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How many PFOs have you got from solicitors firms?

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13567…10

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    #62
    johnfás
    Registered Users Posts: 1,340 ✭✭✭johnfás


    Johnny Utah wrote: »

    Best of luck with the interview John.

    (Any idea how you secured that interview? - not having any luck myself)

    Pure, unadulterated luck I would imagine. I got good marks in college and talked myself up on the application forms in terms of personal experience and that but then again I did that on the forms to all the big firms. I knew a partner in one of the big firms and whilst getting in touch with the partner i did not get an interview in that firm. Just goes to show that contacts will only make so much difference. I have no contacts whatsoever in the firm where I did get an interview.

    As I said before I think all you can do is make the best of your qualifications and experience, professional and personal, and then just hope for the best. I would guess they barely read half the forms in the big firms.

    Thanks for the good wishes, I am fairly petrified by the prospects of it! I hope you secure something somewhere... it is all rather demoralising really at the moment. I am lucky to have the single interview that I do have but I don't hold out a huge amount of hope.


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    #63
    johnnysmurfman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 406 ✭✭johnnysmurfman


    I know a fully qualified solicitor with 1 year's PQE who recently was let go due to the drop in business at the firm he was employed with. He's a very clever guy and was very good at his job. He applied for many jobs and had no luck. He was so desperate for work that a few month's ago he applied for a job as a legal executive...........and didn't get it.


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    #64
    Amazotheamazing
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,048 ✭✭✭Amazotheamazing


    johnnysmurfman wrote: »
    I know a fully qualified solicitor with 1 year's PQE who recently was let go due to the drop in business at the firm he was employed with. He's a very clever guy and was very good at his job. He applied for many jobs and had no luck. He was so desperate for work that a few month's ago he applied for a job as a legal executive...........and didn't get it.

    He's not the only one, quite a few in my town in the same boat, I expect I'll be in that boat soon enough too.

    Will be interesting to see where we end up, glad I don't have kids and a mortgage to worry about!


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    #65
    Jo King
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,139 ✭✭✭Jo King


    johnnysmurfman wrote: »
    I know a fully qualified solicitor with 1 year's PQE who recently was let go due to the drop in business at the firm he was employed with. He's a very clever guy and was very good at his job. He applied for many jobs and had no luck. He was so desperate for work that a few month's ago he applied for a job as a legal executive...........and didn't get it.

    Why the surprise? Nobody would employ a qualified solicitor as a legal exec. He would poach the firm's clients into a practise of his own in short order!


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    #66
    Amazotheamazing
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,048 ✭✭✭Amazotheamazing


    Jo King wrote: »
    Why the surprise? Nobody would employ a qualified solicitor as a legal exec. He would poach the firm's clients into a practise of his own in short order!

    Were it that easy to poach clients, or set up a practice, he wouldn't need to apply for a job as a legal exec.


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    #67
    nuac
    Registered Users Posts: 6,769 ✭✭✭nuac


    Jo King, how would employing a solicitor as a legal executive make it more likely that he would poach the firms clients?. Isn't that always a risk for the employer when employing a solicitor of any experience?


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    #68
    Jo King
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,139 ✭✭✭Jo King


    nuac wrote: »
    Jo King, how would employing a solicitor as a legal executive make it more likely that he would poach the firms clients?. Isn't that always a risk for the employer when employing a solicitor of any experience?

    having worked as a solicitor he is clearly going to want to return to that role rather than remaining as a legal exec. If he was employed as a solicitor he owuld have aspirations to climb the ladder within the firm. It is always a worry for any firm that employees will leave taking business with them. That is why it has to be made attractive for skilled employees to remain.


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    #69
    maidhc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,609 ✭✭✭maidhc


    Jo King wrote: »
    Why the surprise? Nobody would employ a qualified solicitor as a legal exec. He would poach the firm's clients into a practise of his own in short order!

    Not only that. He won't be happy with it and will get out at the first availabe opportunity, and you can't run an office with too many chiefs and not enough indians!


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    #70
    Amazotheamazing
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,048 ✭✭✭Amazotheamazing


    maidhc wrote: »
    Not only that. He won't be happy with it and will get out at the first availabe opportunity, and you can't run an office with too many chiefs and not enough indians!

    I would think that's a more realisitic problem. A solicitor will only stay as a legal executive until something better comes along, not necessarily to poach clients.


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    #71
    Player_86
    Registered Users Posts: 122 ✭✭Player_86


    Would really appreciate some advice here...

    I have an offer from Cox and also from McCanns from the Summer Internship. I really, really liked the people in McCanns, and genuinely think it's an excellent firm.

    So, is that an easy decision for me? Or would people be inclined to accept Cox based upon its reputation as, arguably, Ireland's top firm?

    Thanks.


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    #72
    Jo King
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,139 ✭✭✭Jo King


    Amazotheamazing wrote: »
    Were it that easy to poach clients, or set up a practice, he wouldn't need to apply for a job as a legal exec.

    It is not easy but it is far more achievable when working in a firm.
    There is a story going around about solicitors in a big Dublin firm. They were summoned to a meeting. After half an hour they were told that their services were no longer required and they were given cheques in lieu of notice. When they left the room they were escorted by security out of the building and were not allowed back to their desks. They were handed their personal possessions at the door! The obvious reason for this is to minimise the possibility that clients would follow them to another firm. All clients were immediately contacted and told " X is no longer with the firm. I will be looking after you from now on".


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    #73
    hada
    Registered Users Posts: 699 ✭✭✭hada


    Player_86 wrote: »
    Would really appreciate some advice here...

    I have an offer from Cox and also from McCanns from the Summer Internship. I really, really liked the people in McCanns, and genuinely think it's an excellent firm.

    So, is that an easy decision for me? Or would people be inclined to accept Cox based upon its reputation as, arguably, Ireland's top firm?

    Thanks.

    You're asking people on a message board to decide one what law firm you should sign a training contract with???! Sounds to me as if you're not even ready to sign a contract.

    Regardless, I'm going to side step that issue and going to deal with this as if you asked which firm is better (by now you should realise each firm is nuanced from one another in the smallest but most important of ways, some more than others, therefore they may suit different people).

    Both firms are fantastic. Both firms are top of their respective game. One of those firms pays €5,000 more in the training contract. Should that even be an issue??

    Cox are definitely have a rep for working their trainees quite hard, but in saying that, who doesn't nowadays? But in saying that McCann are very very dublin biased which to be honest, may not suit some people (i.e. people who didn't go to TCD or UCD).

    In summary, decide yourself because both firms are equally as good, it however is wholly dependent on your preference.


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    #74
    hada
    Registered Users Posts: 699 ✭✭✭hada


    Jo King wrote: »
    It is not easy but it is far more achievable when working in a firm.
    There is a story going around about solicitors in a big Dublin firm. They were summoned to a meeting. After half an hour they were told that their services were no longer required and they were given cheques in lieu of notice. When they left the room they were escorted by security out of the building and were not allowed back to their desks. They were handed their personal possessions at the door! The obvious reason for this is to minimise the possibility that clients would follow them to another firm. All clients were immediately contacted and told " X is no longer with the firm. I will be looking after you from now on".

    I know this isn't exactly the same, but it is along the same lines.

    A few friends of mine work with another Dublin based firm. Anyway they were all called in after their respective training contracts had been completed, and told to go to the head of HR's office. They were brought in individually, told that they were no longer needed, that they were to leave from the side door so that they wouldn't go back into the room and tell the waiting solicitors that they too were going to get the cut in a few mins! Their office stuff was then sent out to them in the post a few days later!


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    #75
    Amazotheamazing
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,048 ✭✭✭Amazotheamazing


    hada wrote: »
    I know this isn't exactly the same, but it is along the same lines.

    A few friends of mine work with another Dublin based firm. Anyway they were all called in after their respective training contracts had been completed, and told to go to the head of HR's office. They were brought in individually, told that they were no longer needed, that they were to leave from the side door so that they wouldn't go back into the room and tell the waiting solicitors that they too were going to get the cut in a few mins! Their office stuff was then sent out to them in the post a few days later!

    Surely both those stories are made up?


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    #76
    Sangre
    Registered Users Posts: 12,154 ✭✭✭✭Sangre


    Either that or very, very exagerrated.

    What kind of firm would shoot itself in the foot by giving itself such a terrible reputation on employee treatment.
    You're asking people on a message board to decide one what law firm you should sign a training contract with???! Sounds to me as if you're not even ready to sign a contract.

    Or maybe he is just looking for a little help. You do really think his sole decision will be based on what we say?

    Its pretty daunting trying to choose a firm. Everyone trying to give the best impression, treating you brilliantly, bringing to fancy receptions and lunches. All you can do is ask questions of anyone you think might help you decide. In the end though, with a young person, with no extensive previous legal experience, a lot of his decision will be based on gut/guess work.


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    #77
    maidhc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,609 ✭✭✭maidhc


    Sangre wrote: »
    Either that or very, very exagerrated.


    I have heard of worse tbh.


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    #78
    besty
    Registered Users Posts: 4,010 ✭✭✭besty


    hada wrote: »
    A few friends of mine work with another Dublin based firm. Anyway they were all called in after their respective training contracts had been completed, and told to go to the head of HR's office. They were brought in individually, told that they were no longer needed, that they were to leave from the side door so that they wouldn't go back into the room and tell the waiting solicitors that they too were going to get the cut in a few mins! Their office stuff was then sent out to them in the post a few days later!

    I would be utterly flabbergasted if that is actually true.


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    #79
    TheDemiurge
    Closed Accounts Posts: 161 ✭✭TheDemiurge


    There's absolutely no reason why those stories shouldn't be believed. The poster in question is very pro and optimistic re law practice from most of his earlier posts so there's no reason not to believe him.

    With regard to poaching clients - that may have been a possibility a few years ago, but not now. Insurance premiums have soared to an intolerable and unworkable level so I doubt if many solicitors will be tempted to set up firms in the forseeable future. Also - and this is from the horses mouth - the banks see solicitors practices as being bad credit risks at the moment. Overdrafts are being called in, etc. With conveyancing completely gone, it simply takes far too long to get paid in other lines of work. That's what makes law the worst of the so-called "professions"; the intolerable wait for payment.

    The Law Society in conjunction with Friends First offer a facility whereby your practising cert and PI insurance can be cashflowed over twelve months. The forms were sent out as usual this year but tons of solicitors have been refused the credit under the Law Society's own scheme!


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    #80
    Jo King
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,139 ✭✭✭Jo King


    TheDemiurge wrote: »

    With regard to poaching clients - that may have been a possibility a few years ago, but not now. Insurance premiums have soared to an intolerable and unworkable level so I doubt if many solicitors will be tempted to set up firms in the forseeable future.

    Another version of poaching is that solicitors working in a firm who believe their position is under threat approach other firms for a job and purport to be able to bring clients with them.


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    #81
    Abstar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 48 ✭Abstar


    Anyone apply to MHC for their summer intern thing in the end? Completely forgot about them until this morning and unfortunately closing date was January 1st. Whoops!!


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    #82
    Irishlawgirl
    Registered Users Posts: 104 ✭✭Irishlawgirl


    I'm guessing pretty much the top 10--15 firms are all gone now. With regard to the remaining couple of hundred law firms left - when does everyone think it would be best to start applying? This is my third year in a row applying and I can't make head nor tale of any formula for sending out CV's as a lot is based on luck and timing.

    Does anyone think there is still a chance of getting into Blackhall 2009? I'd given up on the thought of it however as i'm now withered from my job (paralegal in a top 5) and it's very tough going with no hope of an app'ship - i'm thinking I better get my foot off the peddal and try get into b'hall for 2009.


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    #83
    bills
    Registered Users Posts: 952 ✭✭✭bills


    Irishlawgirl wrote: »
    I'm guessing pretty much the top 10--15 firms are all gone now. With regard to the remaining couple of hundred law firms left - when does everyone think it would be best to start applying? This is my third year in a row applying and I can't make head nor tale of any formula for sending out CV's as a lot is based on luck and timing.

    Does anyone think there is still a chance of getting into Blackhall 2009? I'd given up on the thought of it however as i'm now withered from my job (paralegal in a top 5) and it's very tough going with no hope of an app'ship - i'm thinking I better get my foot off the peddal and try get into b'hall for 2009.

    Dont think it will make much difference when you apply but I would start sooner rather than later. I know how heartbreaking it is. I would say you would be very lucky to get a place for 2009 but good luck with it!


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    #84
    Irishlawgirl
    Registered Users Posts: 104 ✭✭Irishlawgirl


    Bills - I think you're right with the sooner than later advice. But i'm as motivated as a snail right now was i'm not happy being back at work (I know some people don't even have jobs to come back to so I shouldn't complain) but after a good degree, all the fe1's, further study and working a very good job - the fact that i'm literally relying on LUCK is headwrecking! I know I should be grateful that i'm in gainful employment but when I see others having it so easy - can not imagine how smooth sailing it must be to have an a'ship sorted whilst still in college - oh to be a 1:1 student!!

    Perhaps what to do now is: be more grateful, do something on my to do list for today!! And make a list of all the firms that i'm going SPAM!!


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    #85
    partyguinness
    Registered Users Posts: 8,207 ✭✭✭partyguinness


    I dont think there is any special formula.

    If the firm wants an apprentice and your CV stands is sitting there then good luck. I got my apprenticeship 7 yrs ago when they were actually advertised in the Irish Times and a firm struggled to get someone. Wldnt fancy it now as it seems all newly qualified sols are being let go.

    Why not send it in on pink paper with stripes to get it noticed:)


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    #86
    Irishlawgirl
    Registered Users Posts: 104 ✭✭Irishlawgirl


    partyguinness wrote: »

    Why not send it in on pink paper with stripes to get it noticed:)

    ha!! I actually sent mine out to the big firms with the headings in purple!! Or blue!! Can't remember!!


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    #87
    Jev/N
    Registered Users Posts: 3,456 ✭✭✭Jev/N


    Just decided to set up this thread seen as the mods over at Askaboutmoney don't want to allow us to set up a thread which has been very helpful to a good many people

    Interviews and reception evenings are this week for most firms AFAIK, anyone that has any info or advice please post. There's some good info on the ODSE interview thread for anyone that wants to have a look...


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    #88
    June2008
    Closed Accounts Posts: 61 ✭✭June2008


    Irishlawgirl wrote: »
    Bills - I think you're right with the sooner than later advice. But i'm as motivated as a snail right now was i'm not happy being back at work (I know some people don't even have jobs to come back to so I shouldn't complain) but after a good degree, all the fe1's, further study and working a very good job - the fact that i'm literally relying on LUCK is headwrecking! I know I should be grateful that i'm in gainful employment but when I see others having it so easy - can not imagine how smooth sailing it must be to have an a'ship sorted whilst still in college - oh to be a 1:1 student!!

    Perhaps what to do now is: be more grateful, do something on my to do list for today!! And make a list of all the firms that i'm going SPAM!!


    have you gotten called for interviews before? if so then your CV and application obviously are up to standard so your interview technique must be letting you down. I got a apprenticeship in a top 5 five i interned in even though i only have a 2.1 and was picked over one of the other interns who had a 1.1, the MP said it was because they could see themselves getting along with me better. My advice would be that you obviously are up to standard but maybe relax about wanting an apprenticeship so badly and youll come across relaxed and more approachable in interviews. If the interviewers see you as hassled or severe they may decide you're not someone they want to work with. so relax and just have a laugh with them, treat it as an informal chat as difficult as it may sound!


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    #89
    johnnyskeleton
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 14,502 Mod ✭✭✭✭johnnyskeleton


    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055434330


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    #90
    legal eagle 1
    Registered Users Posts: 483 ✭✭legal eagle 1


    hey, i was just on the other site and saw that the lastest attempt to reopen our thread was also closed down. so i am extremely happy to see this thread open here!! can i just ask has anyone heard anything from Bcm????


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    #91
    legal eagle 1
    Registered Users Posts: 483 ✭✭legal eagle 1


    hey guys, as regards entry to Blackhall place for 2009 i personally am still holding on to a little bit of hope, as the number of places booked by the top law firms has even reduced this year meaning that there will be places left for us ppl still lookin!! well im hoping thats the case anyway!
    has anyone heard anything from BCM? I have heard of someone getting called for a second round interview b4 xmas !!


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