Matt Oliver
Matt is a former FTSE 100 lawyer and accredited 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 16 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
Law firms need to know that their future trainees have the skills required to work in client-facing situations. And that they can be depended on to make an impression which reflects favourably on the firm. But a presentation exercise isn’t about presentation skills alone – it’s also a test of organisation and planning. What to…
More widely used in assessment centres for accountancy and finance, numerical reasoning tests are, nonetheless, still used by some law firms in their recruitment practices. Far from being a test of mathematical ability, these assessments are generally designed to see how well you can interpret data and statistical information. What to expect: The format of…
Verbal reasoning tests are one of the most common forms of aptitude test used by law firms for recruitment purposes. They are used across a range of sectors, including law, as being able to accurately comprehend written information is an important skill for most graduate roles. There is evidence to suggest that they can actually…
Working as a solicitor is rarely a solitary job, thus it is essential for all training contract applicants to show that they have the ability, and the correct competencies, to work successfully as part of a team. The way that many law firms will assess this is through a structured Group Exercise. What to expect:…
This part of the assessment centre allows you to experience the typical decisions and dilemmas that come up frequently when working for a law firm. It gives assessors the opportunity to see how you deal with day to day business multi-tasking, so will give them a good indicator of how you are likely to perform…
Steve Jobs was a visionary and an inspiration to many. He had some valuable insights and advice which all aspiring lawyers would do well to consider. In 2005, Steve gave the commencement speech for students graduating from Stanford University. It remains a hugely popular speech due to the powerful calls to action included in it…
This is a guest post setting out invaluable do’s and don’ts when it comes to attending law fairs. It’s written by an experienced training contract applicant in the hope of preventing you from making the same mistakes. My first and only one, about 4 years ago now, was a fruitless affair; my perfunctory approach to…
This is a guest blog post by Rhys Jones, Law Student & Training Contract Applicant. Countless aspiring trainees seem to have a remarkable aptitude for conveying an often over-zealous longing to work in areas or at firms in which they have very little knowledge or interest. This approach can undoubtedly be attributed to the oversupply…
The subject of this latest interview is Hannah Tyson, a first-year trainee at a general private practice. Hannah talks about her legal career so far and gives her advice for anyone who is looking to follow in her footsteps. 1. Why did you decide you wanted to become a solicitor? When did you make the…