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Welcome to our blog. We're on a mission to change the legal industry for the better. Follow our blog for industry insights, career tips, human stories, and everything in-between. Don't forget to sign up to our newsletter too!

The Flex Legal Blog

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The role of the Company Secretary is on the rise. As a route for those interested in businesses and how they operate, it offers the perfect alternative if you are on the look-out for a career outside of the law. But what is a Company Secretary? Who can follow this career path? And how can you become one through Flex Legal?

## **What is a Company Secretary?**

It's worth us starting off by saying that the title of 'Company Secretary' is in fact quite misleading. Many (myself included) have thought this role was perhaps more akin to an EA or PA. However, in reality it is actually more in line with the position of a parliamentary secretary. So much so that the Corporate Governance Institute is henceforth changing the name from Company Secretary to 'Governance Officer', in an attempt to remove any uncertainty.

When it comes to their main aims and objectives, they are designated as the key advisor to the Board Directors on matters of Corporate Governance. The specific responsibilities can vary dramatically depending on the size of the company, but can include:

- Nurturing shareholder relations.
- Preparing for Board meetings.
- Monitoring relevant legislation and regulations.
- Supporting the chair with the Board efficiency and effectiveness.
- Taking on responsibilities for the HR department.
- Overseeing the day-to-day administration of the company.

Although each and every Company Secretarial role is vastly different, it is certain that you will need to...

1. Be flexible
2. Have an ability to adapt to changing circumstances
3. And display a willingness to 'get stuck in'.

The priorities of a Company Secretary are continuously changing dependent on the organisation's needs so it is also essential that you are confident in managing various different projects and stakeholders.

As the Company Secretary, you will report to the Chairman of the organisation, giving you an element of independence and control over your work; as opposed to a General Counsel who will report to the CEO or CFO.

When it comes to required skills, the key attributes needed are very similar to those that make a good lawyer:

- A keen attention to detail.
- Strong communication and presentation skills.
- Incredible organisation.
- Ability to influence and persuade.
- Trusted with confidential information.

## **Why consider a career as a Company Secretary?**

After spending the last few months speaking to over 120 talented Company Secretary's, I have found that there is one thing that they all have in common... their career story.

Despite being a role that is certainly on the rise, each and every individual we met found that they simply 'fell into' their career as a Company Secretary, with very little prior knowledge about what this new position may entail.

However, it is worth us pointing out that there is also another thing that they all share in common... and that is their new-found love for this career path. One they have found to be incredibly rewarding, fulfilling and challenging, where no two days are the same.

## **How do you become a Company Secretary?**

Unlike the process required to become a qualified lawyer, you do not need to qualify to become a Company Secretary. 

However, the Corporate Governance Institute do recommend that you complete their qualifications to prepare for this career. Similar to the lengthy process of becoming a lawyer, these seven exams will also take a few years for you to complete: 

1. Company law
2. Corporate governance
3. Administration and compliance
4. Finance
5. Risk
6. Boardroom dynamics
7. Strategy

On average, the first four exams are seen as much harder than the final three, with a pass rate of around 40%; and for those who don't fancy waiting years to qualify, there is also the option to complete a Masters degree covering all the topics within one year.

## Why become a Company Secretary?

1. **Skillset:** If you already have the skills needed to become a lawyer, you are halfway there!
2. **Rising importance:** Company Secretary teams are becoming increasingly important with organisations experiencing more and more issues with regulation and compliance, so there really is no better time to pursue this career path.
3. **Commercial awareness:** As a Company Secretary, you will gain exposure to the C-suite at a very early stage in your career through board meetings and AGM's. This will help you to develop incredible commercial awareness, and give you an insight into the inner workings of your organisation.
4. **Career progression:** If you enjoy corporate law and understanding how organisations run on a day-to-day basis, there really is no better career. And even better - there is no doubt that you will experience faster career progression than you would as a lawyer.
5. **Earning potential:** If the first four points haven't persuaded you to the dark side of Company Secretarial work, then this last will. Highly sought after and integral to the organisation, as a Company Secretary you can expect a good salary throughout your career.

## **How to become a Company Secretary through Flex Legal**

At Flex Legal, we are incredibly passionate about inspiring and enabling the legal workforce of the future.

With the rise of the Company Secretary, we are delighted to announce that we are launching a [Company Secretary Trainee Scheme: Flex Co-Sec](/hire/flex-co-sec).

Flex Co-Sec is an 24-month scheme, structured around an in-house secondment to an organisation. We locate the best and brightest aspiring talent, and embed you with forward-thinking legal teams as you complete part 1 of the CGI Qualifying Programme.

Each and every trainee will be placed through our rigorous Readiness Programme before starting with your organisation, equipping you with the hard and soft workplace skills needed to succeed as a Company Secretary. Additionally, we will provide ongoing support, mentoring, training and networking throughout your placement to ensure your success.

## Who we're looking for

We are on the lookout for talented, driven Business or Law Graduates, with an interest in corporate law and the day-to-day inner workings of a business. You will need an interest and curiosity for a career as a Company Secretary, with a positive attitude and a willingness to get stuck in.

Sound like the perfect opportunity? Click the link below for more details and to find out how to apply!

Company Secretary on a laptop, with a pen and notepad

apply now

How to become a Company Secretary (and why?)

How to become a Company Secretary (and why)

At Flex Legal, we truly understand how competitive and daunting the legal industry can be for aspiring lawyers, and how draining it is sending out hundreds of applications and CV’s a week, only to receive piles of rejections in return. This is especially the case when you’re not quite sure what you’re doing wrong or what you can do to improve.

Honing your CV to ensure that you stand out from the crowd (for all the right reasons) is a great way to help turn those rejections into letters of success, and propel your legal career forward, no matter what stage you’re at.

Here are some of our top tips for making your CV the best it can be, so you can start your journey to becoming a lawyer today!

## How should a typical CV be structured?

For individuals early on in their careers, such as law graduates, young professionals, or career changers who are keen to move into the legal profession, it’s inevitable that you’ll have minimal or no legal experience to add to your CV.

If this is you, then we’d recommend trying out the following structure, but don’t forget to make it personal to you!

* **Personal details:** at the very top of your CV, it’s important to include your name, email address and location (just the general city/town/area will do). Top tip: make sure that your email address is simple and professional - we’re sorry to say that it’s time to say goodbye to **xxprincesspeach67xx@hotmail.com**.
* **Summary section:** for the summary section, all you need to do is draft a little 1-3 line paragraph all about you. Remember to include your current situation, any work experience and your legal passions/interests - what inspired you to become a lawyer? Do you have any particular areas of law which excite you? All of this is valuable information to help the reader understand who you are and what drives you.
* **Education:** include all of your education history, from the highest level you’ve achieved, to your GCSEs. We’d also recommend highlighting any specific modules which are relevant to the role you’re applying for.
* **Your experience:** in this section, make sure to include your full work history, both legal and non-legal. Address the responsibilities given to you throughout your experiences, plus any notable achievements. Always remember to explain what skills you’ve learned and developed, rather than just listing what the tasks entailed. A great way to do this is by writing in an active style and using ‘power’ words such as: negotiated, implemented, planned, accomplished, co-ordinated, communicated and delivered.
* **Your personal interests:** similar to the summary section, it’s important to include a short sentence or 2-3 bullet points at the end of your CV about what you like to do in your spare time. This helps your prospective employer to get a feel for who you are as a person outside of work, and ultimately whether you’ll be a good culture-fit for their company.

Whilst following this suggested format, always make sure to put your own spin on your CV and remember to include any personal achievements, such as further qualifications, language skills, or any extra-curricular activities you’ve taken part in.

## How should you format your CV?

It’s important that your CV is as easy to read as possible, with a good balance between white space and text, plus clear, simple headings noted down for each section.

Within each section, keep your sentences as short and concise as possible, ideally sticking to 2-3 bullet-points for each place of work.

Also try to use no more than two colours throughout, preferably limited to black or blue. One should be used to highlight your headings and the second colour should be used for your examples. You might think making a colourful, aesthetically-pleasing CV is the way to go, but it can look quite messy and make it difficult for the recruiter to read (which you definitely don’t want).

Similarly, in general it’s always best to stick to one font type. As mentioned, inconsistency stands out (for the wrong reasons), so try to stick to standard, common fonts such as Arial or Calibri (Comic Sans is sadly a no-go and should be avoided at all costs).

Lastly, if nothing else, keep your CV to a maximum of two A4 pages and no more!

## How to tailor your CV appropriately

The best way to tailor your CV is by analysing the description of the role you are applying for:

* Within the job description, look for the key responsibilities of the role, along with the qualifications, knowledge, experience, and other requirements needed.

* Make sure to check for any key words or phrases mentioned throughout the advert, and reflect these within your CV by using specific examples from your own experience.

* On top of going over the job description, take the time to complete some additional research of the organisation, including their mission and values, which you can then embed into your CV to show how passionate you are about the role and the wider company.

* Continue to amend and adapt your CV for each different role you apply for.

Once you’ve gone through all of the above steps and feel happy with how your CV is looking, our final tip is to give it one last read through and, if possible, ask someone else to give it a thorough proof for any spelling or grammar errors (especially if you’ve listed ‘attention to detail’ as one of your key skills).

Finally, now you’re ready to save your CV in PDF format (to avoid any weird formatting issues) and you’ll be on your way to securing the legal career of your dreams, potentially [through us at Flex Legal!](/apply/)

We hope you’ve found this handy guide useful, and don’t forget to check out the additional resources below for some more valuable legal career tips.

**Additional Resources:**

* [Follow Flex Legal on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/flex-legal-limited) - Not to bang our own drum, but Flex Legal posts insightful legal content (and interim legal roles) multiple times a week! Why not give us a follow?
* [How to: give good answers in legal job interviews](https://flex.legal/blog/how-to-give-good-answers-in-legal-job-interviews) - Maybe you’re facing a good old fashioned job interview? Here’s our advice for giving good answers to challenging questions.
* [5 reasons for law graduates to join Flex Legal](https://flex.legal/blog/5-reasons-for-law-graduates-to-join-flex-legal) - Want to gain some valuable legal work experience? Joining Flex Legal can expose you to a world of interim legal opportunities!

CV Tips Blog Banner - CV with a plant and coffee

Top CV tips for aspiring lawyers

At a high level, law firms operate as a symbiotic ecosystem of paralegals, associates, partners, all working together to keep client demand met. The workloads are often challenging, so each tier of the organisation needs to work as effectively as possible. At a junior level, having a wider awareness of how the law firm business model operates can really help you play your part in this.

This article will break down how law firms make money, measure the “billable hour”, and how they track productivity. It is best read alongside our ‘[How are UK law firms structured?](/blog/how-are-uk-law-firms-structured)’ blog post.

## **How do law firms make money?**

Let’s start with the basics. Law firms make money by hiring out their “fee earners” to clients and charging for their time. These are any and all legal professionals employed by the business who can work for external clients for a fee, such as paralegals or associates. When law firms are hired by their clients, they agree to work that needs to be done. You’ll usually hear this referred to as a “matter”. To turn a profit, a law firm simply needs to generate more client fees by hiring out its fee earners to work on client matters than it expends in operational costs.

It’s worth noting that not every employee of a law firm is a fee-earner. Law firms also employ non-fee earners, whose time is not billed to clients. We cover this in more detail in [this companion article](/blog/how-are-uk-law-firms-structured).

## What is a billable hour?

Historically, a law firm would provide the client with an estimated amount of billable hours it would take to complete that work. The law firm’s fee earners then work on the matter, and the client is billed depending on however many billable hours are spent on it.

Law firms traditionally make money by charging their fee earners to client matters on an hourly basis. This is based on “billable hours” of work. The billable hour is, simply put, an hour’s labour that a fee earner has spent working on a client matter. Each billable hour is based on “units of time” that are recorded by fee earners.

Units of time are quite an archaic unit of measurement, but it’s still really important to wrap your head around them. Each “unit” of time is 6 minutes of work. This might seem a little odd initially, but dividing each billable hour into ten 6 minute increments simply helps law firms and their clients track billable time more easily. When law firms and their clients agree that 10 units of time make up a billable hour, each hour worked by a fee earner can then be billed to the client, and the law firm can turn a profit.

## How do law firms track billable hours?

Law firms use software to track how many units of time their fee earners have worked on client matters. There’s loads of different options out there, but some of the more common ones include [Clio](https://www.clio.com/uk/), [Bill4Time](https://www.bill4time.com/), [PracticePanther](https://www.practicepanther.com/), and [TimeCamp](https://www.timecamp.com/). If you’re a fee-earner working for a client, you will be expected to record the time you have spent on each matter. This is done by recording your units of time alongside a “narrative”. 

A narrative is a super short (but super important) two or three sentence summary of how you spent that time. At the end of each week, the lead fee earner for each client matter will go through all fee earner narratives for that week and make sure they’re up to scratch. These narratives are sent directly to the client in order to justify how much they are being charged by the law firm, so keeping them accurate is incredibly important. Moreover, you should bear in mind that anything written in narratives could be checked by a client, so they need to be as professionally worded and relevant as they possibly can.

## How do law firms measure productivity?

Law firms *really* like to track productivity. They do this in a few different ways, but one of the more common methods is by measuring “utilisation”. Each fee earner in the firm will have a utilisation “rate” that they will be monitored on, which tracks how much of their time is spent on “chargeable matters”. In essence, this is a productivity target based on your average ratio of billable to non-billable time. Each fee earner will be expected to actively keep their utilisation rate above to target, to ensure they are using their time efficiently. Utilisation rates are usually annual targets that are measured weekly.

  
Additionally, some law firms will also use ‘time allowance’ for each task. This is a very generalised unit of measurement, and essentially compares the time taken to complete a task to the firm’s estimation of how long that task should take. For example, if a law firm supposes that reviewing a certain type of document takes two hours, they will flag any instances of that document review taking over two hours as being unproductive.

## Why is productivity so important to law firms?

Essentially, because of client demand. Over the last decade or so, many clients have started to demand more upfront “fixed fees”. A fixed fee is an upfront cost evaluation of a body of legal work. The client presents a matter, the law firm quotes them upfront, and the work is completed to that budget. Accordingly, law firms have had to get a lot better at estimating how much time each matter will take.

However, time recording has not changed. Law firms still measure the internal profitability of their staff by comparing units of time to work completed, and tracking fee-earner utilisation. Even when clients are not being billed on time-based structure, law firms will want to move their fee earners onto other matters as swiftly as possible.

**Additional Resources:**

* [How are UK law firms structured?](/blog/how-are-uk-law-firms-structured) - this companion article pairs with the information presented here, and offers more of a breakdown of the different roles within firms. Give it a look!
* [10 tips for time-recording and legal timesheets](/blog/10-tips-for-time-recording-and-legal-timesheets) - tracking your time is an essential part of legal work, and you need to know how to do it well. Take a look at our top tips!
* [How has Covid changed the use of legal technology?](/blog/how-has-covid-changed-the-use-of-legal-technology) - this write up from our most recent Virtual Lunch offers more insights into the technology and software that legal teams are using post-Covid.

How do law firms work as a business

How do UK law firms work as a business?

How do law firms work as a business?

Facing a job interview for your first law position is a scary thing – especially when you’re still a student. Alongside your usual student worries about covering the rent, getting the best grades you can, and (let’s be honest) figuring out where in town does the best deals on pints, now you’ve got a serious interview to contend with.  
  
Whether it’s for an internship, a paralegal role, a training position, or anything else, landing an interview can be both exciting and scary in equal measure. You’re trying to present the very best version of yourself and will be up against other equally impressive people trying to do the same. Your interviewer will be looking for any sign that you’re either fit or not fit for the role. Fortunately, we’re here to tell you everything you need to stand out from the crowd.

 

Here’s our essential tips on navigating your job interview.

 

### **Research the organisation**

This one goes without saying. Everyone who has ever attended a serious interview has Googled the organisation they’re interviewing for. Your interview will be the same – so make yourself stand out from the rest of the interviewees by looking up info that isn’t the first search result on Google. Try reading up on big cases they’ve been involved in, researching key people within the organisation on LinkedIn, or look up their competitors based on geographical area. If it’s a small of local firm, who is their demographic? What can you learn about them?

### **Practice your answers**

There’s no way you can know every interview question you’re going to be asked in advance. However, you can polish your answers for the obvious questions you’re always going to be asked. Whether it’s about your education, qualifications, or ambitions, make sure you have prepared some interesting and impressive answers. Remember, the interviewers have already read your CV. They already know your qualifications and work history. What they don’t know is that you’d be a great person to work with. Use your pre-prepared answers to get this across to them.

## 

### **Refer to the job description**

Here’s a little secret nobody usually mentions: job interviewers already have an “ideal person” in mind before they start interviewing. Even if you can’t meet every requirement in the job description, you want to demonstrate that you fit the bill for that “ideal person”. The best way to do this is to find the key points in the job description, and tailor your answers to hit those key points at least once.

### **Check your social media**

Most law firms will do a background check on you at some stage of the recruitment process. The first thing they’ll try to find is your social media. If the first thing they see is pictures of you having a *rather jolly* time at a party, or making inflammatory public remarks on Twitter about Love Island contestants, it’s not going to do you any favours. The best thing you can do, honestly, is to change your privacy settings to make sure nothing is publicly visible. Failing that, at least have a good tidy up and get rid of anything that could backfire on you.

## 

### **Re-read your CV**

This might sound a bit obvious, but make sure your pre-prepared answers match what’s on your CV. Even small contradictions or discrepancies can be looked down on by interviewers. You can save yourself that embarrassment by having a thorough read through your CV and making sure you know it inside and out.

### **Buy a suit**

There’s a special and little known trick for deciding what to wear to a job interview. You should aim to dress “one step above” the expected dress code for the role you’re interviewing for. For legal roles, this does mean you’ll absolutely have to wear a suit. It’s the first and foremost sign to the interviewer that you’re taking the interview seriously. First impressions are everything, so consider charming your parents into lending you some new suit money, or alternatively have a look around for one in your size on [Depop](https://www.depop.com/) or [eBay](https://www.ebay.co.uk/).

### **Arrive early**

Again, first impressions are everything. Right from the get-go, you want to show the interviewers that you’re serious and enthusiastic about the role. Showing up early an easy first way to make yourself look eager. If you’re interviewing in person, aim to arrive 10 minutes before the interview was due to start. If you’re interviewing online, make sure the interviewers know you’re ready to go at least 5 minutes before the interview is scheduled to start.

### **Be professional**

Even if you’re feeling nervous, it’s time to put on a borderline Oscar-worthy performance. You’re not interviewing as a student, you’re interviewing as a professional they should hire. Enter the interview with a warm and enthusiastic smile. If they offer hands, shake them firmly and confidently. If they don’t, crack a joke about not shaking hands during Covid. Sit up straight, speak clearly, and try to avoid nervous mannerisms if you can. [Body language says a lot in job interviews](https://www.reed.co.uk/career-advice/body-language-interview-dos-and-donts/), so do your best to control yours.

### **Be confident**

You know that you want this job. It’s time to show your interviewers just how much want it. If you’ve been invited to attend an interview, your interviewers already think you are a potential candidate for the job. All you have to do is be confident in your own abilities, and come across as the sort of person they would want to work with. Just be careful not to come across as over-bearing or arrogant. It’s a hard line to walk sometimes, but you can and will do it.

### **Be skillful**

Legal professionals need a huge range of “soft” skills that cannot be taught in university. There is a genuine knack to being able to talk to people in a professional but friendly way, and if you can evidence this in the way you answer questions you will stand out. Try thinking about fictional lawyers you know and how they hold themselves. Chances are that they are dynamic and confident communicators, with good analytical skills and a keen attention to detail. These are all characteristics you can prove in the way you answer questions.

### **Ask questions**

Every interview ever conducted has finished with the interviewer flipping the script. When they ask you if you have any questions for them, you should have some ready. As long as you’re not asking banal questions you could easily look up online, this is your chance to turn things around and get them to sell the organisation back to you. You could always try asking the interviewers about the company culture, or ask them more about their roles, or ask how specific [recent changes in the law](https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/law/legal-updates) might affect the organisation. Asking the right questions can transform a good interview into a great one.

### **Offer a copy of your CV**

If your interviewers don’t already have a physical copy of your CV to hand, offer them a one! Taking the time to print out a copy for their reference can demonstrate how prepared and professional you are. It’s a small gesture that goes a surprisingly long way!

### **Be courteous**

The way you leave an interview is just as important as the way you enter it. Its only human to want to exit your interview by saying “peace out, suckers” and dropping a mic. Unfortunately, job interviews are not an acceptable place to do this. Even if things could have gone better, thank the interviewers for their time, encourage them to contact you if they have any further questions, and leave the best impression you can.  
 

### **Relax** 

Now that the interview is over, take it easy! You’ve done everything you can, so it’s time to put your feet up. Job interviews are incredibly exhausting, so get some food, or grab a drink, or do whatever it is you do to unwind. It’s natural to worry afterwards and think about everything you could have said differently, but try your best to put these things out of your mind. Even by attending a nerve-wracking interview you’ve done something huge and should be proud!

**Additional Resources**:

 

* [10 essential tips to ace assessment centres](/blog/10-essential-tips-to-ace-assessment-centres) - what if your interview isn’t an interview, and it’s an assessment centre? Read our handy guide here!
* [5 tips for Law Firm Interview Success](/blog/5-tips-for-interview-success) - worried about an interview at a law firm? Look no further than these 5 excellent tips that will help you have a successful interview.

Top Interview Tips

Top Interview Tips Blog Banner

Top Interview Tips for Law Students

Starting your legal career is the hardest part of the journey, and with current conditions, this has never been more true. To help those currently starting this journey, [Mary Bonsor](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-bonsor-8a270859/), co-founder and CEO of [Flex Legal](https://flex.legal/), and [Sophie Gould](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-gould-95832316/), Flex’s Head of Learning & Development, recently based one of [our monthly Virtual Lunches](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/flex-legal-23419765769) this topic, in order to hear from the experts what works and what doesn’t when it comes to applications and assessment days.

We were very pleased to be joined by [Angela Tang](https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelatanguk/), Innovation Consultant at a Magic Circle firm; [Oliver Searle](https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-searle-lawyer/), Senior In-house Counsel at Chevron Lubricants; [Amber Parslow](https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-parslow-02a2b6108/), Co-Vice Chair of the London Young Lawyers Group and future trainee at Baker McKenzie; and [Harry Clark](https://www.linkedin.com/in/harryclarklaw/), Founder of the [More from Law](https://harryclarklaw.com/the-more-from-law-podcast/) podcast and future trainee at Baker McKenzie.

Depending on your current stage, it may seem like the route into law is a straightforward one: apply for vacation schemes at the start of your second year of law school, receive a training contract offer off the back of these, before heading straight into your LPC after you graduate. Although this works out for some, it is certainly not the only way into a legal career.

**For Amber, it was only after she graduated and attained some practical experience through a paralegal role that she felt it was the right time for her to excel at training contract interviews.**

“I went to university in 2014 and attended my first assessment centre in 2015. The whole process knocked my confidence - everyone there spoke well and was really confident, and I just felt like the odd one out. I graduated in 2016 and went travelling around America for two months. This helped my applications more than I realised because it allowed me to show my personality and interests in a unique way. I also worked at a legal recruitment firm for a few months which helped to develop my transferable skills like ringing clients, emailing, and organising my workload. I then got my first paralegal job through F-LEX, working in the Gherkin! This was great, but I found I had a lot of extra capacity, so I volunteered to take on the firm’s internal GDPR compliance project because I had an interest in data protection and privacy law. It was this experience that allowed me to secure a paralegal role at Baker McKenzie, which ultimately led to my training contract offer.”

**Similarly, Harry went through three rounds of vacation scheme and training contract applications before he was successful in securing his training contract at Baker McKenzie.**

“I made all sorts of application mistakes along the way and these are the reasons I’ve been trying to write about them publicly for the best part of a year now. One particular example I will give is during my initial rounds of applications, I had the terrible strategy of copying and pasting my answers onto various application forms. On one occasion I forgot to change the name of the firm, so the opening line was addressed to a different person at a completely different firm! I think I got that rejection back in about 24 hours! Of course, don’t do this, but in the bigger picture it is important to really tailor your application to the firm you are applying to. You shouldn’t be able to swap out the name of that firm with another.”

**Oliver’s experiences highlight the changes that have occurred during his time within the legal industry.**

“Diversity within the legal field is still something that we must work on and we still have a long way to go. However, in my workplace, I always feel I can bring my authentic self to work in a way that wasn’t possible in the past, so there is the capacity to change. The current situation can be unsettling in terms of security but it is important to remember that new roles are constantly being created with the increasing use of technology, so with a greater skill set, comes greater opportunity.”

**Although times are tough, Angela thinks that firms have learnt a lot from 2008.**

“The best law firms will continue with their graduate recruitment because they are completely aware of how valuable you are as an investment. I joined the legal sector after the last recession and from my perspective, law firms have learnt an awful lot. They know how to be more robust and more agile. A lot of the things firms learnt how to do more than a decade ago, they are simply doing again now, which I think is massively positive.”

**Tailor your applications:** You shouldn’t be able to swap out the name of the firm you are applying to with the name of another firm! If you can, it is unlikely that your application will impress. Consider the following: have you met the firm/its representatives? Do you know its core practice strengths? Trainee intake size? Seat rotations? Clients? Secondment opportunities? Values? Culture? It is important to understand these characteristics to determine whether the firm will complement your skillset and aspirations.

**Why commercial law?** Having a watertight answer to this is key, both during the written application stage and at interview. When a law firm offers you a training contract, they are investing in you. And like any investment, firms expect to see a return at some point in the future. However, if a trainee decides that commercial law isn’t for them during their training contract, the firm will never see a return on their initial investment. Convincing firms (and being certain yourself) that you want to pursue a commercial legal career, and the reasons why, is crucial to getting an offer. **So how do you do this?** Write a narrative that is personal to you. What piqued your interest? An open day at a firm? A module you studied at university? Then explain how you furthered your interest and consolidated your understanding: did you gain further work experience? Attend networking events? Having a genuine story about why you want to pursue commercial law will impress a lot more than your ‘excitement to work on cutting edge global deals’.

**Utilise your strengths:** You all have a specific set of superpowers - you just need to identify what your individual superpowers are. This has been particularly apparent to Oliver, who has found that his strengths lie in approaching problems from an empathetic and creative point of view. Also, consider how these strengths can add value to a law firm: drawing on a range of legal and non-legal experiences, as well as considering different perspectives, helps to create innovative solutions and makes you stand out as a candidate.

**Ask for constructive criticism:** This isn’t always easy, however understanding what went wrong from the firm’s perspective allows you to target this area for improvement. Also, never be afraid to simply lay your cards on the table! Mary was initially rejected from the firm she trained at, however was offered a training contract for the following year after contacting HR and explaining that she would be happy to wait. This won’t work out for everyone, but having the confidence to communicate with firms is a key skill.

**Commercial/current awareness:** This must be continually developed, and cannot be swotted overnight. Having a general understanding of how current affairs and the wider business sector is impacted is key to becoming the ‘trusted adviser’ that clients seek - and certainly key to impressing a firm. Consider subscribing to daily news digests like Finimize or listening to the FT News Briefing for quick updates, or better still, read a reputable broadsheet paper on a daily basis.

**Writing style:** Even if you have all of the above down to a tee, your application can be disregarded if you don’t communicate in a clear and concise manner. The person reading your application will likely have a large pile left to read after yours. Be kind to them - convey your point in simple terms and make sure every sentence adds value to your answer.

**Have an open mind about the type of law you want to pursue:** There are lots of different legal areas. Make sure to explore different departments outside of your vacation scheme/training contract seat. You won’t know if you want to pursue a type of law until you try it!

**Actively listen instead of waiting for your turn to speak:** It is easy to miss verbal/behavioural nuances when you aren’t paying proper attention.

**Always ask yourself how you can improve:** Even when you have been successful at something, consider how you can do it better next time.

**When asking for help, provide some possible solutions (even if you’re not sure they’re correct):** This shows the person you are asking that you have given proper thought to the problem and aren’t simply turning to them to take it off your hands.

**Keep a sense of perspective:** Just because you haven’t succeeded at this moment in time doesn’t mean that you won’t eventually, and be more resilient as a result. A year or two is a drop in the ocean when looking at the bigger picture of your legal career

**And most importantly, be yourself:** Don't change who you are because that one firm doesn’t think that you’ll fit their working culture. There is an employer who will value your exact skillset, you just need to find them and let them see your authentic self.

**Adaptability** - Especially in the current climate. Having candidates who are flexible and responsive to challenges is ideal for firms..

**Emotional Intelligence** - Empathetic nature and curiosity to drive innovation.

**Creativity** - Free thinking approach to problems which allows for innovative ideas to be developed.

**Entrepreneurialism** - Always thinking about how to elevate the business.

**Commercial understanding** - An understanding of how different sectors and current affairs impact clients.

**Collaboration** - Being able to work effectively within a team is an essential skill. Similarly, having the confidence to ask senior team members for help when necessary is key to working effectively.

**Additional resources:**

* [London Young Lawyers Group](https://lylg.org.uk/)
* [HarryClarkLaw](https://harryclarklaw.com/)
* [Radius Law Vlogs](https://radiuslaw.co.uk/blog/)
* [A-Z of Legal Innovation Jargon by Crafty Counsel](https://craftycounsel.co.uk/boxset/a-z-of-legal-innovation)
* [Strive Consultants](https://www.striveconsultants.co.uk/students)
* [Lexology](https://www.lexology.com/)

How to kick-start your Legal Career

How To Kick-start Your Legal Career

<p><a href="https://flex.legal/">F-LEX</a> was very pleased to be joined by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/iainlarkins/">Iain Larkins</a>, Director &amp; Founder of <a href="https://radiuslaw.co.uk/">Radius Law</a>, and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandramartins1/">Sandra Martins</a>, Senior Solicitor at Radius Law on this week’s Virtual Lunch for paralegals and junior lawyers. Iain and Sandra gave excellent overviews on topical cases surrounding employment status and vicarious liability, and provided useful commentary on the forthcoming changes to the UK immigration system and IR35 rules.</p><h1 style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong><em>(1) Employment Status</em></strong></h1><p>In the UK, an individual may be engaged to carry out work in one of three ways: as an employee, a worker, or a self-employed contractor. Each employment status affords a different degree of legal protection and benefits to the individual, with employees being the most protected and the self-employed being the least.&nbsp;</p><h2 style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong>What determines your employment status?</strong></h2><p>There are a lot of variables. Employees typically have an employment contract with their employer, and are provided with a regular stream of work which they must carry out personally. If you are self-employed, you are responsible for finding and engaging with clients yourself, and you usually invoice for specific pieces of work you have been contracted to complete. Worker status falls somewhere between the two, and it can often be unclear. Workers have a ‘contract for services’ which may be written or verbal, they must carry out the work personally, however they have little obligation to receive or complete any work. A typical example of a worker is someone working on a zero-hours contract.</p><h2 style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong>So why does any of this matter?&nbsp;</strong></h2><p>In short, your employment status governs your legal rights, which define how much bargaining power you have with your employer. If you are engaged as an employee, you are protected from unfair dismissal and have the right to statutory redundancy pay (among many others). These rights are not granted to the self-employed or workers. Similarly, workers must be paid the National Minimum Wage and receive holiday pay, but self-employed contractors are not legally entitled to either. By understanding your employment rights, you are in a far stronger position to realise if they are being infringed upon. For more details, check out <a href="https://www.acas.org.uk/checking-your-employment-rights">Acas</a>.</p><h2 style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong>Key Cases</strong></h2><p><a href="https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2018/2748.html"><strong><em>Uber v Aslam </em>[2018]</strong></a>&nbsp;</p><p>This case has been going up and down through the courts, with Uber trying to fight decisions regarding the employment status of their drivers, and was brought by Mr Aslam and others. Mr Aslam argued that he and the other drivers were workers, and therefore were entitled to be paid the National Minimum Wage and for annual leave. This argument was upheld in the Court of Appeal, with Uber’s contention that each driver directly engaged with a passenger to complete a contract rejected. Uber is set to appeal this decision in the UK Supreme Court on 21st and 22nd July 2020.</p><p><a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:62019CO0692&amp;from=EN"><strong><em>B v Yodel Delivery </em>[2020]</strong>&nbsp;</a></p><p>Here, the ECJ issued a useful preliminary ruling on whether a Yodel courier could be considered a worker instead of a self-employed contractor. As the courier had the right to appoint another courier to carry out the deliveries, and also had latitude on whether to accept or reject deliveries, the ECJ found them to be an independent contractor. The case has since been remitted back to the Tribunal to decide on the specific facts whether the courier could be considered a worker.</p><p><a href="https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2017-0053"><strong><em>Pimlico Plumbers</em> [2018]</strong></a></p><p>This case was a landmark ruling by the UKSC, and concerned a plumber who had worked for a number of years as an ostensibly self-employed contractor. In reality, his working conditions were more akin to that of a worker: he had to carry out the work personally, his employer limited what he was paid, and there were limitations on him working for competitors. The UKSC confirmed that his employment status was indeed that of a worker. Subsequently, the plumber brought a Tribunal claim for backdated holiday pay amounting to £74,000. This was unsuccessful in the first instance, however an appeal is set to be heard in the Employment Appeal Tribunal shortly, having been postponed in March 2020.</p><p><a href="http://supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uksc-2017-0020-judgment.pdf"><strong><em>Lee v Ashers Baking Company</em> [2018]</strong></a></p><p>A Northern Irish bakery was taken to court after refusing to bake a cake with the writing ‘Support Gay Marriage’. The UKSC found no discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, religious belief or political opinion. The case is currently waiting to be heard in the European Court of Human Rights.</p><h1 style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong><em>(2) Vicarious Liability</em></strong></h1><p>Vicarious liability means that employers may be liable for tortious acts committed by their employees when these acts occur ‘in the course of business’ (<a href="https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com/9-200-3629?transitionType=Default&amp;contextData=(sc.Default)&amp;firstPage=true&amp;bhcp=1">ref</a>). For the principle to be effective, there must be a relationship between the employer and the wrongdoer, as well as a sufficient connection between the act committed and the nature of the employment.</p><h2 style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong>Key Cases</strong></h2><p><a href="https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uksc-2018-0213-judgment.pdf"><strong><em>Morrison Supermarket v Various Claimants</em> [2020]</strong></a></p><p>Over 9,000 employees brought claims against Morrisons for a data protection breach. The tort was committed by a disgruntled employee who downloaded and published payroll information. Although Morrisons was held to be vicariously liable by the Court of Appeal, this decision was overturned in the UKSC on the basis that the data disclosure was not part of his functions as an employee and it was an unauthorised act. Despite this finding, it is important to note that the UKSC concluded that employers may be liable under the Data Protection Act 1998 for breaches committed by employees.</p><p><a href="https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uksc-2018-0164-judgment.pdf"><strong><em>Barclays Bank v Various Claimants</em> [2020]</strong></a></p><p>An unpleasant case dating back to the 1970s and 80s, in which Barclays hired a doctor on a self-employed basis to carry out medical assessments of job applicants. The doctor proceeded to sexually assault over 100 women. The UKSC confirmed that, because the doctor was genuinely self-employed, Barclays could not be held vicariously liable.</p><h1 style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong><em>(3) Forthcoming Legislative Changes</em></strong></h1><h2 style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong>Points based immigration system (January 2021)</strong></h2><p>This alteration ends free movement and will apply to current EU citizens that want to work in the UK. The system includes requirements for applicants to speak English and to have a job offer from an ‘approved sponsor’ at an ‘appropriate skill level’, among others. You can find out more in the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uks-points-based-immigration-system-policy-statement/the-uks-points-based-immigration-system-policy-statement">Government’s policy statement</a>.</p><h2 style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong>IR35 rules (April 2021)</strong></h2><p>IR35 refers to a piece of UK tax legislation which aims to reduce tax avoidance through the use of limited companies. This relates to situations where an employer engages with a contractor through the contractor’s own limited company (intermediary), but the reality of the situation is akin to engaging directly with an employee.&nbsp;</p><p>The reforms to IR35 mean that medium to large businesses engaging a contractor through their own intermediary, for instance a personal service company, will be liable for determining if the contractor would have been an employee had they been directly engaged. If you are also the fee-payer, you will be liable to deduct and pay tax and employers’ NICs on the payments made to the intermediary.</p><h1 style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong><em>Radius Law Vlogs</em></strong></h1><p>Finally, make sure to check out the incredibly helpful Radius Law Commercial Bulletins in association with LexisNexis UK! These short videos help to breakdown important legal issues in an easy-to-digest style. Find them here: <a href="https://radiuslaw.co.uk/blog/">Radius Law Vlogs</a>.</p><p>F-LEX hosts Virtual Lunches every Wednesday between 12:30pm - 1:15pm. Make sure to sign up below to increase your legal network and gain legal insights from the experts!</p>

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The Flex Legal blog

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Top CV tips for aspiring lawyers

How to kick-start your Legal Career

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3 Employment Law Issues You Should Be Aware Of