http://www.legalweek.com/Marketing, media, new media, advertising and design jobs, news and information.© Copyright and database rights Incisive Media PLC 2008en-gbFri, 16 May 2008 17:14:26 GMT60http://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1126310/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1126310/Article.htmlI just finished my training contract at a large City firm and wanted to qualify in the insolvency department. All the indications were I would be taken on but instead I've not even got an offer in another department. What's the best approach to take? Should I carpet-bomb firms that have large insolvency teams, or be more targeted with my applications? Help!!charlie.wright@legalweek.comThu, 15 May 2008 11:08:00 GMThttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1124925/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1124925/Article.htmlI switched to the law from a background in economics and finance and am currently doing the Bar Vocational Course. I'm interested in commercial law and have done a few mini-pupillages at predominantly commercial sets. However, I realise it is extremely competitive to get a pupillage with the sets that I am interested in. Should I make a long-term investment (two years, say) in trying to obtain a pupillage or should I already be considering other careers within the law? Ideally I want to become acharlie.wright@legalweek.comMon, 12 May 2008 09:52:00 GMThttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1123790/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1123790/Article.htmlThe team I recently joined as a one-year PQE is in talks with another law firm to move across en masse. As the new guy, what can I do to make sure they take me with them? I was thrilled to join that team because of the reputation of the individuals who are now mulling over the move and really don't want to be left behind with a much-weakened team.charlie.wright@legalweek.comThu, 08 May 2008 10:22:00 GMThttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1121592/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1121592/Article.htmlI am a trainee at a leading national firm. I have an extensive background in the sports industry and I am looking for a role in sports law. I have an NQ offer from my firm in our sports group but also an offer to go in-house at leading sports club. What are the disadvantages of going in-house? Will I be able to move back to private practice in the future should I decide in-house is not for me?charlie.wright@legalweek.comThu, 01 May 2008 11:04:00 GMThttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1120154/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1120154/Article.htmlI qualified as a solicitor last June at the grand old age of 29 before moving to become a partner at another small firm. But things have not worked out there and by the time I leave in June I will have only have been qualified for a year and will be one of those 'jack of all trades, master of none' solicitors. I still enjoy law but seem to have reached a mid-life crisis at 30! I never took a gap year and would love to see Australia; at the age of 30 it is my last chance to apply for a 12-montcharlie.wright@legalweek.comMon, 28 Apr 2008 09:56:00 GMThttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1119116/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1119116/Article.htmlI'm in my mid-thirties and am about to start applying for training contracts. A vacation placement I did with one big City firm made me feel like a dinosaur and got me wondering - which firms (if any) are more receptive to older applicants, rather than going for youthful 'cannon fodder' types?charlie.wright@legalweek.comThu, 24 Apr 2008 09:58:00 GMThttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1117674/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1117674/Article.htmlI am about to commence my training contract and my firm allows plenty of scope for choosing training seats. I am interested to hear views - controversial, jovial or otherwise - on any of the following practice areas: corporate & commercial (and the key differences between the two); tax; employment; private client; construction (rather than standard real estate or property); energy, transport and infrastructure; competition; and shipping. Which are the most (or least) interesting? Which has the bcharlie.wright@legalweek.comMon, 21 Apr 2008 12:14:00 GMThttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1116770/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1116770/Article.htmlI am two years PQE and currently working in commercial property. I have always wanted to work in employment law; although I did not do a seat in the area during my training contract, I did study it during my LPC. Even though I don't have the initial six months' experience I would have got if I had done an employment seat during my training contract, I would like to think that you can actually get sufficient experience by learning on the job once you have qualified.charlie.wright@legalweek.comThu, 17 Apr 2008 12:08:00 GMThttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1115494/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1115494/Article.htmlI am half-way through a part-time LPC after attaining a 2:1 in law and have been applying for training contracts for several years without getting so much as a single interview. Working in law - in particular in intellectual property (IP) - is all I've ever wanted to do but should I cut my losses now and train to be a trademark attorney? Is it just as competitive and are there often vacancies? Or is there any particular experience or qualification that could help me get into IP?charlie.wright@legalweek.comMon, 14 Apr 2008 12:59:00 GMThttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1114497/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1114497/Article.htmlI am a lowly trainee who shares an office with a partner. He's a nice guy and a good supervisor but he's got some hygiene issues and I'm worried that one day I'll snap and shout at him. The last thing I want to do is confront him directly about it. Is there a subtle way of raising this sort of thing without making life extremely awkward for myself? I guess I’m also wondering how normal this sort of stuff is. Are weird personal habits by partners just business as usual?charlie.wright@legalweek.comThu, 10 Apr 2008 11:24:00 GMThttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1112960/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1112960/Article.htmlI am a postgraduate law student from a non-privileged and ethnic minority background. My grades are excellent but I am still finding it difficult to break into a City firm. Which firms are most serious about diversity and are there any organisations (other than the Social Mobility Foundation) that might be able to assist me with internships and so on?charlie.wright@legalweek.comMon, 07 Apr 2008 11:53:00 GMThttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1112050/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1112050/Article.htmlMy firm recently banned its female lawyers from wearing fishnet stockings to work. According the management they are too much of a 'distraction' and project an 'unprofessional' image. I'm not going to make a huge issue of it but I'd like to think I know for myself where that line is drawn about looking professional in the office. Are many firms this restrictive about dress codes for their female staff?charlie.wright@legalweek.comThu, 03 Apr 2008 10:08:00 GMThttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1110894/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1110894/Article.htmlMy firm is dangling the partnership carrot by saying I'll be made up once I've done a couple of years overseas, possibly in Moscow or Dubai. Should I go and hope they'll keep their word or are they just using the partnership thing as a means of staffing overseas offices with much-needed senior associates?charlie.wright@legalweek.comMon, 31 Mar 2008 12:42:00 GMThttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1109737/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1109737/Article.htmlThe deadline for OLPAS applications is looming and I'm stumped as to what to say on the 150-word 'career motivation' bit of the form asking why I want to become a barrister. I'm really keen to become a commercial barrister - I've done the research and the mini-pupillages and am even more keen as a result. But do chambers want to hear about my passion for justice, or my passion for helping clients win a contract dispute? Does anyone have any tips as to what to say?charlie.wright@legalweek.comThu, 27 Mar 2008 09:49:00 GMThttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1109088/Article.htmlhttp://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1109088/Article.htmlI applied for and was interviewed for an in-house job, which I did not get. When I asked why I was told: "The roles that you have taken on appear to have been at a more senior level than the role we have. Should I identify a role that is more senior and therefore more suited to your capabilities, I would, of course, be in contact." I am in my mid-forties and 20 years' qualified but out of a job and in need of work. Does their response constitute age discrimination and, if so, how should I tacklcharlie.wright@legalweek.comTue, 25 Mar 2008 16:44:00 GMT