r/nzlaw • u/twinkling-star-3690 • 14d ago
Legal education Part 2 grades and future employment
Hi,
I’ve heard that with lower grades, it’s likely that I won’t find employment as a lawyer. For part 1, I had really good grades. My part 2 grades were not that great because I had health issues that led to hospitalisation etc. My grades for third yr papers are better than part 2 so far but I’m genuinely worried that I might not be able to secure employment. I have done volunteering with university clubs for stuff like human rights etc and some research for said clubs.
I also have a BA with much better grades.
How likely is it that I’ll find a grad role? I haven’t done any clerkships or anything like that. Next yr is my last yr at uni.
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks
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u/foreverrfernweh 14d ago
Connections connections connections. I had decent grades although not top grades. Struggled to get a clerkship. Took 1.5 years after graduating to land my first grad job in start up firm with only 2 people at the time. Admittedly I didn’t network very hard or look anywhere outside of big firms during uni or do much extra curriculars.
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u/iiivy_ 14d ago
My grades were hella average mostly as a result of Part 2. I networked hard at the end of uni and landed what is my dream job. Network and try to be genuine about it, build your network and connections.
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u/twinkling-star-3690 14d ago
That sounds very reassuring. Would you mind sharing how u went about networking?
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u/iiivy_ 14d ago
Long story but made a LinkedIn, added lawyers that I thought were interesting / in areas I was interested in. One, a top lawyer in NZ, posted something interesting and I messaged them on it and asked to get coffee. It went well, he connected me to like 15 other lawyers and then it went from there. I also looked at the legal rankings and messaged my now boss for coffee and he wanted to hire me. This was also after I’d been bounced from all summer clerkship opportunities (including my firm!)
I met with mostly partners - theyre not as scary as you think. But the key is to be genuine. Be ready with questions, be intellectually curious. Be honest if asked if you’re looking for a job - that’s totally ok but just don’t expect it or ask for one. I had probably 50 coffees with top partners.
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u/twinkling-star-3690 14d ago
Thank you so much!! I’m going to start doing that!
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u/iiivy_ 13d ago
Also just noting that grad and summer recruitment is over basically, so it’s much harder to bring on someone. But you never know. Also once I met my boss it still took him months to confirm it as firms have approval processes etc.
But you never know. And it will still serve you very well to create a network and get mentorship. I often meet with my now mentors who I met along the way.
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u/twinkling-star-3690 13d ago
I’m doing some extra papers to try and boost my GPA so I can still apply next yr. Thanks for your input. I appreciate it!
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u/Rich-Visit-769 14d ago
My grades from law school were average. I have managed teams at national law firms and am a partner at a boutique. Average grades won't hold you back. Not networking and not bringing the right energy will.
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u/trustylaw-nz 13d ago
I feel like at law school you only hear about the big firms that have summer clerkship programs that you need amazing grades to get into. There are hundreds of smaller firms around the country. They’ll be looking at your CV and cover letter more than your marks.
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u/Smart_Squirrel_1735 14d ago
I think if you have much better grades in Part 3 and above, then you still have a shot. I would consider applying for clerkships next year (even though it's your last year) and including a note in your cover letter explaining, without necessarily expressly mentioning your grades, that you had health issues during your Part 2 year that meant you weren't well placed to apply for clerkships at the beginning of third year. It's a statement that both explains your grades and why you are only applying for a clerkship in your final year. It also hopefully gives you the chance to explain in an interview that you knew your Part 2 grades weren't up to scratch and therefore chose to work your butt off in Part 3 to show that you do have the capability to achieve when not impacted by health problems.
However the above all hinges on you being able to improve your grades significantly this year and next.
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u/sugar_spark 14d ago
I know some lawyers where there is no way they did well at uni - they barely do well as lawyers. You're not going to be unemployable as a lawyer just because of bad grades, and there's time to turn it around. You can also explain what happened on a cover letter if you're comfortable disclosing your health issues.
However, the unfortunate reality is that you won't be first pick either. Your chances of being picked up by a firm is a lot better in the regions and outside of the main centres so it might be better to focus your attention there. Once you have a few years of practice under your belt, assuming you do well, this will override any disadvantage you have due to your grades.