This chapter considers the interview process and other forms of face-to-face activities that law graduates could be required to undertake on an assessment day. It discusses the preparation for, participation in, and reflection on ‘traditional’ interviews; the activities that can form part of a day in an assessment centre; and increasing one's general legal and ethical awareness, areas that are frequently probed at interview.
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Chapter
This chapter provides an overview of the book's main themes. This book aims to give students the best possible chance of success when studying law at university. It is ideal for those applying for or have just accepted a place to study law at university; about to start a law degree; studying law at university; and thinking about whether to study law at university. An important feature of this book is the advice provided by real law students. A panel of students from different universities, studying different law programmes and with different backgrounds, provide their take on a wide range of issues. The six sections of the book are also described.
Chapter
This chapter provides an overview of the book’s main aims and themes, highlighting its aim to give students the best possible chance of success when studying law at university. The chapter indicates the main reader groups for the book, namely those applying for or accepting a place to study law at university, those about to start a law degree, those already studying law at university, and those thinking about whether to study law at university. The chapter explains the important features of the book, ‘I Wish I’d Known’, and ‘Inside Knowledge’ that provide advice directly from real law students from different universities and different backgrounds, and from law graduates and legal practitioners, all contributing their insight on a wide range of issues. This chapter also sets out the five sections of the book and provides guidance on key terms.
Chapter
This chapter discusses two aspects of employability that can help students stand out from other applicants: commercial awareness and networking. It first explains the meaning of commercial awareness and goes on to provide some practical advice on how to develop it, and then explains why networking is important, giving some pointers on how to start networking and how to make the most of it. The chapter provides a brief introduction to LinkedIn—an online tool for professional networking—and concludes with some practical advice on making the most of law fairs.
Chapter
The Concentrate Questions and Answers series offers the best preparation for tackling exam questions. This chapter gives students advice on the skills for success in land law exams. It includes tips on what to do during the module, how to tackle the revision period, and tips for the exam room, as well as advice on the structure and approach to problem questions. It gives advice which starts from the moment the module begins advising on the best way to approach learning and understanding land law and suggests how to get the best out of your lectures and tutorials or seminars.
Chapter
The Q&A series offer the best preparation for tackling exam questions. Each book includes typical questions, bullet-pointed answer plans and suggested answers, author commentary, and illustrative diagrams and flowcharts. This chapter gives students advice on skills for success in employment law exams. It includes tips on how to get the most out of an employment law course and how best to use the revision period. Students are also provided with helpful hints on what to do in the exam room to ensure that they have the best chance of success, as well as advice on the structure and approach to problem questions and essays.
Chapter
The Q&A series offer the best preparation for tackling exam questions. Each book includes typical questions, bullet-pointed answer plans and suggested answers, author commentary and illustrative diagrams and flowcharts. This chapter gives students advice on skills for success in employment law exams. It includes tips on how to get the most out of the employment law course and how best to use the revision period. Students are also provided with helpful hints on what to do in the exam room to ensure that they have the best chance of success, as well as advice on the structure and approach to problem questions and essays.
Chapter
This chapter focuses on how to become a successful law student. Success requires preparation: doing and thinking. The first part of the chapter explores what ‘a successful law student’ might actually be: it is hard to prepare to be one, without knowing what it is. It then explores the attributes that will help the student to earn that title, and concludes by giving some suggestions of things that they can do right now to help them on their way. The common attributes of a successful law student include a willingness to engage with learning and the whole experience of being a law student, interest in people, capacity for hard work, motivation, and resilience.
Chapter
This chapter discusses the meaning and types of employability skills. It explains why these are so important and why these must be developed by students throughout their time at university. The chapter describes the performance of a skills audit, i.e. thinking about the skills that one already has and spotting any gaps which might need to be addressed.
Chapter
Legal knowledge is fundamental to being a successful law student and for undertaking any legal work. It is also key to understanding society, and relationships with other individuals and public and private organisations. Law programmes therefore require the student to study a variety of different legal subjects over the course of their degree. And almost all law programmes will make certain key areas of law compulsory. This chapter explains what subjects make up the foundations of legal knowledge. It outlines what these foundation subjects commonly include. It considers how these subjects relate to real life, and also encourage the student to think more deeply about the role of law in society and develop social and commercial awareness.
Chapter
This chapter considers non-law careers. It explores alternative career options for students with a law degree other than qualifying as a solicitor or barrister. The chapter does this by classifying all other employment opportunities into three categories: non-law work in a legal setting, non-law work with a degree of legal content, and careers with no legal context or content whatsoever.
Chapter
This chapter discusses the various aspects of work experience. It covers the importance of work experience for law students and the different kinds of work experience available; work experience in a law firm, mini pupillages, and other less common opportunities such as marshalling a judge and law-related voluntary work; advice on how to find and apply for work experience; and how to make a good impression during your placement. The chapter concludes with guidance on how to find opportunities to undertake the various types of work experience, including advice on how to write an effective speculative application.
Chapter
This chapter provides an introductory overview to environmental law including the way the subject is defined and the challenges involved in studying it. As with other chapters in this book, this introductory chapter provides an advanced introduction to environmental law containing carefully selected abstracts from cases, legislation, and academic debate. The chapter begins with an overview of the environmental law landscape in the UK and moves on to describe three different ways to define environmental law—descriptively, purposively, and jurisprudential—and why these different definitions matter. The challenges of practising and studying environmental law are explored and in the last section a framework is provided for structuring environmental law inquiry. Overall, the chapter provides a launching off point for the study of environmental law as well as a reference point for those who are studying the subject.
Chapter
This chapter focuses on preparing to become a successful law student, starting by considering and challenging what ‘a successful law student’ might mean. It explores key attributes that will contribute to that success, beyond conventional academic skills. It provides guidance on preparing for a successful start as a law student to enhance the student’s chances of success. The chapter also explores the transition to legal study from diverse student perspectives. It provides guidance on recognising and responding to challenges when beginning legal study and highlights sources of support.
Chapter
This chapter discusses the various components of the applications process, which include advice on compiling CVs, completing application forms, and writing a good covering letter. The components of each application will vary depending on the particular opportunity being pursued—be it a training contract, pupillage, or a job—but each component has something in common; that is, that they communicate the employability skills developed throughout one's studies.
Chapter
This chapter discusses the three main practical legal activities often encountered by law students during their time at university—mooting, negotiation, and client interviewing—;describing what each activity is, what it involves, and how to take part successfully. This is followed by an outline of the employability skills developed by each activity. Each section concludes with guidance on finding opportunities to take part in the activities, both within one's university and by taking part in national and international competitions.
Chapter
This chapter focuses on the contribution of spare-time activities to one's skills portfolio. It encourages students to dissect everything that they do outside of their study time to determine how skills-rich their hobbies, interests, and leisure pursuits are and to explain how these activities can be used to demonstrate the skills valued by prospective employers. The first part of the chapter is structured around the employability skills identified in Chapter 1; the second part goes into more detail of popular skills-rich activities.
Chapter
This chapter was created for those who have not yet made up their mind about whether to study law, or are reviewing or questioning their plans. Making the decision to undertake a law degree may not be easy. The student may be wondering what studying law at university will be like, or where a law degree might lead. Conversely, even if their ultimate aim is to become a lawyer, they may be unsure whether they must, or should, complete a law degree. The chapter addresses questions such as what is law; where will law lead; is law for them? It also discusses different degree programmes containing law; selecting a law programme; the Graduate Diploma in Law; and studying law in the UK as an international student.
Chapter
This chapter focuses on paralegal work, legal research roles, and other law support roles such as legal advisors. It outlines the sort of work involved; the skills needed to do it successfully; and how to find opportunities to apply for such jobs. The chapter also considers the merits of undertaking further academic study. It explores these types of work both as career destinations in their own right and also in terms of the value that they offer to a graduate who still aims to qualify as a solicitor or barrister in the future.
Chapter
This chapter offers some general advice to students on how to prepare for their land law exam. Firstly, it discusses the revision process and advises on how best to prepare for exam success. It offers some top exam tips, and suggestions on question spotting. It then presents some questions that are likely to be asked on the topics studied. These topics include all of the substantive topics covered in the book, including the nature of land, the structure of land law, the freehold estate, land registration, leases, adverse possession, co-ownership and the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996, easements and profits, covenants in freehold land, and mortgages.
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