My career journey in law – Ellie Hirst
Ellie Hirst
Law LLB(Hons) alumna
Hello, My name’s Ellie Hirst. I completed my Law degree in 2017 and I'm now a Private Client Solicitor at Chadwick Lawrence.
Ellie Hirst completed her Law LLB(Hons) degree in 2017, achieving a first-class. After graduating, Ellie became a Legal Assistant at Ramsden Solicitors. She then became a Paralegal, then Trainee Solicitor in 2019 at Chadwick Lawrence and was later appointed as a Solicitor at the company in 2021. In this blog, we learn about Ellie’s experience as a Law student at the University of Huddersfield and her exciting career journey so far.
1) What did you like most about your course?
There were lots of things I enjoyed about my course. I particularly liked the fact that each module within the course was different in nature with the degree being law. I enjoyed the timetabling around my degree. The University of Huddersfield was great to put a lot of modules on the same day, so that meant that I had a lot of days with no teaching throughout the week, which was excellent because I could use the days that I didn’t have teaching to study and prepare for assignments. I could also work alongside my degree to gain work experience and earn some money while I studied – which was extremely helpful!
2) How did the University help prepare you for employment?
My course prepared me for employment by ensuring that I had lots of contacts within the legal world. The University of Huddersfield hosts events with local firms to ensure a smooth transition into employment. I got the chance to attend law careers fairs and mentoring events where I could meet with employers to seek career advice and find out about opportunities. I was also able to learn what a career in law would be like post-graduation. The University also has a Partners in Law scheme where it works closely with lots of local and national law firms like Chadwick Lawrence (where I work now).
3) How did you prepare yourself for your employment?
I already had a lot of experience working outside of the legal profession, so that gave me the skills to progress and work in a legal environment. I would advise that any experience, whether legal or not, is beneficial to succeeding. Work experience gives you lots of soft skills including communication, teamwork, and organisation.
4) What support did you get from the University's Career Service?
The University has a dedicated Careers Service, which offers advice to all current undergraduate and postgraduate students and graduates. The University Careers Service can offer support and advice on all aspects of employability. The team assisted me in my job search by reviewing my CV (Curriculum Vitae) and making it fit into a legal context, which was especially useful! Furthermore, staff members ensured that any opportunities were advertised and circulated among the students.
5) How long did it take you to find your job after graduation?
Following a talk from a local firm at University, I applied to be a temporary legal assistant as a summer job to gain experience. I then secured a full-time position at that firm after proving my worth, so the University’s connections enabled me to secure employment. I would also emphasise the importance of getting as much experience as you can, as this could lead to other opportunities.
Ellie Hirst in the mock courtroom at Huddersfield Law School. 6) What do you know now that you wish you knew as an undergraduate?
I wish I knew that the real hard work starts when you gain employment! I sometimes thought that upon securing a job, there would be an easy path to qualification, but I would say a career in law takes lots of dedication and zeal to succeed. But if you’re ambitious and enjoy a challenge then a career in law could be ideal for you. Also, don’t forget it’s okay to change firms if a particular firm is not the right for you! There are lots of employers out there looking for new talent.
7) What are your next career steps?
I would like to become an expert in my area of practice and am hoping to undertake courses to reach that goal soon. Learning and development never stop in the working world if you want to progress in your career.
8) What advice would you give to aspiring lawyers?
If I had to give a top tip, it would be to build your resilience. The legal profession is difficult to navigate at times when starting, but being motivated and willing to learn are important traits to have to make you go far.
To find out more about what it’s like being a Law student at the University of Huddersfield, why not read our recent graduate Fiza Ditta’s blog https://blogs.hud.ac.uk/hbsblog/boost-your-employability-as-a-law-student/.
To discover our Law courses, please visit https://courses.hud.ac.uk/2023-24/search:law.