Rebecca E.
About me
| Rebecca E. | |
| Archaeology | |
| Archaeology | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Halifax | |
| 2006 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Corporate Paralegal (& future trainee) | |
| Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Legal services | |
| Large business (250+ employees) | |
| 2015 |
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A day in the life of a Corporate Paralegal (& future trainee) in the United Kingdom
Paralegal (and future trainee lawyer at a UK top 100 firm) who changed careers after seven years on the police graduate fast track.
My career goals when I graduated
When I graduated my goal was to join the police graduate fast track and join the senior ranks of the police service.
My career history
After university, I spent seven years on the police service Fast-Track working in a variety of different policing roles, including Armed Response, Neighbourhood Policing and Strategic Commander and Planning. I was involved in helping the police service develop new ways to communicate with the public, including the national 101 non-emergency number and the online TrackMyCrime portal.
In 2014 I left the police service and took the Graduate Diploma in Law. I secured a Training Contract with a Top 100 UK firm that year to commence in 2017. I am currently working as Corporate Paralegal at an AMLAW 20 firm in the City of London.
What has helped my career to progress
Networking skills and the ability to take ownership of my own career development have been key to my career progression. Law (and most other industries) are about connecting with people. The more you volunteer to get involved with, and spearhead, projects and developments the more you will get out of working life.
Courses taken since graduation
Graduate Diploma in Law 2014-2015
Legal Practice Course (to be commenced September 2016)
How my studies have helped my career
My undergraduate degree allowed me to access the police graduate fast track, which in turn gave me the quality work experience needed to progress to a career in law and the financial ability to take the Graduate Diploma in Law.
What surprised me about my career so far
The sheer range of roles and experience I've gained simply by talking to people and being willing to try new things and get involved in extra projects.
Where I hope to be in 5 years
Senior Associate heading towards partnership in a commercial law firm.
My advice to students considering work
Be flexible, there's always more than one route to where you want to be.
My advice about working in my industry
The legal industry is highly competitive so focus on achieving excellent academics and on gaining as much relevant industry experience as possible.
Law firms recruit a minimum of two years in advance for trainees and ear-mark candidates with potential as early as their first year of an undergraduate degree. Start going to law fairs and networking events in your first and second years. When approaching networking events, make sure you have thoroughly researched the firms you are going to approach and have some questions to ask that show you know what your target firm is about. Recruiters make a note of people who impress at these events and a good impression can mean yours is the application that they look for in the hundreds that they receive for every training place.
If you are aiming for commercial law, make sure you are honing your commercial awareness. Read the FT and The Economist. Quality broadsheets and the R4 Today and World at One programmes are also excellent resources for keeping up to date. You don't need to be an expert, but you do need to be aware of the major current affairs stories and have an idea of what the commercial markets are doing.
Contacting me
Feel free to contact me if you are interested in developing a career in corporate law or policing.
What I do
I am currently a corporate paralegal with a top US law firm. My responsibilities include client and target research, market research, drafting legal documents (both from precedent and free drafting), preparing press releases, legal research, liaising with clients on legal projects, and drafting and negotiating Non-Disclosure Agreements. The clients I work for include large private equity houses and state banks.
Skills I use and how I developed them
Research and Presentation Skills: I regularly conduct large scale research, presenting findings in both live presentations and formal reports. Both skills developed during an undergraduate degree.
Drafting: Drafting legal documents requires a high level of accuracy and literacy. Both are skills honed by those undergraduate essays!
Networking: Law (and most other careers) are about personal connections and networking skills that I started developing through extra-curricular activities at York, and they have paid dividends when meeting with clients and potential employers.
Continuous Professional Development: Law requires you to constantly update your own knowledge and be pro-active about your own development, which are skills that undergraduate degrees and extra-curricular activities at York actively encourage.
What I like most
The complexity and intellectual challenge of the work and the interesting people I meet on each project.
What I like least
Legal research at 3am...
What surprised me most
How approachable people in the industry are. If you are willing to put in the effort to network and speak to people, then there are people willing to go out of their way to help you.
Next steps...
If you like the look of Rebecca’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send Rebecca a message to find out more about their career journey. If you feel you would benefit from more in-depth conversations, ask Rebecca to be your mentor.