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In this episode, we’re joined by Ruaridh Brown and Jonathan Royal to explore what it’s like to train at a leading global law firm, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer. Together, we delve into the variety of opportunities available to trainees, the kind of work they typically get involved in, and the support systems in place throughout their training journey. We also discuss the transition from studying law in Scotland to working at a global firm in London, before concluding with their reflections and practical advice for students aspiring to follow a similar path.

With April here, a lot of our listeners will be thinking about planning out their application processes and which firms to apply to in the coming months and hiring cycle. In this case, Travers Smith is here to discuss 'Room Sharing' within their company and the effect it has on you as a trainee within the firm. Alongside this, our guests today impart wisdom on how to pick what firm to apply to that suits you, and how to think about your applications alongside their own general experiences at their firm.  Keep an eye on opening dates for traineeship applications and vacation scheme applications with Travers Smith here: https://www.traverssmith.com/join-us/graduate-recruitment/

Join Justine in another episode of the 100% Legal Podcast, where she is joined by Charlotte Morgan of Herbert Smith Freehills Graduate Recruitment Team to lay down what you need to know before you send in your application for the firm. They discuss everything from nerves, what you should include and upcoming deadlines - so please enjoy! The deadline for HSF Summer and Spring Scheme Applications is the first of December, so give this a listen and head over to their website to apply! https://careers.herbertsmithfreehills.com/global/en/uk/early-careers/vacation-schemes

In this month's episode of the 100% Podcast, Justine is joined by Doctor Mira T Sundara Rajan who gives her perspective on how Copyright Law can be developed considering Artificial Intelligence, and what AI means for us as humanity in both the legal and cultural sense.  Doctor Sundara Rajan is the Canada Research Chair in Intellectual Property Law, a tenured associate professor at the University of British Columbia Law School, and a Professor of IP Law at Glasgow University. Highly accomplished in both the academic and artistic sense, Doctor Sundara Rajan offers an interesting perspective on AI and Copyright.

Join your new host, Justine, for this brand new episode of the 100% Legal Podcast, joined by special guest Jamie Allison. Jamie graduated from his DPLP at Aberdeen last year, and shares with us some advice for those just starting in their Legal journey up to applications for Vacation Schemes and the DPLP. Enjoy!

Welcome back to the 100% Legal Podcast. Today we have an exciting episode made in collaboration with our sponsor Travers Smith. Today Jakub is joined by Hugh Hutchison, an alumni of the University of Aberdeen, who is a Partner at Travers Smith.  Hugh will talk about his journey from Aberdeen to a Silver Circle law firm in London. Join us as we discuss a myriad of topics, from his role as a Partner to his cross-border M&A work with infrastructure funds. Importantly, Hugh provides an insight into how Travers Smith operates and how the firm has helped him develop his career.

In honour of International Women’s Day, join Jakub and Anabia for a powerful and inspiring episode featuring the Lord Advocate. As the highest legal officer in Scotland, the Lord Advocate brings a unique perspective, sharing her experience and discussing her work. We discuss a myriad of topics, which provide an inspiring conversation on International Women’s Day.  The conversation also touches upon violence against women and the importance of praising the bravery of victims who stand up to share their stories. The Lord Advocate talks about the corroboration rule change and the further work she is undertaking in this regard. At the law society, we would like to wish all women across the world a Happy International Women’s Day.    TRIGGER WARNING: Themes of domestic abuse including physical, emotional and sexual abuse and gender inequality.

Megha and Christy are joined by Louise Johnson who is a Legal Issues Worker at Scottish Women’s Aid (SWA). Louise talks to us about the work that SWA carry out to protect women and children who have experienced domestic abuse and how they campaign for change at a national level. We talk about the different forms of domestic abuse and the impact that the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 had on prosecutions and convictions of these crimes. We spoke about the effect of COVID-19 and the current cost of living crisis on women and how SWA continues to support women through these tough times. Louise also shares how we can get involved and support our local Women’s Aid group and make a real difference to the lives of those in need. TRIGGER WARNING: Themes of domestic abuse including physical, emotional and sexual abuse and gender inequality.  Scottish Women’s Aid website – www.womensaid.scot Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline – www.sdafmh.org.uk HMICS Thematic Inspection of Police Scotland Handling of Domestic Abuse - https://www.hmics.scot/publications/hmics-thematic-inspection-domestic-abuse-phase-1 Research into implementation of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act - https://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/news-events/news/domestic-abuse-victims-find-justice-process-traumatic If you or anyone you know has been affected by this conversation please reach out to Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline on 0800 027 1234.

Megha is joined by Lubna Shuja, the President of the Law Society of England and Wales. Lubna is the first Asian, first Muslim and seventh female to become President. We talk about Lubna’s legal journey and the barriers she overcame to get to her position today and why diversity is so important in the legal world. Lubna shares her views on how law firms can create a more diverse and inclusive workspace and what future lawyers should look for when applying to firms. We talk about how diversity is an all-encompassing concept and how far the legal profession has come in this regard. Lubna also shares her top tips for those who come from under-represented backgrounds and how they can successfully navigate through their legal career.

Megha is joined by Dr Jean Wilkie who is the DPLP Director and Professor Susan Stokeld who is the Director of Education at the University of Aberdeen. They talk about the structure of the DPLP, the assessment criteria and how admission to the programme works. Dr Wilkie and Professor Stokeld also emphasise that securing a trainee contract is not a prerequisite for getting a place on the DPLP and they discuss the array of alternative paths out there for students to take after finish their LLB. Find out more about the DPLP here : https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/256/professional-legal-practice/ and the application process here: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/law/courses/application.php

Megha and Melina are joined by Claire Mitchell KC. Claire shares her legal journey into how she was called to the Bar and how she persevered through many rejections and hurdles on the way. Claire talks about her caseload and why Public Law interests her. She shares her top tips for advocacy and the structure she follows when speaking in Court. Claire also shares insight on her ‘Taking Silk’ experience and how her career has changed since becoming a KC. Claire also discusses her incredible Witches of Scotland campaign where she has advocated for justice to be served and pardons to be given out to those convicted of witchcraft in earlier centuries.

Megha is joined by Rahma and Nicola who are future trainees of Brodies and CMS respectively. They talk about their application processes and interviews and how they stayed motivated throughout. They give us some great tips on how to make applications stand out and give us some insight into what exactly these firms are looking for. They also share their summer placement experiences highlighting their favourite aspects and some challenges they faced. We also learn how the practical side of vacation schemes compare to the academic side taught at university. We also talk to us about their journey from gaining vacation schemes to securing traineeships and they reassure those who are on the path to securing direct traineeships.

Megha is joined by Nick Earles who is a regulatory lawyer and commercial adviser to the psychedelic industry and is one of the few dedicated legal consultants to the cannabis and psychedelic medicines industry. In this podcast, Nick talks about what drew him into the Cannabis Industry and we talk about the incredible growth and popularity of Cannabis at this present time. We also talk about the stigma surrounding cannabis and how Nick navigates through these negative opinions. We also talk about the Cannabis industries in other countries such as the USA and discuss whether the UK would ever follow suit. Nick also tells us what his hopes are for the future of the Cannabis industry.

Megha is joined by James Smith who is a Criminal Defence Lawyer who specialises in Prison Law and Parole at McGreevy & Co. We talk about the stigma and negative perception around prisoners and how this reduces their chance of fitting back into society. James also talks about the extent to which our prison system favours rehabilitation and how it compares to that of the USA and Norway. We also discuss why it is important that prisoners should have access to basic human rights and the controversial decision of the UK's ban on voting rights for prisoners. James also shares more information on his blog and social media presence and gives students some top tips for succeeding in a career in Prison Law.

Megha and Melina are joined by Ian Duddy who is the Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission. Ian talks to us about how his career at the Foreign Office developed his interest into International Human Rights. Ian also talks about his time as a UK ambassador and how he has had to make difficult decisions and how he deals with the aftermath of these decisions. Ian also talks about his strong belief about the retainment of the Human Rights Act 1998 and how he is campaigning and trying to influence the government to keep the Act in place. Ian also shares his proudest accomplishments, both professionally and personally and gives students who are interested in human rights some advice and insight into the job.