For people in the legal profession, having a sense of justice is imperative to be able to successfully represent people in a court of law. If you’ve always dreamed of empowering others and live and breathe what it means to bring justice into the community, the legal profession is for people like you who want to change the world in practical ways. Current students are well aware that before you can begin working as a lawyer, it’s expected that many people undertake legal internships to get additional experience. There are multiple advantages to doing legal internships, but let’s go over 4 reasons that are beneficial for aspiring lawyers before getting full-time work:
1. You Can Get Experience In Different Situations
Law is a specialised field and requires people who are passionate about their chosen area of expertise to utilise their skills in different situations. This might be family law for some people. It could be environmental law to protect our natural world, or even human rights law for others. Working in the industry of copyright law requires different knowledge than working within the field of labour law. No matter what area you wish to specialise in as a prospective lawyer, it’s always good to try them out before you officially start your full-time career. The perspective you will gain from doing this in such a crucial time of an internship will help guide your way through entering the real world of law.
2. You Can Get A Practical Understanding Of The Law
Learning legal concepts and jargon in the classroom is one thing, but seeing how the law is applied in real life situations is another matter that you might not feel like you’re fully equipped to handle once you’re out in the workforce. This is where internships can be really advantageous to your career in the field of law – you can draw upon not just the knowledge you learned in famous legal case studies, but you can also utilise your judgement by bringing first-hand knowledge and experience to your practice.
3. You Can Experience Success In Your Career Before Entering The Workforce
Studying a law degree is no easy feat, and if you’ve managed to get through your classes then that is something to be celebrated. Many professionals in the legal field often wish that they had a more structured work environment at the beginning stages of their career instead of being met with feelings of being overwhelmed and stressed because they didn’t know how to gauge the expectations of their career trajectory. If you’re getting work experience in an office setting or want to know more about the ins and outs of court, an internship in law can give you real-life knowledge of how you can change the lives of people in positive and practical ways.
4. You Can Increase Your Soft Skills
Practicing lawyers and people working within the legal system must have a robust set of soft skills to ensure that justice remains a priority. Many lawyers will have to use their skills in being a perceptive mediator when representing clients. Within a court setting, public speaking skills and a heightened ability to communicate clearly and effectively are all part of the day-to-day responsibilities. You can expect to increase your conflict management skills as well when handling disputes in law internships. Soft skills are the most transferrable skills anyone can have – you can take them into any aspect of life, including full-time work!
Working in the legal profession as a solicitor or barrister is an exciting and rewarding career that can make an enormous difference to the lives of numerous people. As someone in the law sector, you are seen as a trustworthy and stand-up individual representing and empowering the community. It’s imperative that law students and early-career professionals get as much exposure to different situations and experience across the legal system as they can to ensure that their skillset as a lawyer is as robust and comprehensive as possible.
There are many benefits to doing legal internships before getting full-time work, but a few notable reasons include getting expertise in different situations, and having a robust understanding of how to practically apply the law to suit the needs of clients and to represent them to the best of your ability.
Experiencing success at an early stage in your career can boost your sense of self-confidence and motivation, and the chance to heighten the soft skills in communication and conflict management are advantageous for anyone entering the legal profession.If you are interested in learning more about how you can kickstart your career in law through the different types of internship opportunities near you, then have a look over at Premium Graduate Placements to see what’s in store.