Graduation ceremony provides a chance to reflect on the skills students develop during their time at qLegal.
Our students often cite their desire to get experience of the UK legal profession when applying to join qLegal. After completing their programmes, many students go on to refer to their experience with us in their future job interviews.
We asked students to reflect on what they have learned as a result of their qLegal experience at our recent graduation ceremony. The mixed in-person and online event celebrated the achievements of our class of 2021 and marked their transition to qLegal alumni.
In addition to their technical legal skills, students shared that they had developed many key transferrable skills as a result of their qLegal experience. These included the more traditional employability skills such as team working, leadership, time management, presentation and public speaking skills, as well as other skills that law firms now regularly look for in junior lawyers, such as resilience, commercial awareness and networking skills. There was also a nod to certain workplace skills that have become necessary during the pandemic, such as using legaltech, participating in online meetings, agility and empathy.
When asked how students would take their experience forward, a popular response was that students would have more confidence in their abilities and be more well-rounded lawyers. Students were also keen to continue working with start-ups and supporting pro bono initiatives. One student noted that they will “definitely put it in my CV and talk proudly about it in my interviews” and another that they will be “staying in touch with the amazing people” (which they can do as part of our growing alumni network).
You can read what our students had to say in full [PDF 2,420KB].
We are incredibly proud of everything our students have achieved during this challenging year and enjoy hearing how they take their qLegal experience forward. Many students are already making the most of the skills they have developed and have secured roles in various UK and international organisations, including training contracts at leading law firms, pupillages in commercial barrister chambers, traineeships with the European Patent Office and the European Intellectual Property Office, and legal roles within our start-up partners, to name just a few.