Applying for a training contract with a law firm is the conventional pathway into a legal career many law students are all too familiar with. But, it is not the only way! The legal teams of many companies (tech or non-tech) offer great opportunities for recent graduates to launch their legal careers.
Here is what Elizabete Ludborza, a Warwick Law School graduate and current Junior Legal Officer at eBay Luxembourg, likes so much about her Legal role:
1. Variety!
Elizabete says that one of the most valuable pieces of advice she ever received is “don’t become too specialized and too niche early on”. The variety of work, laws and regulations one comes across as a Legal Officer position at a Tech firm is part of what attracted her so much to the role.
2. Non-hierarchical, open culture
She truly feels like she can talk to anyone on the team, whether they are top directors and senior counsel members or not.
3. Informal attire
As Annabel herself can confirm from her experience at Exponea, one need not be suited and booted to be taken seriously! Comfortable jeans and a T-Shirt will do just fine.
4. Flexible working schedules
Elizabete truly values the flexible approach eBay takes to working hours. Working from home was a thing, even before Corona, which meant that the transition to entire teams working from home was very smooth.
5. No billable hour targets
The focus is on high quality deliverables rather than the total billable hours reached. The mindset is clearly different to that of a heavily client focused law firm.
So, what can students do to find out more about the legal opportunities within companies? Elizabete recommends:
- Leveraging Linkedin – rather than sending out random invitations to anyone in the legal industry, try to target those in roles you would be interested in and actively ask for concrete advice and insights into their jobs.
- The Bucerius Summer Program in Legal Technology and Operations to understand what legal technology is and why it matters.
- Most of all, to stay “truly open-minded, agile and flexible”.
Listen to the full episode with Elizabete here!
The Wired Wig explains helps to plug in Digital and Technology Law into businesses. It explains technology concepts and informs business leaders and students how the Law could respond to innovation.
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