harsh, but that is how I see the reality to be
 
Dillon Eustace' calls for interviews are out this week before friday, and Willam Fry's are out this week too.......just said id let ye know!
 
The Law Society never made any attempt, regardless of the clear over-supply of trainees and the inevitability of the situation we are now faced with, to curb the numbers of people taking the FE1's, they happily took the money of all of us deluded wannabe lawyers.

Gotta say I'm quite bitter....
 
Just received PFO from Dillion Eustace............!!!!!!!!!!! Quel surpris?! Why don't they just say HOW many they're taking on (just as a footnote in their letters?!?!). I'd feel better.
 
Wow Dillon Eustace must be the only firm sending out PFOs before invites to interview. I fell almost honoured to have got mine last Friday.
 
Hey l.m, I got through to the second interview and then bottled it with the PowerPoint presentation (I was right to be scared!).
 
Crap...got a PFO!!! I am totally confused! I have a first class honours degree, plenty of legal experience, and loads of extra-curricular activities!!!! WTF???? I feel sooo disheartened!
 
Lalala85 said:
Crap...got a PFO!!! I am totally confused! I have a first class honours degree, plenty of legal experience, and loads of extra-curricular activities!!!! WTF???? I feel sooo disheartened!
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Exactly the same here +a foreign language....what do they want and how many are they actually interviewing? They cant be doing too bad financially as they appointed a new managing partner a few weeks ago
 
Jev, if I remember correctly, you got an interview with A&L? what do you make of the recent IT publication? as i have an interview there too. Do you know of anyone who has been to A&L interviews? what are they like?
 
Hey im new to this forum but have found it so helpful I was compelled to join!! Just regarding William Fry (have just received my PFO too!) one of my friends who got a traineeship there was due to start in 2009 but got a letter saying he had to start in 2010 so I imagine the number of interviewees this time is extremely small (if any) if 2010 is already full! Hope that softens the blow for some of you guys- I feel ur pain I am in the same boat have been applying the last 2 years did B&L, LLM in UCD, 6 FE-1's and worked as a legal secretary in a local law firm for 8 months and to date no interviews whatsoever!
 
LDGantly said:
Jev, if I remember correctly, you got an interview with A&L? what do you make of the recent IT publication? as i have an interview there too. Do you know of anyone who has been to A&L interviews? what are they like?
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Yep I've an interview with them...with regard to that piece in the IT I'm not worrying too much, once I get a traineeship (hopefully!) I'll be happy.
The piece suggests that other large firms have already taken the same approach as well but the point to focus on is the fact that most of these firms realise if they take too sharp of a short-term view, they may end up lacking in 'new blood' when the economny takes off again, whether it be another 3 or 5 years. I'm only looking to start in 2010 so by the time my training is finished, the economic situation will be considerably different to now.

I've only heard about interviews for interships for A&L; they ask a few current legal/business affairs questions and it's fairly relaxed as far as I know
 
thanks jev. I would also have serious doubts about them offering 1 year training contracts. surely that meant 1 year contracts for newly qualified solicitors. anyway...will just have to wait and see what happens..
 
Oh and re the piece about A&L in the irish times, I would say that it means a one year contract after training, however it could be a means of cutting costs by just training for 1 year and identifying the best trainees to retain after that year
 
i did actually, which is strange cos i didnt get one last yr with them, and i didnt get one for a&l or mccanns. Means theyre interviewing anyway altho i doubt theyll be taking many on so i'm sure i havent too great a chance!It seems that the firms have very different opinions on what they're looking for this year. In previous years most people that got an interview for one of the big5 firms, got more than one if not them all. This year it doesnt seem to be like that at all.
 
A firm cannot take you on as a trainee for one year. Its all or nothing. What was written about in the IT was that some newly qualified solicitors who would previously have been offered permanent positions are now being offered one year contracts instead. If you're still concerned about this, please phone the Law Society.
 
Got my PFO from William Fry! Wonderful!! Was interviewed by them last year so perhaps I burned my bridges!! I am sick of this. So far only thing i'm waiting on is ODSE. (and of course to win the lotto!).

Disheartening is not the word - i've given up worrying about it. It's not going to happen for 2009. Sooo what age will I be in B'hall?? If it's 2010 - I will be 28 !! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh Wonderful!!

2010.. can't believe it! (and even then... who knows what way the whole "economy" will be - could it be worse??
 
Got my PFO too from Frys - no surprises there. i always find their form the most obnoxious to fill in.
i don't want to risk sounding like George Lee here but according to the economic experts, the ecomony is supposed to get worse in 2009 and for 2010 to be the worst year.
 
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