Campus Ambassador

Handbook
2019/20

“ Committed to increasing diversity

in the legal profession.”
 Contents

“ Being a Campus Ambassador at Aspiring Solicitors provided Welcome from Chris White 3
me with opportunities to develop various transferable skills
that law firms are looking for. The role is dynamic – throughout Your key contacts at Aspiring Solicitors 5
the year I organised events, promoted Aspiring Solicitors at the
Section One: About Aspiring Solicitors
freshers’ fair and liaised with presidents of law societies. Overall,
I have built a lot of confidence through the role and would Chris’ story 7
strongly recommend any aspiring solicitors to apply.” About Aspiring Solicitors 8
Yoon So Lee What we offer our members 10
Former Campus Ambassador at UCL and
Future Trainee Solicitor at White & Case Section Two: Your role as a Campus Ambassador
Key requirements of your role 14
“ Being a Campus Ambassador for AS is without doubt a
Schedule of activities 15
mutually beneficial experience. Not only did the role allow me to
help as many as possible to get involved with all AS has to offer, Managing the Facebook page 17
but provided a unique opportunity to coordinate with and benefit Promotional material 18
from the knowledge of those who have a first-hand insight into Arranging a visit from the AS team 18
the legal profession. The range of skills you learn and develop Hints and tips from previous ambassadors 20
over the course of the year can only serve to make you a more
attractive candidate to employers.” Section Three: Extra benefits for you
Radhika Morally Developing key transferable skills 25
Former Campus Ambassador at the University of East Anglia and
Future Trainee Solicitor at Taylor Wessing Guaranteed AS Flagship event place 25
Careers advice and assistance 25
“ Being a member of Aspiring Solicitors enables access to
events at top law firms, which offer guidance about how to Section Four: FAQs 27
demonstrate the skills that firms look for in applications. Being
a Campus Ambassador enables you to organise events at
your University, which offers you the opportunity to demonstrate
these skills that firms look for in applications. As an Aspiring
Solicitors member, I attended my first event at Norton Rose
Fulbright. As Campus Ambassador I developed skills
including advising on logistics and liaising with speakers,
which my future employer Norton Rose Fulbright, regards as
an invaluable experience.”
Alysha Patel
Former Campus Ambassador at the University of Birmingham and
Future Trainee Solicitor at Norton Rose Fulbright

1
 Welcome from Chris

“ Thank you for becoming an Aspiring

Solicitors Campus Ambassador at your
institution.
Campus Ambassadors are integral to
Aspiring Solicitors’ continued success and,
consequently, our ability to increase diversity
in the legal profession. Thank you for your
passion, motivation and energy to make
a difference and to help enable many more
students find out about, and have access
to, all the different services and opportunities
we offer.
This handbook will provide you with an
overview of everything you need to know
about successfully carrying out your duties
over the 2019/20 academic year, and how you
can encourage students at your university to
register and engage with Aspiring Solicitors.
I wish you every success for the coming

Welcome from academic year, and look forward to meeting

you in person at one of the Campus

Chris
Ambassador inductions.”
Chris White
Founder of Aspiring Solicitors

2 3
 Your key contacts

Your key contacts at Aspiring Solicitors

are Arjun Patel, Jagwinder Kaur and Michelle
Nwaesei, Universities and Student Liaison
Officers. They should be your first port of call
for all enquiries and the people you should
contact to arrange any university visits.
Their email is studentmanager@aspiringsolicitors.co.uk
Arjun Patel
Arjun graduated from the University of Leeds in 2017 and recently completed
the accelerated LLM LPC course at BPP in July 2019. He is due to start
to start his Training Contract with Baker Mckenzie in March 2020. Arjun
is of British Asian descent and attended a local state school. Arjun has
been involved with Aspiring Solicitors since 2014, having competed in the
Commercial Awareness Competition on three occasions and was successful
Arjun Patel Jagwinder Kaur Michelle Nwaesei in 2018. Arjun was also a Campus Ambassador for the University of Leeds
during his second year of university in 2016.
Jagwinder Kaur
Jagwinder graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2015 and
completed the LLM LPC course at BPP in July 2019. She is due to start to
start her Training Contract with Macfarlanes in March 2020. Jagwinder is a
British Sikh woman who attended a local state school. Jagwinder has been
involved with AS since 2014, and has attended many Open Days, Headstart
events and completed the Barclays Legal work experience.These experiences

Your key contacts

were fundamental in helping Jagwinder develop an understanding of what
type of firm she would like to train at, and increased her confidence during
the application process.

Arjun Patel
Michelle Nwaesei
Michelle graduated from the University of Warwick with a Law Degree in 2018.
She is also a Future Trainee Solicitor at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP. Michelle
has been a member of AS for a few years, utilising a range of AS services

Jagwinder Kaur
including attending events such as the ‘HeadStart into Vacation Schemes’
event. Michelle also founded her own pro bono project ‘Women in Law’
while at university, which strived to increase gender diversity in the legal field.
Having attended a state school and being a first-generation lawyer as a British

Michelle Nwaesei
Black woman, Michelle strongly believes in the work and vision of Aspiring
Solicitors and is committed to helping other students from underrepresented
groups enter the legal profession.
Universities and Student Liaison Manager
Arjun, Jagwinder and Michelle work with Jonathan, our Universities and
Student Liaison Manager. Jonathan manages all of our university relationships
and the campus ambassador programme, and you will meet both him, Arjun,
Jagwinder and Michelle at the induction events in September and on campus.
4 5
 Section One

Aspiring Solicitors was set up in 2014 by

Chris White, and has now grown to a team
of ten all working to increase diversity in
the legal profession.
1. Chris’ story
Chris was born into what he refers to as a “normal” family (if such a thing
exists!). His mother worked in Marks & Spencer (on the shop floor) and his
father was a builder. Chris’ father moved to Germany in the early 1990s
during the recession so that the family could remain in their family home due
to their low income during this period.
Chris was educated at a non-selective comprehensive state school and
went onto study at a non-selective state college. He then attended a non-
Russell Group University and listened to the idiot who told him that his first
year “didn’t count”. Consequently, Chris secured a 2:2 in his first year. It was
during the third year of his Law and American Law degree that he secured a
training contract with a leading US law firm that changed his life…
Chris was the first generation of his family to attend university and the first
generation of his family to become a lawyer. Having secured a dream job as
a trainee, Chris then started assisting his peers at university to secure their
dream jobs in law as well and has done so ever since.
After completing his training contract, Chris moved on qualification to Norton

Section One
Rose Fulbright where he became a corporate solicitor. He completed client
secondments and was involved in some of the highest profile financial
investigations in Europe as well as precedent setting cases. But in December

About Aspiring
2013, he gave up the career he worked so hard to secure to set up Aspiring
Solicitors. His motivation for doing so was to change the legal profession by
increasing the diversity within it. He had witnessed how elitist the profession
was and also how much discrimination existed within it. His hatred of

Solicitors
• Chris’ story
• About Aspiring Solicitors
• What we offer our members
discrimination and passion for equal opportunities meant that the decision to
sacrifice his legal career and commit his future to help others pursue theirs
was straightforward.
What motivates Chris the most is not what he does today, but the impact
Aspiring Solicitors can have on the legal profession tomorrow, so that it
embraces the richness of committed and talented aspiring solicitors from a
representative, cross section of society.

6 7
 Section One

2. About Aspiring Solicitors Founder Partners

The overriding objective of Aspiring Solicitors is “to increase diversity in the
legal profession”. We aim to achieve this by:
• Providing free access, opportunity and assistance to students from all
underrepresented groups (focusing on undergraduates, postgraduates
and graduates);
• Educating and informing the next generation of solicitors about the
importance of diversity in the legal profession; and
• Promoting and encouraging diversity from within the profession.
Affiliate Partners
We do this by offering free bespoke careers and employability advice, open
days and events with a wide range of law firms, a commercial awareness
competition, and a number of different mentoring and work experience
programmes. You can find more information on this in Point 3 on page 10.

a) Who benefits from Aspiring Solicitors?

Diversity has a broad meaning and Aspiring Solicitors is committed to
increasing diversity across all underrepresented groups in the profession.
Aspiring Solicitors considers “underrepresented” groups to include aspiring Affiliate Members
solicitors who are:
• Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic; and/or R

• At least two of the following: a primary carer; from low income families,
state school educated (whether in the UK or overseas), first generation to
attend university, refugees and those who have been in local authority care;
and/or
• Disabled and/or who have and long term health conditions; and/or
• LGBT+.

b) Our Founder law firms and legal organisations

Aspiring Solicitors has achieved great support from our Founder and Affiliate
Member law firms and legal organisations, which have all committed to
assisting Aspiring Solicitors achieve our aim of increasing diversity in the legal
profession. They provide our members with events and opportunities to meet
them, and representatives who form our Professional Ambassador network
which all Aspiring Solicitors members can utilise.

8 9
 Section One
c) Our success so far
We’re so proud of the success that Aspiring Solicitors has had so far.
Since launching in 2014:
• Our members have secured over 770 training contracts
• Our members have secured over 1,800 vacation schemes
In 2018/19 alone:
• Our members have secured 500 vacation schemes and 113 training
contracts
• We hosted over 81 events with law firms and legal teams
• We visited over 50 UK universities.
3. What we offer our members
As you will be representing Aspiring Solicitors at your university, it’s essential
you know and understand everything we offer our members – as this is what
you need to promote.
We have made a number of changes to Aspiring Solicitors for the 2019/20
academic year, so please read the following information carefully, and make
sure you fully understand everything we offer.
a) Employability programmes
(i) AS Aspire
Our ‘Aspire’ programme enters its second year in 2019. This programme
for up to 200 Aspiring Solicitors members will include bespoke one-to-one
careers coaching from our expert legal employability team, as well as the
opportunity to attend specifc open days with our partner law firms and be
mentored by professionals from one of our partner law firms or legal teams.
(ii) AS First
The AS First workshops are designed for first year law students and second
year non-law students. The programme is delivered by Zoe Brown, Aspiring
Solicitors’ Head of Coaching and Mentoring and former graduate recruitment
manager, and future trainees who have recently successfully navigated
the legal recruitment process. Participants in AS First benefit from Aspiring
Solicitors employability workshops and one-to-one mentoring/coaching.
b) Commercial Awareness Competition
Our unique commercial awareness competition has now been running for
five years, and over 1,350 student participants from over 40 universities took
part in 2018/19.
In 2019/20 students will again enter the competition individually and will
develop their knowledge of the legal profession, client sectors and how
economic and political developments impact on both, as they progress
10
through the competition. There are five rounds in the competition, and
students will be placed into teams for the semi-final and final. The winning
team will once again receive over five weeks’ work experience with our
sponsoring firms and Barclays Legal, and a suit courtesy of LexisNexis.
Promoting this competition will be a crucial part of your role, as you will need
to sign up at least fifteen students from your university.
c) Legal work experience
(i) Barclays Legal Work Experience Weeks
Each year, Barclays provides 50 Aspiring Solicitors members with a one-
week work placement with Barclays Legal Team at Barclays’ headquarters
in Canary Wharf. BLEW is an opportunity to join Barclays’ legal teams for a
week of unique insight into the working of an in-house legal team and how
it supports a world-leading financial institution. The programme delivers
structured sessions over five days including work shadowing, workshops
and networking opportunities.
(ii) GLS Diversity Summer Scheme
The one-week GLS Diversity Summer Scheme is for five students. The
students on the scheme undertake a legislation and litigation exercise, go on
tours of Parliament, meet with GLS lawyers and receive advice on careers.
(iii) Barclays Think Talent
Aspiring Solicitors partners with Barclays Legal and four law firms to deliver
a unique legal work experience for our members with Aspergers Syndrome.
Supported by Simmons & Simmons, Dentons, Reed Smith and Hogan
Lovells, successful candidates spend a week in one of the law firms followed
by another week at Barclays Legal.
(iv) Additional work experience programmes
In addition to the above, we are also working with companies such as Virgin
Money, Network Rail, and XTX Markets in delivering additional opportunities
for AS members to gain legal work experience. Further information can be
found on the AS website.
d) HeadStart
Written and delivered by our expert Employability team, our HeadStart
application workshops are unique. They focus on forming a practical
strategy for your vacation scheme and training contract success, a targeted
applications workshop, a panel consisting of those who have recently
obtained a training contract and the opportunity to network with successful
AS members who have recently secured training contracts or vacation
schemes. The workshops take place across the UK and in 2019, over 200
students attended these sessions.
11
 Section One

e) Diversity-specific events
Our five flagship, diversity-specific events – Ability, Culture, Social Mobility,
Pride and Women in Law – are designed to increase awareness and
understanding of underrepresented groups in the legal profession. Attended
by over 400 of our members and a significant number of legal professionals
from a variety of firms, you will listen to personal career journeys and hear
from expert panels.

f) Professional Ambassadors
Unique within the legal profession, our network of over 600 Professional
Ambassadors range from global managing partners to associates, trainees
and paralegals, to HR and academic professionals, across over 100 different
firms and legal organisations, AS Members can contact any Professional
Ambassador to ask questions regarding their career, diversity or firm,
amongst other things.

Section Two
Your role as
a Campus
Ambassador
• Key requirements of the role
• Monthly schedule of activities
• Managing the Facebook page
• Promotional material
• Arranging a visit from the AS team
• Hints and tips from former ambassadors

12 13
 Section Two
The role of Campus Ambassador is
broadly to promote awareness of our
organisation at your university and to
encourage others to become members and
use our services. Campus Ambassadors
are the main point of contact for Aspiring
Solicitors on campus and you represent
our brand throughout the academic year.
1. Key requirements of your role
The main responsibilities of your role, and how we will assess your
performance, are:
• Increase the number of students registered as members from your
university (you will be given a target specific to your university).
• Promote the Commercial Awareness Competition and ensure that at least
fifteen individuals from your university enter.
• Manage the content of your university’s Aspiring Solicitors Facebook page
and use the social media schedule (provided at induction) to post regularly
on the page throughout the year.
• Communicate all the Aspiring Solicitors opportunities and events to law and
non-law students at your university through a variety of different methods,
depending on what works at your university (Facebook groups, emails,
careers/employability newsletters, lecture shout outs etc).
• Organise an Aspiring Solicitors stand at your Freshers Fair and, if possible,
the law fair, and represent us at both these events.
• Hold at least two ‘meet and greet’ drop-in events in your law faculty in both
the Autumn and Spring terms, to enable students to talk to you informally
about Aspiring Solicitors
• Organise a visit from Aspiring Solicitors to your university, in both the
Autumn and Spring terms.
• Build links with, and liaise with, the law society at your university to ensure
that all Aspiring Solicitors events and opportunities are promoted to law
society members.
• Build links with, and liaise with, other societies at your university, which
may have members interested in law.
• Promote all Aspiring Solicitors events, such as our flagship events
through your Facebook page, relevant Facebook groups, and through
lecture shout outs etc.
14
• Introduce yourself to key careers and law faculty contacts at your
university, so that they know you are representing Aspiring Solicitors at
your university.
• Assist with the recruitment of the 2020/21 Campus Ambassador,
including promoting the vacancies at your university, recommending
good candidates, and organising Q&A sessions on what being an
ambassador involves.
• Have a handover meeting with the next ambassador.
• Have a handover meeting with a Aspiring Solicitors Universities Officer
at the end of your role.
2. Schedule of activities
Over the summer/before September:
Activities/Responsibilities:
• Introduce yourself to the law society president at your university as the new
AS Campus Ambassador, and check that AS events can be promoted
through the law society. If this won’t be possible, let Alison know asap.
• Introduce yourself to key law faculty and careers contacts at your university
(A Universities Officer will email you to let you know who these are)
• Find out how Aspiring Solicitors can have a stand at the Freshers Fair, and
start to organise this if possible.
• Liaise with the Universities Officer to add your details to your university’s
Facebook page (you will be contacted about this)
• Book your place on one of the Campus Ambassador inductions in
September (you will be sent a separate email about this)
• Have a handover meeting with the 2018/19 Campus Ambassador(s) at your
university so they can update you on what’s been happening and anything
that requires attention going forwards at your university.
September
Activities/Responsibilities:
• Attend a Campus Ambassador induction in London or Manchester.
• Finalise your attendance at the Freshers Fair, and represent Aspiring
Solicitors at this event.
• Organise your first ‘meet and greet’ in your law school to introduce yourself
to as many law students as possible.
• Do lecture shouts outs, or give out AS leaflets at the end of first year
lectures, so that all first years are aware of AS.
• Start to promote the Commercial Awareness Competition. This is a very
important part of your role, as you need at least fifteen students to sign up
from your university.
15
 Section Two
• Start to promote any other AS events coming up in the autumn (the
Universities Officer will email you separately about these).
• Liaise with the Universities Officer to organise a visit to your university in the
Autumn term. If AS has already organised a visit to your university, through
the careers service or law faculty, Alison will let you know.
• Schedule September posts on Facebook (see separate social media
schedule).
October
Activities/Responsibilities:
• Start to promote three of the AS flagship events: AS Culture, AS Social
Mobility and AS Pride (social media posts will be provided for these).
• Continue to promote the Commercial Awareness Competition.
• Liaise with the Universities Officer to organise a visit to your university. Your
visit should be finalised by the end of October, if possible.
• Contact AS alumni at your university to see if you can organise an ‘AS
success stories’ panel event at your university. The Universities Officer will
contact you with further information about the alumni.
• Post October posts on Facebook.
November
Activities/Responsibilities:
• Hold an AS visit to your university. You will be responsible for all the
organisation and promotion of this event.
• Schedule November posts on Facebook.
December
Activities/Responsibilities:
• Hold an AS visit to your university.
• Schedule an end of term catch up call with one of the Universities Officers.
• Complete the Winter activities form (this will be emailed to you).
• Schedule December posts on Facebook.
• Start to plan your Spring term activities, including another Meet and Greet in
February, and another AS event or workshop.
January
Activities/Responsibilities:
• Start to promote the 2020/21 Campus Ambassador roles at your university.
Full information will be given on this in January, but it will include:
• Lecture shout outs/emails to all first and second year law students.
• Holding a Q&A session in your law school to promote the roles and
encourage students to apply.
16
• Recommending applicants to us.
• Promoting the vacancies on your university’s Facebook page.
• Organise the second AS visit to your university.
• Start to promote AS First.
• Start to promote HeadStart.
• Start to promote the 1st year events which our partner firms offer.
• Schedule all Facebook posts for January.
February and March
Activities/Responsibilities:
• Start to promote AS Aspire (more information will be given on this nearer
the time).
• Continue to promote the Campus Ambassador vacancies.
• Continue to promote AS First.
• Continue to promote HeadStart workshops.
• Continue to promote the 1st year events our partners firms host.
• Schedule all Facebook posts for February and March.
April/May/June (depending on your university’s Easter holidays
and when your exams start)
Activities/Responsibilities:
• Hold a handover meeting with the new ambassador to brief them on your
activities for the year, what worked etc.
• Complete the Handover document with all details about your activities and
contacts throughout the academic year.
• Have a handover call with the Universities team.
• Continue to promote AS Aspire.
• Schedule all Facebook posts for April, May and June.
3. Managing the Facebook page
There is an existing Aspiring Solicitors Facebook page for your university,
through which you will promote all Aspiring Solicitors activities and
opportunities, and any events we are organising at your university.
You (and your joint lead ambassador if there are two of you) will be added to
the administration team for the page, and the Universities Officer will be in
contact with you all to set this up. This will give you editing rights to the page,
so that you can repost and share content from the main Aspiring Solicitors
Facebook page, and also add posts about any events we are hosting at your
university.
17
 Section Two

In order to ensure that all Aspiring Solicitors Facebook pages are posting To organise this event, please:
similar content, and we are all sharing the same messages, please only share 1. Liaise with your Universities Officer about the best dates for this to take
and post articles and posts from the main Aspiring Solicitors page or the place, and check with their schedule first. Our events calendar gets
ones provided on your social media schedule, and only post official Aspiring booked up very quickly for October and November, so it’s great if you can
Solicitors images/jpegs which will be emailed to you. Please do not repost be flexible with dates.
from other law firms’ pages and/or legal news websites unless explicitly 2. Liaise with the law society, law school, careers team, or any other
clarifying with us first. societies/individuals who will be able to help you promote the event.
Co-hosting the event with a society or as part of a careers session is a
Aspiring Solicitors also has a main Twitter account, a LinkedIn account, and
great way to reach a wider range of students.
Instagram. The only social media page that you need to look after is your
3. If your university is not in London, please confirm with the co-hosting
university Facebook page. Please do not set up any other social media
society as to whether travel expenses can be reimbursed. As we are a
accounts for your university under the Aspiring Solicitors name. If any other
small organisation, we do require travel expenses to be reimbursed where
social media accounts exist for your university (e.g. a Twitter account), please
possible; we will always book as far in advance as feasible to minimize
let Jonathan know straightaway.
cost and it will always be for one speaker only (unless expressly discussed
otherwise).
4. Promotional material
4. Book a venue to host this event at your university.
A key part of the role is distributing our promotional material in the law faculty
5. Promote the event! Make sure you and the co-hosts are making regular
and at events. Most of this material will be given to you at the Campus
Facebook posts. The week before the event, ensure that you are making
Ambassador induction, which is why you are required to bring a large
as many lecture shout-outs as possible to spread awareness.
suitcase. Once you have run out of all this, please let the Universities Officer
know and we can have some more sent out to you. As with any other event, please collaborate and co-ordinate a visit with the
Law Society and/or Careers/Employability Teams and other societies to
Previous ambassadors have given out this material at freshers fairs, law fairs,
ensure that our visit doesn’t conflict with any other event or opportunity.
at meet and greet/drop-in events in their law faculty, at the end of lectures,
and at any AS events they have organized for us. For some of your universities, we may have already planned a visit with the
law faculty, and we will let you know about this as soon as possible. If a
This year we will have a range of items for you to distribute, including flyers,
visit is already in place, we may ask you to organise a drop-in session or
bags, Success Stories and the Legal Diversity and Inclusion Directory.
workshop afterwards, so that we can get the most out of our time at your
university/institution.
5. Arranging a visit from the AS team
At Aspiring Solicitors, the best part of our work is the interaction we have
with students. We are passionate about our aims and want as many students
as possible to see that for themselves. Therefore, we are asking each
ambassador to organise two visits to your university/institution during the
academic year to hold either a talk or workshop.

We currently offer the following talks/workshops;

• CVs and Application Forms
• Interviews and Assessment Centres
• Commercial Awareness
We are happy to deliver the workshops in a different format (e.g. as part of a
longer session with the law society) but please clarify with us first with regards
to the content and logistics of what you would like so that we can confirm it
is feasible.

18 19
 Section Two
5. Hints and tips from former ambassadors
“Being a Campus Ambassador is about accepting the
responsibility that the position brings you. You need
to prioritise your commitments right and that includes
always being updated to the latest news surrounding
Aspiring Solicitors. A few key things are to make
sure that you introduce yourself to the students and
all the different societies, and to be open to different
opportunities. Communication is crucial so don’t be
afraid to email lecturers, different societies (even those
unrelated to Law) or even the SU because building
such connections is going to further your reach and
help you promote Aspiring Solicitors.”
Lilla Raykova
Former Campus Ambassador
“Utilising social media and taking advantage of
Facebook groups specific to each course and year
group is a great way of raising awareness of AS; my
university has Facebook pages for each year group
etc. so posting on those regularly is very helpful.”
Ellie Gilbert
Former Campus Ambassador
20
“ Engage with your fellow law and non-law students.
A lot of students who are non-law, want to do a GDL
after their undergrad are not aware these law-based
events also apply to them. Apply to a wider audience
and you will reap the benefits too! Ensure you respond
to messages or comments on the Facebook page
within a few hours. This is very basic professionalism
you must adhere to. You are representing an
organisation who have put their time and faith in you
to spread the word, therefore maintaining an active
role is essential for this role.”
Kirsty Henton
Former Campus Ambassador
“The UWE committee organised a commercial
awareness competition that mirrored the format of
the AS national commercial awareness competition.
This competition has been the biggest driving force for
engaging students with Aspiring Solicitors. We now
have far more students aware of Aspiring Solicitors
then ever before and we were able to organise
something on behalf of Aspiring Solicitors that really
benefits students.”
Ellen Goodland
Former Campus Ambassador
21
 Section Two
“Liaising with the Law School for help running events
and promotion was highly beneficial because it meant
that there was more interaction with and awareness
of AS throughout the whole of the university. By doing
this, I also developed crucial skills which I need to
become a successful solicitor, such as communication
and organisation. AS has not only helped me to secure
a vacation scheme myself, but I have been able to help
other students on their path to become solicitors.”
Gemma Sprules
Former Campus Ambassador
“At BPP Waterloo, we arranged an informal taster
session for students who felt that they might benefit
from a Commercial Awareness Workshop with Aspiring
Solicitors. We examined a recent FT article, conducted
a SWOT analysis from a commercial perspective, and
we discussed the pros and cons of different business
structures. This proved to be a great way to interact
with potential members, as it gave students a taste of
the range of events that are available to them through
Aspiring Solicitors.”
Giselle Williams
Former Campus Ambassador
22
“ As an AS Campus Ambassador, my main tip is to
be as creative as possible! Aspiring lawyers at your
university will undoubtedly be looking for unique
ways to learn more about becoming a city solicitor.
Try to think outside the box when planning events
in collaboration with societies and consider ways to
diversify the posts you make on the AS social media
pages. it’s also very important to manage your time as
a campus ambassador effectively. Be sure to keep on
top of scheduling your regular online posts. Dedicate
time to organise a good on-campus AS event, but
also don’t forget to spend time promoting as well, to
get as many interested Law and non-Law students
there as possible”
Naomi Owolabi
Former Campus Ambassador
“Setting up a stand at our law reception has helped
raise awareness of Aspiring Solicitors because the
one-on-one approach helps target students personally
as opposed to through anonymous emails.”
Renana Lev
Former Campus Ambassador
23

Section Three
Extra benefits for you
• Developing key transferable skills
• Attending flagship events
• Additional advice and assistance
24
Section Three
Aside from helping to increase diversity
in the legal profession, being a Campus
Ambassador will provide you with a
number of opportunities to increase your
chances of securing a vacation scheme
and/or training contract.
We will assist you in doing this by:
1. Helping you develop your key transferable skills within your role.
2. Providing you with additional advice on applications, interviews and
assessment centres throughout the academic year.
3. Guaranteeing you a place on one of our AS Flagship events taking place
in 2019/20 (if not part of Aspire).
4. Guaranteeing a place on one of our HeadStart events for our highest-
performing ambassadors.
1. Enhancing your training contract/vacation scheme
applications by developing key transferable skills
As a Campus Ambassador you will develop a wide range of skills, for
example: organisational skills from planning your events, team working
skills, leadership skills and project management skills just to name a few.
Law firms expect to see a developed set of transferable skills in their future
trainees. We will provide you with advice and assistance on how your role
can help to demonstrate these, how to improve these qualities within your
role, how to talk about them on your CV and application forms as well as how
to demonstrate them at interviews or assessment centres. We can provide
guidance on this.
2. Guaranteeing you a place on one of our AS Flagship
events taking place in 2019/20
We will email you with further information about this in September/October.
There may also be some firm open days places available for ambassadors
who have already attended flagship events. Ambassadors who have a place
on AS Aspire will not be able to have a place on a flagship event.
3. Securing additional advice and assistance
We offer committed campus ambassadors additional advice and assistance
with application forms and mock interviews as we believe that it is important
to reward commitment and dedication. It is another way of us saying thank
you for your help!
25
 Section Four

General FAQS
These are some of the most common
questions we are asked at events and on
campus. Please make sure that you are
familiar with all the responses, and have
a detailed knowledge of AS and what we
offer. If you are ever asked a question about
AS, and you are not sure of the answer,
please contact Jonathan.

What is Aspiring Solicitors and what are our objectives?

The primary aim of Aspiring Solicitors is to increase diversity in the legal
profession. We have three long-term goals:
• To provide free access, opportunity and assistance to students from four
underrepresented groups;
• To educate and inform the next generation of the legal profession about the
importance of diversity; and
• To promote and encourage diversity from within the profession.
We work with over 40 law firms and legal teams to provide events, mentoring,
competitions, employability assistance and access to the legal profession.

How does Aspiring Solicitors help students?

?
We offer events, two coaching and employability programmes (AS Aspire
and AS First) which include mentoring by legal professionals, as well as
employability workshops and competitions, to develop our members’

Section Four
employability and to support them in vacation scheme and training contract
applications.

Who can apply for Aspiring Solicitors events?

Frequently asked
‘Diversity’ has a broad meaning and Aspiring Solicitors is committed to
increasing diversity across all underrepresented groups in the profession.
Aspiring Solicitors considers “underrepresented” groups to include aspiring
solicitors who are:

questions
• Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic; and/or
• At least two of the following: a primary carer; from low income families,
state school educated (whether in the UK or overseas), first generation to
attend university, refugees and those who have been in local authority
care; and/or
• Disabled and/or who have and long term health conditions; and/or
• LGBT+.

26 27
 Section Four
Commercial Awareness Competition
What is the prize?
Five weeks’ worth of legal work experience at our sponsoring organisations
for each member of the winning team, and a bespoke suit.
How many people have taken part in CAC to date?
1,350 in 2018/19, 1,500 in 2017/2018, 780 in 2016/2017.
Who can take part in CAC? Do you have to be a university
student?
You have to be in at least your first year of university, and all graduates are
welcome. You must be an AS member from one of our four underrepresented
groups.
You enter as an individual and may be put into a team at a later stage.
What are the different stages/rounds of CAC?
The first two rounds are general knowledge questions about the commercial
world.
Further rounds are centred on commercial analysis; how well the students
understand key commercial issues; and how well they can link in the key
commercial news.
If I entered CAC last year and didn’t get past the first round, can
?
I enter again?
Yes! If you fit our eligibility criteria and are not holding a training contract offer,
you can apply every year.
When does the final take place?
In 2019, the final took place in January.
If you win, when do the work experience weeks typically take
place?
It depends on the availability of each winning member. Work experience has
taken place in April, May, June and July in previous years.
28
Employability & Events
What events do you hold?
We hold our flagship diversity-specific events, events with law firms for those
on AS Aspire and AS First and other events as advertised on our website.
What is AS Aspire?
?
AS Aspire is our flagship, enhanced employability programme. The
programme includes bespoke careers coaching throughout the academic
year from our expert legal employability team, as well as the opportunity to
attend specific open days and be mentored by one of our partner law firms
or legal teams.
AS Aspire is open to any member from one of the four underrepresented
groups who has completed the first year of a Law degree or the penultimate
year of a non Law degree. This means that all graduates (whether studying
or working) are also eligible.
You can apply between October and July each year, for the next academic
year. The programme starts in September each year.
You will be coached via fortnightly appointments by one of our Employability
Team, during which time we will help you form an application strategy, go
through your application forms with you and conduct mock interviews. You
will also attend events with our partner law firms.
Aspire candidates from specific diverse backgrounds can also benefit from
one of a number of bespoke mentoring schemes. These are: Freshfields
START, Dentons BAME, Bristows STEM, Barclays & TLT mentoring and the
Black AS programme with Mayer Brown, Reed Smith and HSF.
What is AS First?
AS First is a bespoke programme for Aspiring Solicitors members in the first
year of a Law degree or first or second year of a non-Law degree.
On AS First, you will be invited to a workshop, have feedback/coaching
sessions with our team and be invited to law firm events.
AS First is open to any member from one of the four underrepresented
groups in the first year of a Law degree or first or second year of a non-law
degree.
You can apply between September and January of each year.
29
 Section Four
What is HeadStart?
HeadStart into Applications is a one-day workshop focussed on vacation
scheme and training contract applications and assessment centres. We hold
12 HeadStarts throughout the country in June and September each year.
Any AS member who is applying for vacation schemes or training contracts
is eligible to apply.
HeadStart into Vacation Schemes is a one-day workshop for those who
have obtained a vacation scheme in the UK or Ireland. We focus on how to
convert the vacation scheme into a training contract offer. We hold seven
workshops throughout the country in March, April and June.
How do you screen people for all events?
We screen each person on an individual basis. We look at academic grades
to date, with a particular focus on all completed university modules, work
experience & employment, and extra curricular activities. We consider
mitigating circumstances if applicable.
What different events do law firms host?
There is a great deal of variety and this can sometimes depend on the law
firm. In the past, we’ve had open days, insight days (like a more thorough
open day, usually lasting the whole day), case workshops, skills workshops,
?
and networking sessions.
Will my travel be reimbursed for events?
We reimburse travel expenses for the majority, although not all, of our events.
Travel for all firm events and diversity-specific events are reimbursed.
Are the law firm events only in London? background.
No – we partner with firms who have regional offices (e.g. TLT and
Shoosmiths) and firms which operate outside of London too (e.g. Shepherd
& Wedderburn).
Flagship Diversity Events
What are your Flagship Diversity-specific events? How long will my role as a Campus Ambassador last?
These five annual events feature a range of legal professionals from different
firms, talking about a specific diversity demographic. These include:
• AS Social Mobility (to promote understanding and confidence of being
socially mobile in the legal profession)
• AS Pride (to promote understanding and confidence of being LGBT+ in
the legal profession)
• AS Ability (to promote understanding and confidence of having a disability
or long-term health condition in the legal profession)
30
• AS Culture (to promote understanding and confidence of culture and
religion in the legal profession)
• AS Women in Law (to promote understanding and confidence of being a
woman in the legal profession)
Work Experience Programmes
Does AS offer any work experience?
?
We offer work experience programmes with our partner law firms and legal
teams. Previously, we have worked with Barclays Legal, Virgin Money,
the GLS, XTX Markets and others, to deliver various work experience
programmes exclusive to AS members. Full details are on our website.
What is the Think Talent programme?
Aspiring Solicitors has partnered with Barclays Legal and four law firms
to deliver a unique legal work experience for our members with Asperger
Syndrome. Successful candidates will spend a week in one of the law firms
followed by another week at Barclays Legal, enabling the candidates to
appreciate the different dynamics between private practice and in-house
legal work in a leading financial services company such as Barclays.
Professional Ambassador Network
Who are the Professional Ambassadors and how can I contact
them?
Our Professional Ambassadors are legal professionals, practising lawyers,
future trainees or graduate recruitment/HR professionals, who can all
give an insight into working in the legal profession from a certain diversity
Our Professional Ambassadors can all be found under the ‘Member Services’
tab on the AS website.
Campus Ambassador FAQS
The ambassador role lasts for one academic year, from September –
May/June.
Can I create a University/Aspiring Solicitors Twitter Page?
No, you are just responsible for managing the content of your university’s
Facebook page.
31
 Section Four
How much can I post on our Aspiring Solicitors Facebook page?
You will be given clear guidance from the Universities Officer on what you
should be posting on your university’s Facebook page. You will be provided
?
with a social media schedule at the beginning of the academic year, which
will detail most of the content you need to post on Facebook throughout
the year.
What are the expected time commitments for this role?
There are no specific time commitments for this role. There are general
expectations that the Campus Ambassador should uphold, which are
explained in Section 2. However, you are not expected to spend a minimum
amount of hours working during this role, just as long as it takes to fulfill your
responsibilities.
Can I contact law firms or invite law firms to university events?
Contact with law firms is restricted due to the on-going discussions
Aspiring Solicitors has with various law firms throughout the UK. If a law
firm’s ambassador at a university would like to do a joint event with you,
please contact the Universities Officer to discuss this in more detail. It is
essential that you do not contact law firms without our prior approval.
Can I contact pro-bono organisations to arrange events or
work experience?
Yes, but again please get prior approval from the Universities Officer before
contacting charities or other third parties.
32
“ Being AS Campus Ambassador has been an invaluable
experience: it made me get out of my comfort zone and be
proactive. During this process, I met new people and expanded
my network. The most important part for me is that I was
promoting a great organisation and I feel that I was able to help
students get in touch with AS and get the best out if it in order
to reach their potential. I also learnt that diversity can be your
asset as long as you believe in yourself.”
Elena Chadarova
Former Campus Ambassador at the University of Southampton
“ Being a Campus Ambassador has developed my
communication skills and my ability to network as well as
enabling me to build on my organisational skills and confidence.
I have met many new people including professional contacts
(both on and off-campus) and students from a range of courses
and year groups. The experience I have gained has proven
invaluable to my future career in the legal sector and the skills
I have developed will no doubt continue to be of use throughout
my working life.”
Feven Damtew
Former Campus Ambassador at the University of Sussex
“ Aspiring Solicitors are not only committed to increasing
diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, they are
committed to opening windows of opportunity for
underrepresented students.”
Kirsty Henton
Former Campus Ambassador at the University of Greenwich
“ Committed to increasing diversity
in the legal profession.”

E: info@aspiringsolicitors.co.uk
W: www.aspiringsolicitors.co.uk