Student profiles

Name: Emma Greenhalgh

Course: LLB (Hons) full-time sandwich

Name of placement employer / organisation: CS2 Lawyers, Chesterfield

Placement job title: Litigation Executive

Does your course automatically include a work placement or is it optional?
The course is divided into a full-time option and a sandwich option, it is up to the individual student which they apply for.

Who organised your work placement? Did you do it yourself or with support from the University? Was it a straightforward process?
Sylvia Hargreves the placement coordinator provided details of the job and explained that there were two positions. Once I confirmed that I wanted to apply for the job Sylvia sent my CV to the firm. After that I dealt with the firm, they contacted me to inform me that I had been selected for an interview.

How long is / was your placement?
My placement was 12 months long, from July 2005-July 2006.

What kind of work does / did your placement involve?
The work that I carried out was of a legal nature. I dealt with complex Personal Injury claims. I carried out a variety of tasks which ranged from drafting legal documents, advising clients on the telephone to attending court.

What support do / did you receive from your placement employer / organisation?
I did not receive a great deal of training from the firm. The majority of what I learnt was picked up from advice from colleagues or watching and learning others working. By the end of the placement I felt as though I had learnt a lot, and in many cases, what I learnt could not have been taught at University.

What support do / did you receive from NTU?
I did not need to liaise with NTU whilst I was on placement, however, we received basic training prior to the commencement of the placement, we attended a recall day mid way through the placement and upon return to University we had a feedback session with the other placement students. I was aware that if I needed support at any other time from the University, I was able to get it.

How does / did your placement relate to the content of your course? Have your studies helped you with your work placement?
I feel that I have gained a major advantage over my peers by undergoing a placement. In terms of time management I have maintained a 9-5 routine which has obviously increased my productivity and also the quality of the work I am producing during my final year. I also believe that next year when I commence the LPC I will see more benefits. The reason for this is most of what I learnt on placement was of a practical nature and as the general body of the LPC, placement students have already had an insight in to the nature of the tasks that will be required of us.

What do / did you enjoy most about your placement?
The highlight of my placement was when I got to carry out a court hearing on my own, although I was nervous, I felt a huge sense of satisfaction to be able to be in a court room and speak directly to a judge. Furthermore, it confirmed to me that I wanted to be a solicitor.

What have been the biggest challenges?
The biggest challenges were the initial ones; getting to grips with practical law rather than the text book law that I had been so used to and also work to a big productivity rate in short periods of time.

In what ways will / did your placement boost your career prospects?
I feel that placement schemes should be compulsory to all undergraduates no matter what degree they are studying. The experience that you gain is priceless, when you begin to apply for jobs, you stand out about other candidates because the knowledge and experience that you have gained looks extremely impressive to prospective employers.

Do you plan to / did you continue in this line of work after graduation?
Most certainly, my plans are to graduate in June 2007, commence my LPC at Manchester BPP in September 2007 and then begin my training contract in September 2008.

Has doing a work placement changed your future (career) plans in any way?
I have already secured a training contract with a different firm to where I did my placement. I honestly believe that the fact I did my placement helped me to secure the position. When I was in my interview, the interviewers were very interested in what type of work I undertook and also how it has affected my view of becoming a solicitor. I feel that I came out of my placement a more mature student with a more positive attitude towards my degree.

Would you recommend a work placement to other students?
Anyone who is indecisive as to whether or not they want to undergo a placement I would say should definitely do one. Graduating from University now does not carry as much weight as it used to, employers want more than a degree, they are looking for experience and other qualities that you can offer. If you are thinking of entering the legal professions, work experience is vital because it is so competitive, you need to have an edge over other students.

Do you have any advice for anyone undertaking a work placement?
Mainly I would say to work hard, learn as much as you can by grasping all opportunities that are offered to you and most of all enjoy it!