I can’t believe I agreed to a whole year of this…
Congratulations to all the law students who have been elected as their university’s law soc president. It’s going to be an interesting year. Take it from someone who has been there and done it: Jemima Lovatt, UCL graduate and founding president of the University of London Legal Forum. Looking back, Jemima shares her top 14 things all law soc presidents will be able to relate to.
1. Fear and loathing in law soc
You will spend the whole year worrying that you’re turning into a dictator and, in truth, you probably are.
2. Google Docs <3
Google Docs will come to rule your life, and you will live in constant fear of a committee member deleting your beautifully colour-coded spreadsheet.
3. Student admin fun
Having to book rooms for talks and other events means you will have an increased level of contact with student services. Have fun — they really are a laugh a minute.
4. Training contract dreams
You spend your days with your fingers and toes permanently crossed, hoping all this extra-curricular work means a training contract is in the bag. The dream is being offered one casually over dinner with a partner. This rarely happens, but it can do…
5. Taking it personal
When members sign up and then don’t attend an event, it’s hard not to take it personally.
6. Lawkward
Committee members sleeping together makes everything a little awkward.
7. Mine mine mine
The ability to delegate is really just an aspirational, abstract concept. You’ll end up doing everything yourself anyway.
8. The nostalgia
Running the law society becomes not only your extra-curricular hobby but also your life. Remember how you used to play netball or swim. Isn’t that a nice memory to have?
9. Grad recruitment
Grad rec managers are absolutely lovely (especially when they give you a little dollar), until they have to produce a partner willing to speak at an event. Emails explaining that trainees will be speaking instead becomes the norm.
10. Chin chin
Alcohol is a great coping mechanism. Welcome to the rest of your life!
11. The power struggle
There is a weird superiority complex with graduate recruitment managers. I think it’s mainly fuelled by a fear that you’ll never get a training contract and will end up in HR.
12. No one cares
No one else cares quite as much about the law society as you do.
13. Training contract?
If you get to the end of the year and you don’t have a training contract offer you will ask yourself: WHY?! But…
14. It’s worth it for the connections
Hopefully you’ll get a few more insta followers or LinkedIn connections out of your year of hell.
