THE HIGHER LENS : 17
From Law School to Private Funds: Lessons from the Journey
As a Private Funds associate working at a US law firm, I thought it might be helpful to share some insight into what I learned along the way. Being a first-generation Albanian immigrant, most of my learning came through trial/error as I did not have any connections within the industry to provide any steer/guidance – and, although we each have our own unique journey, I hope that perhaps some of my experiences might be useful in supporting you navigate your own career path.
Study of law vs practice of law
Studying the undergraduate law degree at Queen Mary University of London was challenging and intellectually satisfying, enabling me to build a good foundation of the legal principles governing the legal system. However, I did find it quite abstract and at the time wasn’t sure if this was the right career for me to pursue. The first experience I gained of what it would be like to work as a lawyer in private practice was as a volunteer adviser at the Queen Mary Legal Advice Clinic, enabling us to utilise our legal skills to assist people with their real-world legal issues on a pro bono basis. As volunteer advisers, we interviewed clients, assessed their issue through a legal lens and drafted letters of advice setting out their legal position – working alongside and being supervised by qualified solicitors throughout ensured that the standard of advice was of a high quality. It was this volunteering experience, combined with my work setting up a legal advice clinic (Horizon Legal Advice Clinic), that gave me the necessary insight into the practice of law and encouraged me to pursue this career path post-graduation.
The key takeaway, therefore, is that you should aim to get any sort of work experience in law during your studies so that you can see whether this is the right career path for you. Such insight can be obtained through a variety of ways, including work experience, an internship at a law firm, volunteering with an in-house clinic at your university and generally attending open days at law firms – all of which will help ensure that you make an informed decision.
Transferable skills
Contrary to what you may think, studying for a law degree at university does not give you an advantage over non-law students applying for vacation schemes or training contracts, as law firms hire about an equal number from law and non-law backgrounds. Therefore, you should aim to study whatever subject you have the most interest in at university, be that history, classics, geography or maths. In addition, although strong academics are crucial as many firms set minimum academic criteria, I think that the key to being successful in vacation scheme or training contract applications is to showcase the transferable skills required in being a good lawyer. Law firms are not looking for a ‘finished product’ as it were and are in fact, aiming to identify potential.
Law firms tend to specify the key skills they are looking for in applicants on their graduate recruitment website, and it’s worth having a look at the specific requirements for the firm(s) that you are interested in. Generally, however, I consider that some of the most important skills for a future lawyer to demonstrate are: (i) communication (oral and written), (ii) organisation/time management, (iii) resilience – working under pressure, and (iv) commercial awareness. It’s therefore crucial that you can demonstrate such skills with practical examples, either through your hobbies/interests, volunteering for charities, participating in societies at university or even working part-time during your studies. Conscious that it is difficult to juggle studies alongside such commitments, however, it will genuinely help in making you stand out among a crowded pack.
Day-to-day role of a Funds lawyer
There is a wide variety of areas of law in which you can qualify, and it’s important to get an experience in different areas before you make the decision to qualify in a particular area. Undertaking any sort of legal work experience, such as an internship, vacation scheme or training contract, can provide a valuable insight in this regard.
To extent helpful, please see a short video sharing some insights on Private Funds at Weil here: [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSCan1mgk9-
/?igsh=MWMyeGZhMmJlZzdqbQ%3D%3D]
The process for qualifying as a lawyer is highly competitive; however, adopting the right approach can make things easier. To the extent that I may be able to assist in answering any questions or queries you may have during the application process, please do feel free to reach out on LinkedIn.
Bernard Mustafa - Associate at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP