Top Legal Websites that Every Law Student Should Follow

Law students’ interests are diverse. Owing to the sheer variety of modules on offer at university, students can dip their toes into anything from commercial law to human rights. However, when it comes to getting work experience in these fields, as many of us know, competition is fierce and it can feel like the odds are against us. But, the number of legal websites created to solve this problem and increase access to the legal profession, is plentiful. 

For the aspiring commercial lawyer

Many students’ legal ambitions fall within pursuing commercial law. After all, the marketing campaigns and early careers work is largely conducted by commercial law firms. This saturated marketing also leads to an influx of applicants, more than firms have spaces for. Therefore, it is key for students to demonstrate an interest in commercial law. 

Websites like Legal Cheek, AllAboutLaw, and LawCareers.Net are the go-tos to demonstrate such an interest. The most valuable offering of these platforms is the events they put on. Their practice area masterclasses, virtual law fairs, and even virtual vacation schemes with interactive case studies, run throughout the recruitment and academic year. Free and open to all, these events are perfect to dispel any misunderstandings you have about commercial law, gain a deeper understanding into all those complicated terms, and network with your favourite firms. While events are the main attraction, these websites also offer insanely detailed firm guides, practice area guides, and commercial awareness updates for you to read. 

For the aspiring civil liberties or human rights lawyer

For those of you wanting to buck the trend, there are multiple resources that tailor to a career in human rights or civil liberties. The main go-tos will be the Human Rights Lawyers Association (HRLA). HRLA is a comprehensive website offering essay competitions which can make you stand out from the crowd, frequent networking events with leading human rights lawyers and academics, and bursary schemes offering paid-for internships. Also, Legal Cheek may occasionally have a human rights feature, keep your eyes peeled for anything of the sort. 

They do say knowledge is power, so keeping up to date with the latest developments in human rights law will never be a bad thing for any relevant job interviews. Human Rights Watch, Chambers Student Guide, and LSE Human Rights are great platforms to keep up to speed. 

For the aspiring environmental lawyer

Contrary to popular belief, environmental law is no longer a niche area of law. Given the heightened level of climate change concern amongst the public and businesses, every lawyer will likely be considering environmental factors in their work for clients. As such, greenwashing, ESG, and business & human rights, are all key buzzwords that the entire legal sector will be heavily considering in the years to come. 

Students with an interest in environmental law are hence not short of resources to make their highly relevant interest shine through in commercial awareness questions or interviews. UK Environmental Law Association (UKELA) is the national hub for practising and aspiring environmental lawyers. UKELA regularly advertises for relevant job opportunities and internships, and even offers its highly coveted, interactive mentoring scheme each year. Other resources to boost your knowledge include a whole host of sustainability and ESG blogs. Notable names are ClientEarth, Friends of the Earth, and law firms with particular expertise in the area, such as Burges Salmon. 

Overall, the law is an incredibly large and diverse field. Finding an area where you can confidently and genuinely convey an interest in is an asset for applications, interviews, and developing your commercial awareness. Luckily, whatever area it is, the above resources have got you covered.

Article written by Sammar Masood, law graduate from City, University of London.