It is another year and another chance for those of the Law Society to experience the excitement and obtain valuable skills from the highly recommended “Client Interviewing” competition. There are a myriad of reasons for taking part, it will increase your confidence and your desire to become a lawyer and give you a lot of the skills that most employers are looking for in a trainee. Taking part also shows your dedication to your chosen subject and facilitates the interaction of other members of the Law Society from all years of the school. Ask any of the past participants and they will tell you much the same answer in that it is a lot of fun and they made a lot of friends along the way. Perhaps most important to students, there is the chance to win cash for the finalists and to compete nationally representing the university!

The skills you will learn are in working professionally as part of a team (there are two students per team) and interview a client who has received an outline of the legal problem based on fictitious events. You will also receive a brief outline of what the problem will involve some days before hand to allow you to refresh your memory on areas of relevant law but the problems tend to follow the law course syllable and therefore help to reinforce the lectures and allow you to put into practise the material you are revising.

Each round lasts approximately 25 minutes and then you will have a further 5 minutes to evaluate your performance with the aim being to learn from mistakes and to improve your interviewing, evaluating and listening skills as each round passes. A final point to add is that the competition has been sponsored by a highly respected law firm for the past few years and this year should be no different. This then means that the final is judged in front of practising lawyers who get an opportunity to watch you in action. There sponsorship can also mean prizes of a weeks work experience with the firm which is priceless to any ambitious students, especially in the current economic climate. So please do come along and try out the “Client Interviewing” competition this year and get the benefits that so many students have found so helpful.

Stephen Symington

(Final year law student).

Stephen Symington

Title: Client Interviewing Rep
Year: LLB Senior Status Year 2 [Final]
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