Any city solicitors who can advise DD?

[RedDiary]

DD wants to study modern languages at Bristol and is thinking of taking a gap year as well

She has a longer term plan to go into law.

I wondered if you could let us know your thoughts on the following-

• will a languages degree from Bristol be reasonably well thought of? I know quite a few people do a conversion rather than a law degree.
• Is there anything you'd suggest for her gap year that might help her application in future? She can't find any work experience programmes for school leavers, they all seem to be for people further along.

Thank you!

Yes I know lots of Bristol language grads as city sols and barristers. Languages are actively sought by city firms.
Re gap year - I would get her to do some travel to use the languages she is going to study. The best thing she can do is put herself in a position to get a first. Also she will need to be orally v fluent to be useful so anything she can do to improve her spoken language is good.
I would also get her to do a good long stint in a public facing retail or hospitality services job. Pub, restaurant, mobile phone shop. Law is a services business and you need to know how to deal with clients professionally and defuse situations which are not of your making in a polite and professional way. I was one of a v small group of people choosing trainees in my city firm for a few years and I didn’t offer to anyone who hadn’t held down a customer facing job, no matter how shiny their oxbridge degree was.