Many times, I'm approached with the question; "What exactly do you do as a Business Development Solicitor?" In response, I aim to shed light on my role, offering a glimpse into my daily responsibilities and duties. It's crucial to understand that the role of a Business Development Solicitor doesn't come with a fixed definition, it varies significantly across different firms and can evolve in response to changing business needs. There isn't a universal description that encapsulates the diverse spectrum of activities a BD lawyer might engage in. Why did I decide to become a BD lawyer? My journ ..read more

Caitlin is a Senior Associate and Accredited Family Law Specialist at high street firm Freelands Solicitors. She graduated from the University of Stirling with a 2:1 LLB Scots Law degree and attended the University of Strathclyde for the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice. In this blog she shares her journey from struggling school pupil to now Senior Associate with an emphasis on the various challenges she faced pursuing a legal career and how she sought help and support from others. My name is Caitlin and I am a Senior Associate and Accredited Specialist in Family Law with Freelands ..read more

During "Pupillage" traditionally known as "Devilling" you are required to undertake the Faculty of Advocate's compulsory skills course, which lasts approximately two weeks and takes place in January and May each year. Below Advocate Bilaal Shabbir shares his experiences during the course and provides his insights on what to expect during the two weeks of training at the Faculty of Advocates. Compulsory Skills Course – Day 1 & 2 "Yesterday marked the first day of the January skills course which runs for 2 weeks. This is another period where devils are back in the classroom honing their adv ..read more

On 30 November 2022, a company called OpenAI took the technology world by storm, launching a tech-changing AI chatbot which has the ability to near-instantaneously explain complex concepts for a range of various topics and formulate nice and easy answers from scratch. This is why the legal industry has been checking its potential and there is plenty of speculation regarding its impact. How does it Function? Chat GPT fully known as 'Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer' is an AI tool which uses a large language trained by OpenAI and relies on a training method known as reinforcement learnin ..read more

Emma shares her experiences and reflects upon her recent participation in the 2022/23 Mini-Devil scheme, which is organised and hosted annually by the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland. The Mini-Devilling Scheme offers Diploma students an insight into Devilling and life at the Bar. The scheme also provides a safe space for students to hone their advocacy skills and gain first-hand experience of legal work. Application Process During the Diploma induction week at university, we got a talk about the Mini-Devilling Scheme from Craig Findlater, one of the Mini-Devilling co-ordinators. It sounded ve ..read more

Starting a legal career without family connections may seem daunting, but it is by no means impossible. In this article, Neil Hay, Solicitor Advocate and Partner in the law firm Levy and McRae, provides a personal account of his experience building a thriving legal career from scratch, focusing on the importance of determination, education, and strategic networking to overcome any barriers to entry you might face. A few years ago, a work experience law student at my firm asked what private school I went to, and the name of the law firm where my parents worked. It was obvious to her that a par ..read more

Daniel is currently a first year Trainee Solicitor at a full-service commercial law firm. He graduated from the University of Strathclyde with a first-class LLB Scots Law degree and attended the University of Glasgow for the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice. In this blog he discusses his journey from school to Trainee Solicitor with an emphasis on the various challenges facing those from less privileged backgrounds pursuing a legal career. Whilst it is trite to say that studying law or pursuing a legal career is challenging for every single person who goes through the process, there are ..read more

The Diploma as a Student and a Staff Member The Diploma in Professional Legal Practice - the final academic step in Scotland before embarking on your legal career. It is also a part of the route to qualification that can feel a little bit shrouded in mystery. When I applied for the Diploma, I had very little idea of what to expect from it. I had heard different things about different providers and had the impression that the course was a bit like Marmite: you either loved it, or you hated it, but I had no clue why. I started my Diploma at the University of Glasgow in 2020. My year was, unfort ..read more

As a law student without any family or friends in the law profession, I was entering my studies very much in the dark. I knew the degree would be tough, however I had no idea what to expect. I hope that by sharing a ‘typical day in the life’ as a 2nd year law student at the University of Glasgow I can help some prospective law students in their transition to university. Foremost, I would like to stress that this is my ‘ideal’ day. As a student, no two days are the same! In order to be successful in your studies, you have to find out what works for you.I have met so many law students who struc ..read more

So, we’ve reached 2023 and many of you will be qualifying between March and September. Some of you are likely worried about how the market looks and whether a space in your desired practice area will be available come qualification time. Don’t be. This year isn’t massively different to most others. Yes, we are in a recession but recessions don't scare me and they shouldn’t scare you. I started out in legal recruitment about four seconds before the market crashed in 2008. I watched law firms pivot into other practice areas and survive. And then thrive. The market changed considerably over the ..read more