Weightmans work placement awaits for 'natural' lawyer Alex

First year Law student, Alex Earley, has beaten stiff competition to claim a work placement at the prestigious solicitors’ firm Weightmans over the summer.

Alex will join Weightmans, who are in the top 45 law firms in the country, at their Old Hall Street offices in Liverpool, which is one of 11 bases the company has across the UK.

"When Alex stands up and talks, you could actually think he’s a real barrister."

Alex shone at the recent Bar Mock Trial National Final at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, with both positive feedback from high-ranking judges and his teammates hailing him as a ‘natural’. Now that he’s experienced performing in the role of a barrister, he’s looking to sample other areas in the legal field.

Alex said: “I’m really excited about the opportunity. I feel like I’ve got some experience under my belt around how the Bar works, but now I get to understand how solicitors really operate and learn about that area of Law.

“I’ve always had in mind that I’d like to be a barrister but I’m very much open to other possibilities and it’ll be great to be able to approach my decisions with an informed and balanced approach.”

Applicants for the position had to submit a 500 word piece on why they’d like the placement at Weightmans, and Alex’s success in gaining the post may have had a lot to do with the strength of his CV.

He said: “I’d like to think that the Bar Mock experience would strengthen any application. Both that and now this Weightmans placement will really help on my UCAS form when I apply to university next year to take Law too.”

Fellow Law student, second year Melissa Andrews said of Alex after last month’s Bar Mock Trial Final in the imposing surroundings of the Royal Courts of Justice: “Alex was amazing. He actually helped me with my speech and he’s such a natural. When he stands up and talks, you could actually think he’s a real barrister.”