Category: Latest Post

The London Legal Walk 2020 comes to Windsor!

Posted on by Ilinca Mardarescu

The London Legal Walk is a yearly event we at Aston Bond love to get involved in.  But sadly it was postponed this year.  However, a virtual walk will be taking place instead on 5th October!  By virtual we mean that sadly we will not all be walking together with the thousands of other lawyers and law firms who usually take part.  But we will still be getting those steps in!  This year, we will be walking more locally, along the Long Walk in Windsor.

Now, more than ever, the money raised is crucial. Basic legal advice to those that need it most, in areas such as homelessness, debt and fighting exploitation and abuse, should be available to all.  The charities that are supported each year by the London Legal Walk do a fantastic job and we were determined to do what we can to raise awareness and much need funds.

If you would like to sponsor us, please do so by following this link.

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AstonBond20

 

 

 

How to Become a Lawyer

Posted on by Andrew Sargood

How to Become a Lawyer

After the careers fair Aston Bond attended it became clear to us that many students wanted to know how to become a lawyer and the different ways of doing so. There are many different routes you can take to become a solicitor/barrister and we outline below the most popular ones.

Choosing Your GCSE’s/A-Levels:

Firstly, when picking GCSEs it is best to go with something that you enjoy the most and are great at. This will ensure that you get the best grades to allow you to take your A-Level qualifications. If you know you definitely want to get into to Law, there are a couple ‘preferred’ subjects to take in A-Level (although it is not mandatory). English is a key subject; it will be a huge part of working within Law. History is also a subject which is often suggested, as the learning process of past events is similar to how you study the history of Law. And of course you can take an A-Level in Law, although if you are planning on doing a degree in Law this is not necessarily recommended.  A-level Law would be more beneficial to those who intend on taking a degree in another subject except law (as further detailed below).

University: Law Degree:

The most common route to becoming a lawyer/barrister is to do a degree in Law at university. A degree in Law takes 3 years to complete. Once your 3 years have finished there are 2 different options, both a year long, depending on if you want to become a Lawyer or a Barrister. A Legal Practice Course (LPC) is what you study if you want to become a Lawyer. The other option is a Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) which will help you to become a barrister. Once you have finished either of these year-long courses you will have your degree and are ready to find a training contract (or pupillage if you are intending on becoming a barrister). This can be quite difficult at it is a very competitive industry.  Something which will really help you secure one of these positions is work experience, and as much of it as you can get.   A summer internship for a law firm would also be worthwhile considering.  A Training contract is a 2 year long process in which you will experience all different types of Law to help you decide which area you want to specialise in. Here you will gain hands-on experience but you will work directly under a supervisor who will teach you and check your work. When these 2 years are up (and upon completion of a short exam which you take whilst still undertaking your training contract) you will be a qualified solicitor/barrister.

University: Conversion Course

Surprisingly, you don’t have to study Law at university to get into the industry.  Although it is the more direct route there is a different option if you are looking to attend University but have other interests. It is possible to undertake a degree in anything you like, but at the end of it you take a year-long ‘Conversion’ course in Law before going forward with your LPC or BPTC.  The process is the same from here onwards and in total it takes an extra year compared to the direct law degree route. The benefit of choosing to do this is that you will end up with affectively 2 degrees rather than just one. Also, if you know the type of Law you want to get into you can study an area which would be beneficial for that type of law.  For example if you were to study Human Rights this would relate to Public Law, the same way in which studying Business would help with getting into Corporate Law.  Indeed, a degree in another subject is often highly regarded and those with a scientific or technical background find that they would do well to study these subject and then ultimately could become a more specialised solicitor in that field.

Apprenticeships:

As of 2016, the government have introduced brand new apprenticeship schemes in Law. This is an entirely new and different route into the world of Law. With hands-on experience from the get go this would be beneficial for someone that is better at learning in a working environment and wants to earn a wage at the same time. To become an apprentice you must have the following qualifications: 5 GCSEs, including Mathematics & English – Grade C or above (or equivalent) and also 3 A levels (or equivalent) – minimum grade C. The apprenticeship route takes 5 to 6 years. This may be reduced if exemptions from training are applicable.  However, as apprenticeships are fairly new and the number of firms offering this is currently low, competition is likely to be high.

There are a few other ways to become a lawyer but these are the most popular choices. There are many different options for all different types of people but one thing we would suggest is gaining as much work experience as possible. This shows that you have a keen interest and enthusiasm within the industry and will help gain placements into university and the workplace.

If you would like to gain some work experience at Aston Bond, email your CV and Cover Letter stating dates of interest to feedback@astonbond.co.uk and we will get in touch with successful candidates.  We are currently accepting applications for work experience for Autumn 2017 onwards.

The Best Christmas Advert Of 2016 – Watch and Vote

Posted on by Andrew Sargood

Watch the best Christmas adverts right here and vote for your favourite below…

Solicitors are not famed for their heart-warming Christmas adverts, but here at Aston Bond, we love everything Christmas! John Lewis has always been known for having the best Christmas advert each year, but this time round there are a lot of worthy competitors battling for the title. From Buster The Boxer, to Kevin The Carrot and Mrs. Claus all making an appearance on our screens, we want you to vote on which you think is the best Christmas advert of 2016.

We will be getting into the festive spirit with our very own Christmas events coming soon, so keep an eye out for more information!

If you haven’t seen them already (or just fancy watching them again) check out the adverts below the poll, and feel free to let us know what you think in the comment section.

[interaction id=”5834693a67075ce64999b76d”]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr6lr_VRsEo

  • Aldi: Kevin The Carrot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCZrWFrRgbQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtKYdG9r0Pk

Leave a comment below…

My Work Experience – By Nansi Hidrej

Posted on by Susan Clements

Phenomenal and invaluable were just two of the many words I could use to describe my weeks worth of work experience at Aston Bond. From Monday the 20th to Friday the 25th of June I was given the opportunity to live the daily working life of a solicitor, as I was invited to meetings with staff and clients on a variety of different topics ranging from wills and probate, employment and immigration, giving me a real insight to the daily dealings of a qualified or trainee lawyer.

The partners of the law firm were extremely accommodating to adapt to my needs as being registered blind I required an assistant to aide me with reading files and making my cups of tea and other mobility requirements. Staff were extremely understanding and willing to adapt the work in order to make it more accessible to me, such as putting the work on to a memory stick so that I could access it on my equipment. Staff also treated me like a fellow employee which was great.

I was introduced to all the staff at the office who greeted and welcomed me warmly. I was taken around the office and shown where all the different rooms were such as the kitchen, my desk and everything else. I was given my own desk which was brilliant. I was given several files and a variety of cases to read through and was asked to report back to one of the solicitors who told me that I was on the right track and had picked up the correct and necessary information, which being 16 and on my first ever work experience placement hugely boosted my confidence, as I was aware that what I was doing was right.

Thank you for an amazing and unforgettable experience. I wish I could stay for longer and I highly recommend Aston Bond to anyone looking for work experience in the law industry!

Employment Law & Brexit- What would it mean?

Posted on by Ilinca Mardarescu

Of course it’s extremely difficult for anyone to speculate on the consequences of Brexit, seeing as it is a unique position we find ourselves in, and there are much more qualified and appropriate people who can do this better than I.  However, speculate we must if we are to make an informed decision on 23rd June 2016.

Those advocating a Brexit would argue that employment law amongst most others is heavily influenced by the EU.  And this is of course correct. They would cite that EU laws are intrusive and the “red tape” that businesses have to deal with stifle enterprise. But I am not convinced this is so.  If we did leave the EU, would the government really repeal all the employment protections that we are now accustomed to?

If the Brexit campaign win on 23rd June there will be a period of two years (minimum) in which we will prepare for the exit – it will not be an automatic closing of our doors. This period will inevitably be a somewhat unstable time for the country going through a period of great change. The government will not want to do anything to “rock the boat”.  Creating stability will be their main concern.

Furthermore, although numerous laws are indeed based on the EU directives, each country then implements domestic legislation which gives effect to the EU directives.  And in many cases, the UK government have chosen to not only implement the EU directives but to extend them.  For instance, the EU has stipulated that employees should be allowed a minimum of 20 days annual leave per year – but the UK government have extended this to 28 days in the UK. Similarly, with maternity leave or the right to request flexible working, the UK exceeds the minimum requirements set down by the EU.

It is also unlikely any of the discrimination legislation would be repealed. Firstly because the majority of people would now agree that doing so would be taking a real step backwards, but also relevant is the fact that the UK implemented various discrimination laws well before the EU ever did.

How about the family friendly employment laws we enjoy in the UK? The recent shared parental leave and pay legislation is purely a UK one – nothing to do with the EU. And as detailed above, we have gone so far as to extend the legislation in some areas more than in the EU.  It is highly unlikely anything substantial will change in this arena either then.

There will of course be some amendments.  It is anticipated that one of those that will be the first to fall by the wayside is the CRD IV which limits bankers variable pay (bonuses) throughout Europe. Our government may well decide that the one thing our economy will need is to be able to stay as competitive as possible. It is also likely that the agency workers regulations (which a stipulates that any agency workers who have been in the same position for 12 weeks or more should be treated equally to the equivalent full time employees) will be scrapped. Some of the record keeping requirements in the Working Time Directive are likely to be scrapped as would the need to follow the recent decisions regarding holiday pay being able to be carried over when an employee is off on long-term sick or including commission calculations into holiday pay for employee who work in sale-based roles.

The above would hardly be ground-breaking amendments in the grand scheme of things, but will matter a great deal to many individuals.  However, the biggest impact will ultimately be the question of immigration, or free movement of workers.  If, as many commentators believe, we adopt a Norway-style model, it is unlikely we will in fact be able to restrict this free movement of workers.

Whatever the decision, the employment landscape will certainly shift. But whether it is by as much as people believe it will…we will have to wait and see.

Follow Ilinca on her LinkedIn

Leave a comment below…

Aston Bond – The London Legal Walk Team 2016

Posted on by Susan Clements

On 16th May 2016, Aston Bond participated in The London Legal Walk to raise money and awareness for people that volunteer to help people obtain legal advice and representation when they otherwise would not be able to.

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There were as many at 618 teams walking the 10km walk. Luckily for us, the day was dry and super sunny. We walked along Southbank through Hyde Park, walked past Buckingham Palace (her Majesty the Queen was not in that day unfortunately) and through Charing Cross. The walk didn’t even seem that long due to the lovely weather. We also stopped at The Serpentine Café for a cheeky ice cream and a drink – it’s always traditional in England to have an ice cream when the sun is out.

Continue reading “Aston Bond – The London Legal Walk Team 2016”

Law Degree- Is it what you think it is?

Posted on by Susan Clements

It’s no surprise that students are shying away from going to university.  They are fully aware that they will be in debt, sometimes to the tune of six-figures for  a large part of their lives afterwards. Having a law degree on your CV may sound prestigious and professional, but what do these law students have to go through to get their degree? And are they guaranteed a job after university? Students have heard of aspiring  lawyers’ being jobless and in debt which has stopped students from applying. Even after completion of the degree, there is still a requirement to attend a higher education college in order to undertake a full year of further, vocational training to become either a solicitor or a barrister.

Students that study Law at A-Level may find the topic interesting but may sometimes not quite appreciate the commitment and change from A-Levels to a University degree. First year university students may often think that they are going to be partying most of the time and the independency of living without parents sounds very tempting but that is a far cry from the reality of how much work is actually required.  Furthermore, the top law firms in the UK do look at which university the student has graduated from. Below is a list of ‘The Top 10 Universities 2017’ in the country to study law along with what A-Level grades you need to be accepted:

10. University of Nottingham- A*AA + LNA

9. University of Bristol- AAA/A*B + LNAT

8. University of Edinburgh- AAA/AAB

7. Durham University- A*AA + LNAT

6. University of Glasgow- AAA/BBB

5. King’s College London- A*AA

4. London Scholl of Economics and Political Science- A*AA

3. University College London-A*AA + LNAT

2. University of Oxford- AAA

1. University of Cambridge- A*AA

 

How does a Law Degree work?

Students across the country are currently trying their hardest to get the best grades at A-Level.  Their next steps will be decide which law degree to study.  The standard law degree takes three years to complete. Within those three years, you’ll have to do one year of core subjects which are mandatory, then your last two years of the different types of law you choose to study from a number of electives. Want to go abroad? Well you can. You can study foreign law which will take place in your last year at university in the country of your choice, but then you will have to come back for the fourth year and finish your studies in the UK.

After a law degree, to become a solicitor, students will have to undertake the Legal Practice Course and land a training contract (which in itself is no mean feat).  Student’s then face the problem of finding a training contract – in a time where law firms have been reducing the number of training contracts (or pupillages in barrister’s chambers) with some law firms even cancelling their next trainee intake altogether.  A training contract lasts for two years and is effectively “on-the-job” training at firms authorised to undertake such training.  The trainees will have to rotate within the firm and learn about the differing areas of law before they qualify as a fully fledged solicitor.

Students’ opinions:

Law students have been using an anonymous messaging service called ‘Whisper’ to discuss what it is like to be a law student. Here are some of the quotes:

‘Giving to law school is the worse decision I have ever made. I’m miserable, have soul crushing debt and no job aspects.’

‘I thought law school would get me a good job, not put me so deep in debt, I couldn’t afford to eat.’

‘People think I’m selfish for not wanting children, but considering the loans I’ll need to take to get through law school and how bleak the future looks, it makes sense not to have kids.’

Useful tips before starting your law degree:

It is important for students to prepare themselves before starting their law degree, you need to be aware of the amount of commitment and time you will be dedicating to the degree. Here is what to expect when studying and some useful tips:

  • There is a lot of reading
  • Commit to lectures + 26 hours of studying
  • Need to be well organised, work smart and work hard- the more organised you are, the easier it will be to study.
  • Everyone will try to pawn for legal advice from you
  • Intense: you will end up competing with your law friends and other students for the best grade & for the training contracts available!
  • Books will cost you – try and save as much money as you can
  • Students often aren’t fully prepared for the big difference between A-Levels and University – ask yourself are you fully committed to the degree and if not do something that you have and will have the passion and commitment for.

Even though it may seem tough, don’t be put off. Having a law degree and becoming a lawyer can be rewarding and satisfying. You also have job security once qualified. Determination and passion is also key for success. Like any other degree if you work hard, you’ll get what you want in life. Just make sure you prepare yourself.

The London Legal Walk 2016

Posted on by Susan Clements

It’s always fun to get involved in a physical activity for charity to raise money and awareness. On the 16th May 2016, Aston Bond will be participating the walk with 595 other teams involved. We are always helping the community whether it is a holiday celebration or to help raise awareness and money.

Why London Legal Walk?

London Legal Walk is a 10km walk around Central London that will help raise money towards Legal Aid. London Legal Support Trust helps Advice Agencies and Citizens Advice Bureaux (Legal Aid) that help people receive the legal advice they need that will make a huge difference to people’s lives, reducing debt, poverty, homelessness and combating discrimination and injustice.

The money will go towards law centres and legal advice agencies in London and in the South East by providing them with grant funding alongside other forms of support. It makes a huge difference when people feel at comfort when they receive legal advice and the justice that they need.

Aston Bond is always fun activities for charities and help raise money and if that means we are doing it that means you to! You can find the link on the bottom where you can join in on the fun and help sponsor.

http://www.londonlegalsupporttrust.org.uk/our-events/london-legal-walk-2016/

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/AstonBond2016