Reddit Roundup: November 2024

By April Baniqued. Published 29 November 2024.

Here are the questions:

• What are some good law podcasts to listen to?
• Does studying my law conversion degree online or in person affect my employability?
• How do I write a legal CV?
• What type of hard and soft skills are essential for a job in psychology?

What are some good law podcasts to listen to?

Listening to law podcasts is an entertaining way to enhance your legal knowledge, keep on track with the latest legal news and grow your enthusiasm for law. We share three of our favourite podcasts below:

1. Lawyer 2 Lawyer

An award-winning podcast and one of the longest-running in the field. Hosted by J. Craig Williams, he invites industry professionals to examine current legal events and recent rulings. From titles like ‘Should a Chimpanzee Have Human Rights?’ to ‘War Crimes’, you are bound to find a topic that sparks your interest. You can find the podcast here.

2. Serial

Once the most downloaded podcast in the world, Serial has transformed the entire medium with its conversation-style storytelling. The series explores the case of Adnan Syed, who was convicted of murdering his 18-year-old ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. He has always voiced his innocence but can’t exactly recall what he was doing on the day of her murder. The one person who claims they know what he was doing is nowhere to be found. Hosted by radio journalist, Sarah Koenig, she investigates the case by going over the evidence and interviews the people involved. Listen to the podcast on Spotify here.

3. The University of Law Podcast

Of course, we can’t forget about our very own podcast, where we interview lecturers, students, alumni and special guests. We have multiple law series which we explore below.

• The Judges: Power, Politics and the People: Hosted by Frances Gibb, we talk to the UK’s top judges to hear about their real-life experiences and perspectives on politics, power shifts and prospects for the legal system. Some of our notable features are Lord Woolf, who has held the most senior judicial posts in both the criminal and civil justice systems, and Lady Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond, who led the Supreme Court in its landmark ruling over the suspension of Parliament.
• The Lord Chancellors: Where Politics meets Justice: This new series examines the ancient role of Lord Chancellor, which now encompasses the position of Justice Secretary. This post holds the balance of power between the judiciary and the executive, with special responsibility for maintaining the rule of law.
• All about the SQE: The SQE (Solicitors Qualifying Examination) is the new route to becoming a solicitor. In this series, lecturers explore what to expect and how to prepare for this alternative pathway.
• Future Solicitors: Former LPC students Darren Broad and Chloe Orledge share their experiences becoming trainee solicitors. They cover many topics, including vacation schemes, training contracts and the QWE, all with the help of Head of Pro Bono Amanda Crutchley.
• Future Pupils: Of course, we also have a podcast for students wishing to become barristers. Former students and current pupils Amy Weir and Evie Smith discuss their journey to the Bar. They share important insights including how they overcame their obstacles and the value of having hobbies, as well as giving tips on pupillage applications and handling rejection.

You can listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Need more suggestions? Find more recommendations in our legal podcasts blog.

Does studying my law conversion degree online or in person affect my employability?

Whether you learn online or on campus, your qualification holds the same value and opens the same career opportunities. Your choice of study mode is to simply accommodate your personal needs and lifestyle. We offer both options to help you balance your education and other responsibilities.

Browse through our undergraduate and postgraduate law courses.

How do I write a legal CV?

Submitting a CV is the traditional method of applying for a job in the legal profession. Here are some useful tips when formatting and writing your CV:

Structure

Remember that a CV is a professional document. Keep it clean by using a plain white document and avoiding images and multiple colours. We recommend using clear fonts such as Arial or Calibri.

Lengthwise, your CV should only be two pages long. Make use of the limited space you have by making your text size 11 and keeping your descriptions brief with bullet points.

Here are some visual examples of how you should format your CV.

Content

Typically, a CV features the following content:

• Personal details
• Education
• Employment and work experience
• Additional skills
• Extracurricular activities
• Referees

We explain what each of these sections means in this blog.

Personalisation

One of the key steps when making a CV is tailoring it to every organisation you apply for. It does not matter if it is the same job role, each company will have different criteria they will be evaluating you against. Remember, recruiters receive hundreds of applications so realistically they will only be looking at each one for a few seconds. By personalising your CV to mirror the job description, employers will be able to see how you would fit in the role instantly, as you have focused in on the skills and abilities they are looking for.

If you’re unsure how to start your career as a lawyer, check out our legal careers guide.

What type of hard and soft skills are essential for a job in psychology?

Here are a few skills that are considered important within the psychology industry:

Hard Skills

Hard skills are the technical abilities you are required to have for the specific job and industry you are applying for. These include:

• Psychology and cognitive science fundamentals: this is a key requirement within the psychology field. You must understand how the brain functions and the reasons behind human behaviours.
• Clinical reasoning: psychologists’ decisions have a very real impact on their clients’ lives. That is why it is crucial to be able to analyse situations and make informed decisions.
• Experiential learning: you must have the ability to learn through practical work. This can help you understand why and how something is done.

Soft Skills

Soft skills are general traits that help to showcase your capabilities as an individual. These include:

• Critical Thinking: the analysis of data and drawing evidence-based conclusions.
• Empathy: this is essential in creating trust with the client. It is the recognition and understanding of the emotions of others, as well as showing genuine care.
• Communication: effectively speaking to clients and colleagues. Whether this be to simplify complex principles to clients or to explain your insights to colleagues.

We explore more skills in this blog.

Have more questions? Search our blogs.