Law: grades v. experience (1 Viewer)

[-pari-]

i'm a first year com/law student, and for the past few months i've been working in an alternative dispute resolution firm. its a very small firm, but the experience is really good ie. i'm not just doing secretarial work..

however on a subconcious level thats sort've made me slacken off in terms of grades. its as though i no longer feel a strong need to aim for distinctions etc, because i have some industry-related work experience..

thats not a good thing, i know, but whats the trade off between the two? is it more important to have one or the other....? which is the better to focus on at this stage?

 

[M@C D@DDY]

The short answer is that you need both. A Distinction or close to D-avg WAM is required for interviews at the big 6, and from there work experience will help distinguish you from the other candidates. Work experience alone I think will never be sufficient. So I wouldn't work too hard (even though I have done FT uni + 2 days work), especially in your first yr.

 

[hfis]

I'd also add never use experience as an excuse for slacking off and not caring about your grades. A graduate employer is never going to say 'holy shit, this guy has more experience than me; we don't even need to look at his transcript.' Your grades will always come into play somewhere.

I can empathise with you though - try having a grad job lined up that starts in a few months and being motivated to do more than get Ps!

 

[lionking1191]

I'd also add never use experience as an excuse for slacking off and not caring about your grades. A graduate employer is never going to say 'holy shit, this guy has more experience than me; we don't even need to look at his transcript.' Your grades will always come into play somewhere.

I can empathise with you though - try having a grad job lined up that starts in a few months and being motivated to do more than get Ps!

aha. lol.

oh and is it true that ur first year subjects counts for a less significant portion of your overall course mark?

 

[melsc]

I'd say balance is important. I find my grades aren't as fantastic as I'd like but its not because I slack off but more that between working two days a week, uni classes and mooting I have very little time to study. That said I am trying to keep a balance of decent grades and good experience.

 

[| n i s s y |]

As a first year I think you're very lucky to have the chance to get some work experience at an ADR firm. So definitely keep that going.....But I also think its too early in your law degree to be slacking off. My first year days were my most studious....if you slack off now, what are you gonna be like in 4th year?! So keep working on your grades. Some firms (or possibly 1 firm) actually uses grades as 1 way of automatically cutting off students from 1st round interviews at clerkships.

In the end, firms want all rounded people. I personally didn't have any legal work experience whatsoever...but I got interviews in the end....thanks to my extra curriculars I think. So yeah....Not just law experience and grades...but EXTR CURRICULARS too. Get involved in clubs and societies in campus too. Join community groups. Do sport. Join a band. Once you get to the interviews...its mostly about personality too. So don't be a social recluse and do lots of team/social activities!

 

[Marmalade.]

Grades are definitely the number one priority for firms.

Experience is a bonus. And to be getting experience in your first year is great.

But what good is experience when a person can't show dedication to their studies?

 

[patricia888]

Hmm...don't you think it depends on what firm though? I've read in the vogue forums that some mid tier firms don't bother making interview offers to those with fantastic HD/DN transcripts....simply because they know they will get offers from top Tiers anyway. Hence they view such candidates as a waste of their HR interviewing resources and time on them. That could be good news for the CR avg student....as long as they have amazing extra curriculars/work experience etc. I personally know alot of students who got interviews even though they had credit averages.

However, its likely that passes/fails/pass conceded on your transcript will be unacceptable for top tier law firms. Perhps Mid tier firms will look past it if it was in first year, was for only 1 subject...or could be explained away by you.

Also...extra curriculars are JUST as important as work experience. I had no previous legal experience but got interviews/offers thanks to my signifiant extra curriculars which demonstrated leadership...and sociability etc.

 

[Cookie182]

I just want to ask a Q, and it doesn't reflect my work ethic, grades or philosophy, but:

Barry Lawbludger graduates from Commerce/Law with for eg a Finance major (or Accy or whtver really) with only a PASS average. Yes, on the extreme end of things, he has done the absolute bare minimum to get that piece of paper. Additionally, no work experience and very little extra-curriculars (the extent of social activities would include wed/sat night clubbing).

However, he does go on to complete his GDLP and is subsequently admitted as a solicitor in NSW (obviously does not get articles though). Is Barry, in a realistic sense going to be indefinitely UNEMPLOYED? Ultimately, in a worse financial situation than the high school drop-outs who left his cohort in year 10 to work behind a cheque-out or who are still unemployed?

I thought this was an interesting question.

 

[GolfPunk]

he could have rich parents, gets a loan from parents, starts up his on practice --> BINGO

(Not that realistic but possible though)

 

[hfis]

To be a solicitor you need to complete 80 days of work experience as well. If Barry is able to accomplish admission without doing so I'm sure he'll find himself a nice judicial position in due course.

And I would say no, he wouldn't. He would be unemployed as a lawyer. There are plenty of jobs out there (some of which could be considered 'professional' - see most govt positions) which a law degree would qualify him for.

The GDLP and practising certificate would, of course, be a waste of time and money unless he had connections or an incredible blowjob technique.