If you want to date Taylor Swift, but you live in NZ, you can’t dance, don’t really like pop music and have no connection at all to the music industry, you may just end up disappointed, and lonely. In the legal sector, whether we like it or not, your grades from your law degree will be one of the first things a firm will want to see, especially if you are a grad and have no experience. Some firms have much higher expectations than others, and unless there is something truly incredible about you (see number 3) you’re unlikely to be considered. So, if you’re a B-, don’t set your sights on a firm where they will only look at an A, you will only be disappointed. But there are plenty of great law firms that will look at a B-, and you might even find they are a better match for you and you’ll be happier in the long term.

Recently I was at the LawFest Innovation & Technology in Law conference in Auckland, which by the way was a great event. The moot for the great debate at the end of the day was “Technology will render future law degrees obsolete.” The star of the debate, in my opinion, was Phoebe Clifford, a current student at The University of Otago who argued that so much of what is taught in a law degree does not even remotely prepare you for legal practice. She gave the example of Blockchain, a technology which could revolutionise law, but one in which she has learnt very little about at university. Fortunately, Phoebe will have at least got a basic understanding of Blockchain at one of the earlier sessions.

If you want to stand out from the crowd, get noticed by a person or organisation you really want to be with, sometimes you might need to hit the gym, find a hobby, dress to impress, whatever you think is going to make yourself more attractive. For your career that might include attending conferences, doing volunteer work, writing articles, speaking at conferences, attending networking events, getting connected in your industry. If you are a grad looking for your first role, highlight the things that make you different, prior work experience, sporting achievements, academic achievements.



Finding the love of your life, or a fulfilling and rewarding job is not easy. You probably won’t get it right the first time, but that is all part of the learning. If you are looking for a legal job, we can help, but if it’s dating help you need, you might want to call on a different team of experts.