Legal Achievers help potential law students
 

Many of Scotland's lawyers are participating in a new scheme to help school pupils who are considering a career in the law.

The Legal Achievers initiative, which is backed by the Law Society of Scotland and forms one element of the Schools Law Project, aims to change the narrow stereotypes many youngsters hold of lawyers and the work they do.

The project does so by encouraging potential law students to study brief profiles of a wide range of people from the legal community. 

The individuals work in different areas of the law and are at various stages of their career.  As pupils examine the profiles, they discover a law degree opens the door to a wide range of modern careers.

Commenting on Legal Achievers, The Law Society's Director of Education Liz Campbell said, "We are delighted with this project.  It offers practical help to young people when they are making important decisions on their future.  If a pupil is considering law we want them to have a good grasp of the various career paths a law degree can lead on to."

The day to day running of Legal Achievers is carried out by the teacher-led partnership The Schools Project. They have placed the Legal Achievers profiles in a special section of the Schools Law Project website.

Director Patrick Gaffney comments, "As a teacher myself, I know this scheme must be hassle-free otherwise busy staff in schools simply won't use it.  Happily, the signs are that our approach works extremely well."

Meanwhile, careers staff in schools have also welcomed the practical nature of the initiative. The website includes questions on the Achievers which youngsters complete to find out more about a legal career.

A number of law firms are backing Legal Achievers.  Biggart Baillie were among the first to get involved.  Rob McInally, the firm's Director of Business Development said, "We are a modern forward-looking firm and we believe that young people considering the law should not do so on the basis of old-fashioned, out-dated stereotypes.   The Schools Law Project tackles that problem head on and Biggart Baillie are delighted to be part of the scheme."

Over the past four years, the Schools Law Project has built partnerships between law firms and local schools, initially across Scotland and increasingly throughout the UK.  Over 200 law firms are participants in the scheme.

Further information on all of the above is available from:

Patrick Gaffney
Director
The Schools Project
61 Old Abbey Road
North Berwick
EH39 4BP
T: 01620 894928
E: patrick@theschoolsproject.co.uk
W: www.schoolsproject.co.uk

return to 'School Visits'  ►