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Step 2: Discover what's out there

Whatever stage you are at, LSE Careers has a wide range of events and resources to help you progress your career ideas and to make the most of your time at the LSE.

The Law School Careers offering introduces you to many types of legal career, but it’s important also to take time to explore the numerous other options available. Only then can you be sure that law is right for you, or you might surprise yourself and find a different calling. That’s ok too.

Early stage career thinking while an undergraduate

The LSE has developed a Moodle course on Understanding Careers to help undergraduates feel more empowered as they develop their own career planning.

Not knowing what you want to do after graduating is completely normal. Equally, you may think you have a clear idea and then change your mind at a later date. Careers are not set in stone. And you do not have to be a lawyer unless it’s right for you.

Experienced lawyers and career changers

Do you have five or more years of legal work experience or are you using a law degree from LSE to help with a career pivot after doing something else? LSE Careers runs a network and programme of career management and professional development to support our working professional community, and this includes help with how to change career.

Open to all current students and alumni with five or more years of work experience, Professionals at LSE features a range of events and collaborations across the academic year and beyond.

Exploring options and gaining experience

Start by talking to everyone you meet about what they do as their job, why they do it, what they like and don’t like about it, and what took them to that place. If there’s something you want to explore, ask them if they know anyone who works in that field. It’s amazing how many coincidences and links you discover just by talking to people. This is all networking is!

There are also a wide range of career events provided by the LSE that focus on different sectors. Nearly all are accessible to Law graduates, and you can explore many of them through the LSE’s Discover series. The programme includes events on careers in Sustainability, International Development, Creative Industries, Social Impact and the Public Sector and many more. You can view the programme as it develops during the year on MyCareer.

You might also find LSE Careers' sector guides of interest.

The LSE’s events with alumni are also good sources of information about how they used their LSE degree to get their roles, and what else they needed to demonstrate. This is really useful knowledge. And the many careers fairs and employer networking events run by LSE Careers will provide other opportunities to learn and network.

Exploring law

The Law School careers team runs a programme of career related events throughout the year, nearly all of which are open to all LSE students and recent graduates. This series is distinct from the events run by students through the LSE’s Law Society. Many of the events are designed to give insights into different practice areas and into the differences between working as a barrister, a private practice solicitor working in a law firm, and an in-house solicitor working in a business or other organisation.

Law outside the UK

The Law School has many students who wish to practice law outside the UK and the Careers team has many links with lawyers in other jurisdictions. In particular, it is worth knowing that:

  • for those looking to work in Brussels, whether in the law firms or EU institutions, we run a programme of events as part of the annual Careers in Brussels programme. This generally takes place during Reading Week of the Winter Term
  • for Indian LLM students, we do an annual collation exercise to pass your CV to some of the major law firms in India as part of an online recruitment exercise, and we have good relations with many LSE graduates working in Indian law chambers and firms. Each year we hold a speaker event where former Indian LSE students help our current students improve their chances in the Indian market
  • for Chinese LLM students, we have recently visited some of the major firms in mainland China and Hong Kong and are well placed to help your applications for local internships and roles in China.