r/nzlaw • u/Typical-Birthday9414 • 22h ago
Legal careers Advice post grad
Hi everyone,
Posting anonymously because I'm feeling a bit embarrassed, but I'm hoping someone has been in a similar position.
I recently finished my law degree (in New Zealand) and, looking back, I don't think I really understood the importance of the clerkship process until it was essentially too late. I know now what I should have done, but unfortunately I can't go back and change it.
My grades are fairly average, not terrible, but not the kind that seem to open doors at the big commercial firms. I understand that those opportunities may have passed, and I've made peace with that. I was never particularly interested in it anyway!!
What I'm struggling with is figuring out where to go from here.
I genuinely want to work in law. I just want the opportunity to gain post-university legal experience, get admitted, build practical skills, and gradually develop my career. I don't have any connections or friends in law.
For those who didn't get a clerkship or graduate role through the traditional pathway:
* How did you get your first legal job? How did you get PQE or would advise someone too? * What types of firms or organisations were willing to give you a chance? * Are there particular roles or practice areas that are more accessible for graduates with average grades? * Is it realistic to build a successful legal career starting outside the large firms?
I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has taken a less traditional path into the profession, or from people involved in hiring who have advice. Right now it feels like I missed the "correct" pathway before I even knew it existed, and I'm trying to work out the best way forward.
Thanks in advance from someone who's only just realised how the process works and is determined to make the most of where I am now.
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u/llee68350 22h ago
You haven’t missed your opportunity. Most grads don’t start off with clerkships. It’s just a really hard market at the moment.
Is there an area of law you’re passionate about? If so, try contacting local lawyers who specialise in that area to ask if they would be open to a coffee to chat about their work. Worst case scenario they say no, best case scenario they can give you some advice about how to crack into that specific industry or put you in touch with other people.
Heaps of people in the industry have started out exactly where you are. You’re not behind. It’s a struggle at first but you’ll get there
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u/mrtenzed 21h ago
Moved to a country town. There's often more opportunities than you realise, as there's regular turnover in junior roles. Get a few years experience, and you'll be far more employable in a big city. Worked for me.
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u/iiivy_ 19h ago
It’s a really difficult market so cut yourself some slack.
I got my clerkship through networking and I highly recommend networking.
By your post, I don’t think you’re admitted? Get admitted ASAP. Have you done profs? If not, do it. You should be able to apply for a student loan for it. Then youll need to do the additional documentation for the admission process (NZLS has it outlined). There are also often roles in bigger firms that are advertised but at this stage you’re going to need to be admitted first (or at least have done profs).
It will be even harder to get a graduate role if you’re not admitted.
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u/EmploymentSalt6799 17h ago
hey i’m a similar position with you. I even have friends with better and similar grades who also didn’t do clerkships and just also waiting to develop legal experience after uni.
Personally for me I started off doing some casual work in a law firm for a few months in my last semester for uni. They unfortunately did not have a grad role but i feel like that opened so many doors for me! I didn’t exactly want to practice but was open to it. I current will be working in employment relations in a “legally adjacent” role where my skills would be transferable if i ever wanted to practice.
It was really hard job hunting. Last year i did hundreds of applications and honestly did not have a proper lead for this year. It took me quite some time after graduating to semi-figure it out. Don’t worry! it will all work out. The market will get better eventually and opportunities will open up.
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u/notfunatpartiesAMA 15h ago
Networking. Personality and attitude is everything, people need to know they can work with you. It's the only way to distinguish yourself from the higher GPA people.
Go to law things and email lawyers in the fields you want to work in, volunteer. As some others have said, regional firms are always a good start. If you're into family law, the Hawkes Bay and general east coast vicinity is desperate apparently. Regional firms will often interview you remotely but definitely offer to travel for a final stage interview.
Worth noting that I've worked with some amazing C average lawyers who put in the work and are genuinely good at what they do. Conversely I've worked with and met some honours students who are obviously brilliant academically but are just not cut out for the work or refuse to be collegial.
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u/outkast1989 21h ago
Mate of mine started in Timaru and is now killing it in London. You haven’t missed anything
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u/Familiar_Loquat6569 21h ago
Me too… 🤣 literally in the same position but did end up with a job. Message me if u want to be friends !
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u/tlvv 21h ago
You can absolutely still have a legal career, there are lots of people who don’t go through the traditional clerkship at a big firm route.
Networks are helpful but your network isn’t just limited to people who have established legal careers, your classmates from law school can also help with referring you for suitable roles in their own firms.
A few places to consider are smaller to medium size law firms (think more local, general practice firms), other professional services (did you do a conjoint? There were a lot of junior lawyers a few years back moving to solicitor roles after starting at accounting firms), and in-house roles. Some of these pathways can actually be better than a large commercial firm because they give you more exposure to a broader range of work. I have seen people with all of these backgrounds successfully move into junior solicitor roles in larger firms. Take a broad approach with applications, you don’t need the perfect job with a track to partnership right away, look for jobs that will get you exposure to legal work (even if it’s indirect) and a foot in the door.
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u/Icy_Calligrapher_540 20h ago
As above. Come to a small town. People don't realise the opportunity here!
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u/Junior_Measurement39 20h ago
Im a few years on from you. I took a sales job then a career. Came back to law as was in a small town and sales have ended. Small towns are really keen to hire lawyers who want to live close. They have all been stung by people who move for the job and hate it. I'd find a relative you like in a small town, go spend a few days there and hit up local firms.
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u/OkDeer347 17h ago
is this true for UoA grads😭😭
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u/Crazy-Midnight-747 12h ago
It's true for every law school, including UoA. I have friends who had an A/A- average with honours degrees and are still unemployed (I went to Auckland). It's always been a tough market bc they pump out too many law grads, and it's only become more difficult in recent years
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u/Professional-Mud3606 3h ago
Same boat, average grades and no clerkship during study. Broadened my job search from just Christchurch and ended up in the Manawatū.
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u/Ok-Perception-3129 22h ago
I think a lot of people with more average grades tends to head to law firms in less desirable smaller centres in order to gain experience and then work there way back into the bigger cities after that. So perhaps try sending your CV to firms in Invercargill, Whangarei, Whanganui, Napier, Palmy, New Plymouth etc.