Our mentoring programmes
Develop your skills and knowledge by getting advice from working professionals
Nottingham Law School runs two career mentoring programmes for current students on an annual basis. Places are limited so we advise you to consider which programme aligns to your aspirations and needs before applying.
The NLS Future You programme is open to all courses and year groups. You will benefit most if you are open to learning from a Mentor’s experience regardless of their sector or role as it provides first-hand insights into life after graduation.
The programme is designed to help you increase your awareness of work experience and graduate roles available to you and enhance your knowledge of network-building strategies.
You would spend four months on the programme and during this time a minimum of five mentoring meetings must take place. You will be mentored by NTU alumni and industry fellows. Although many of the Mentors have studied at NLS, our Mentors work in a range of industries, so you may be matched with a non-legal Mentor.
The NLS Aspiring Legal Professionals programme is open to students in their second and final year of the LLB courses as well as the academic LLMs, PGDL, BTC, LPC and SQE Preparation courses. You will benefit most if you have a strong interest in pursuing a career in the legal profession.
This programme is designed to help you develop knowledge, insights and skills to support you on your journey in to the legal profession. On the programme you will be able to develop your commercial awareness, identify relevant personal development activities and deepen your knowledge of legal practice areas.
You would spend at least three months on the programme, but this could extend up to the full academic year. You would be mentored by either high-profile individuals, including senior Solicitors, Barristers and Judges, or national and international law firms with offices in Nottingham.
Hear from a Mentor
"You can get the most out of your mentoring experience by not being afraid to ask questions that you think are stupid. There is no such thing as a stupid question. And write them down in advance because you may forget them when the time comes to asking them. Act like a sponge and absorb everything that your Mentor is telling you. They want to help as best they can." - His Honour Judge (HHJ) Avik Mukherjee, NLS Honorary Professor
If you are interested in mentoring our students, get in touch with NLS Employability Manager, Luke Lynch, to assess which mentoring programme will be best suited to you.
What our students say
The Aspiring Legal Professionals programme is a great opportunity for aspiring solicitors to gain an insight into the legal industry. Having a Mentor who has gone through the process of breaking into the profession was invaluable for my personal development and subsequent success in obtaining a vacation scheme at an international law firm.
My advice to any students interested in the opportunity is to maintain a consistent relationship with your Mentor as this will allow you develop your relationship and build your legal network.
Takondwa Phiri (LLB Law full-time)
The benefits
Taking part in a mentoring programme will give you valuable and direct insight into the daily working life of a legal professional. They will act as a champion for your career goals to help you build your professional career and network. Undertaking the programme gives you the opportunity to develop a range of key skills:
- Communication
- Time management
- Career planning
- Relationship building
- Confidence building
- Professionalism in the workplace
Any questions?
Applications to participate open early in term one. To find out more and apply, you will need to visit NOW, NTU's Online Workspace.
Meetings can take place in-person and/or virtually, however we recommend at least one face-to-face meeting where possible. The "Future You" programme requires a minimum of five mentoring meetings to take place in the four months you are on the programme. The "Aspiring Legal Professionals" programme affords a greater degree of flexibility - more information can be found on NOW.
Students on both programmes have access to a dedicated point of contact within the Law School who checks in with you at regular intervals. There is a mandatory briefing session at the start of the programme and resources are provided to help with planning and reflecting on mentoring meetings.
After successful completion of a mentoring programme, not only will you gain new skills or improve on your previous skills, but you will also receive a certificate to showcase your participation and skills you have gained.
Once your course starts, you will be able to access NOW, NTU's Online Workspace, where you will be able to find out more information.
You can also contact the Employability team for help.
When you're a Nottingham Law School student you will have access to the MyEmployability online portal offering graduate opportunities, vacancies, careers resources, and exclusive access to a huge range of employers and organisations, all looking to recruit NTU students and graduates.