Matt Oliver
Matt is a former FTSE 100 lawyer and qualified career coach who founded Trainee Solicitor Surgery in 2009. He’s helped over 300 aspiring solicitors secure training contracts at top UK and US firms, drawing on 10 years of legal practice and 15+ years of coaching expertise.
Matt shares free, trusted advice in his articles and offers expert one-on-one coaching for those who want tailored support from someone who has been on both sides of the process.
Posts
If you are to stand any chance of securing a vacation scheme place or training contract you must identify the law practice areas you are most interested in before you make your applications. To do this you must develop solid foundation knowledge of ALL the different practice areas in which you could potentially train. This…
I caught up with a couple of graduate recruiters to ask them a question we hear all the time from students as the summer holidays descend. In your experience, what is the best way for a student to spend their summer holidays in order to strengthen their case for a training contract in the future?”…
There are lots of incredibly inspiring and informative career-related events that will undoubtedly help students and graduates wanting to succeed in their pursuit of a career in law. However, I am regularly surprised by how often they are under-utilised by candidates struggling to get that job offer. A Lack of Pro-activity There are some incredibly…
Samantha Hope is the Graduate Recruitment Manager at leading national law firm, Shoosmiths. Matt Oliver caught up with Samantha and asked her some of the questions sent in by TSS readers. The Interview MATT: What would you recommend candidates do over the coming months to ensure their applications are as strong as they can be? SAMANTHA: The…
Simon Price has inspired over 2500 law students across the country via The Modern Lawyer workshop. It’s a unique peak performance and employability workshop about how students can think strategically about their career and maximise their potential. I caught up with Simon and asked him to share some of his wisdom. The Interview Matt: When…
Being nervous about an interview for a training contract or vacation scheme is perfectly normal. Most people will have nerves of some sort when they wonder whether they can answer all the training contract interview questions they might be asked. They can actually be a good thing as they mean that you are sharp and…
This post contains more invaluable advice from grad recruiters who are in charge of giving out training contract and vacation scheme offers each year. One of the key things that contribute to a candidate’s success in the training contract process is the research they undertake. Another is the decisions made by that candidate about which…
This latest video recommendation provides an account of what it’s like to work on a big deal at a large corporate firm like Allen & Overy. It includes some useful insights into the role of trainees in a City firm and is valuable research for all budding commercial lawyers. It gives you an idea of…
This week’s website review focuses on the law blog, Legal Cheek, which I would highly recommend you check out. It brings a different take on the legal profession compared to the law careers advice websites you may be used to. Refreshing Style What I like most about it is its refreshingly irreverent style of legal…