We are delighted to announce that we will be running our Elevate programme again this year focusing on assisting AS Members of Black/mixed Black heritage to prepare for entering the legal profession in 2024 and beyond. This is the fifth consecutive year of this hugely successful programme and we strongly encourage you to apply if you are considering applying for training contracts and vacation schemes next academic year, as this is a great springboard!

What is Elevate?

AS Elevate is a 3-day virtual programme for Black/mixed Black heritage Aspiring Solicitors Members. The programme will help develop your confidence to pursue a career with our partner firms and help develop specific skills and areas of knowledge such as commercial awareness and personal branding.

When does it take place? 

Elevate will take place from Tuesday 18 – Thursday 20 June 2024 (inclusive).

Where does it take place?

Elevate is a virtual programme. The Elevate virtual workshops are delivered by AS via a series of online webinars (via Zoom), with contributions from law firms and corporate organisations.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this programme you must:

  • Be an Aspiring Solicitors member and be of Black or mixed Black heritage
  • Have secured ABB at A-Level and be on track to receive a 2.1 in your degree (taking into account mitigating circumstances if you have them and do not meet the grade requirements)
  • Be either a current first year law student (finishing your first year in summer 2024) or penultimate year non-law undergraduate student (as above) who will be eligible to apply for training contracts or vacation schemes in Autumn 2024
  • Have a strong interest in becoming a commercial lawyer
  • Not have secured a training contract

What does the scheme cover?

Across the Elevate programme, you will take part in a number of workshops and Q&A sessions which will help you to develop a set of essential skills ahead of applying for a vacation scheme or training contract.

The workshops will focus on topics such as:

  • Law firm etiquette
  • Personal brand and communication skills
  • Commercial awareness
  • Effective business writing and drafting
  • Perfecting your law firm applications

In order to get the most out of this opportunity, please only sign up if you are in the position to be an active participant, who is able to communicate effectively with our law firm and corporate sponsors throughout the entirety of the three-day programme.

Why should I take part?

Elevate is a unique opportunity to build relationships with law firms and corporate sponsors ahead of applying for vacation schemes and training contracts. Being able to communicate with representatives from firms is a key part of a vacation scheme and/or training contract assessment process, so this programme gives you a safe space to practise these skills in advance of a formal assessment.

Not only this, but you will learn key nuggets of information from law firms and corporate sponsors, which will be able to transfer into your applications. The information and skills that you learn will put you in a great position ready for autumn.

The group size will be limited, so you will have the opportunity to make meaningful connections with the speakers and also your fellow Elevate attendees, giving you a network to nurture going forward.

Finally, it is a fantastic opportunity to add to your CV or application forms as work experience!

Sign up deadline

The deadline to apply is Friday 24 May 2024 at 4pm. However, we encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity/ahead of the deadline, as we may take the decision to close applications early due to the popularity of the programme.

What an action-packed three days it has been on AS Elevate! The scheme has been an invaluable opportunity to grow and acquire numerous skills, which are beneficial for my future legal aspirations. I am incredibly grateful to AS for coordinating and hosting such an insightful event. There were many participants in the scheme, which could have made the experience nerve-wracking. However, because of the incredible hosts, the environment was comfortable and engaging.
I can affirmatively state that the AS Elevate Programme was an enlightening and resourceful experience. I liked that a number of representatives from participating firms were of minority backgrounds, and that they openly shared their career journeys from university to their current positions. It enabled students like myself to actualise our own capacity not only to break into the legal profession but also to distinguish ourselves in it, by extension. For these reasons, I believe the AS Elevate Programme was invaluable.
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