A lot of things are up in the air, and with a potential second wave of Covid-19 this winter, it’s becoming harder and harder to make plans for vacation schemes and work experience. Since we can’t be sure what courses and schemes will be going ahead this year, why not consider applying to some of these online courses and programmes, to give you an insight into TechLaw. These are all experiences that I have completed myself, so I feel confident in recommending them to others.
1- Inside Sherpa
This platform has been a popular choice for law students throughout the lockdown and pandemic. They offer tailored courses, with some of the leading law firms in the UK and abroad. Many of the universities in the UK have partnered with Inside Sherpa to deliver courses, and they can be a great opportunity to get on the radar of a lot of top firms, including Linklaters, Baker McKenzie, and Pinsent Masons, to name a few.
2- Law Without Walls
LWOW is team based programme, where students from different universities across the world work together to ideate and problem solve a legal issue. In all LWOW offerings, teams of law and business professionals and students from over 20 countries around the world work together virtually and/or in person to create viable solutions to real problems related to the business of law and/or social justice. LWOW has a lot of experience delivering virtual sessions to students, so they were well equipped to deal with the Covid-19 restrictions. Over 20 universities across the world participate, and students can check whether they are eligible to participate here.
3- Tech Allies Network
This platform is definitely more centred on technology than law, but can offer amazing insights into the tech sector. It can be worthwhile to branch out of law only courses, as learning about new developments in tech can be useful to your legal career or studies. They offer the ‘Summer Institute Programme’ to university students, which can take place online or in person, and is a great teamwork opportunity, where students learn about ideation, problem solving, and product development. Another great series that they offer is ‘Finding True North’. This is a virtual series of inspiring career stories delivered through interactive YouTube Live sessions. This is a great opportunity for students and early professionals, and can help you if you are trying to figure out what career path is for you, what to study at university, or even if you want to change careers. If you are hoping to follow an in-house career, insights from industry experts can be beneficial, and recent talks have been given by professionals from IBM, Barclays, Cancer Research UK, and Shell.
4- Legal Research Tool Certification
Although teamwork and problem solving are great skills to hone, all law students will benefit hugely from getting certified in some of the most common legal research tools. Certificates are also a great way to bulk out a CV. Some I would suggest are the JustisOne Proficiency Test, Westlaw Certification, and the Lexis Library Advanced Research Certification.
5- Student Bytes Events
A final key resource is of course Student Bytes! We recently ran an interactive event on in-house lawyers and alternative career paths to law. The recording of this event can be found here. We are planning more events in the future, so be sure to keep an eye out! Whether you are interested in TechLaw and Lawtech, you want to make more legal connections, or you want to add legal events to your CV to impress employers, these events are a great opportunity to learn new skills and broaden your horizons, from the comfort of your own home.
