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University of Limerick pioneered the first cooperative education programme in Ireland and currently has one of the largest student placement programmes in Europe. Graduates from UL have an excellent employment record in all industry sectors with the employment rates of UL graduates significantly higher than the national average.
Our undergraduate programmes (Law Plus, Law and Accounting, BA in Criminal Justice) require our students to undertake a 6-8 month pioneering clinical placement as an integral part of their education.
This long and sustained commitment to law in action has ensured that students get vital clinical experience with prestigious employers such as A & L Goodbody Solicitors, Holmes O’Malley Sexton, Matheson Solicitors, Mason Hayes and Curran Solicitors, Arthur Cox Solicitors, LK Shields, William Fry, KPMG, Deloitte, PwC, MaplesFS, Grant Thornton, Ernst and Young, ESB Networks, the Courts Service, Allianz Ireland, Legal Aid Board, and GE Capital Aviation Services, to name but a few.
Such clinical experiences contribute to the educational journey of our students and also greatly enhance their employability.
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Our Law students participate in to one of the largest placement programmes in Europe. Some 1,600 employers participate in the programme annually and about 75% of these employers also employ UL graduates.
These compulsory work placements which are arranged by the University allow employers access to possible recruits for future requirements, while giving students invaluable experience of working in a professional organisation.
The organisation is striving to become self-sustainable and as a result I had the opportunity to be involved in many exciting projects such as assessing PPRCs contribution to the UN sustainable development goals and writing project charters for funding for projects such as the solar, hostel and the livelihoods projects (this is an initiative to enable some of the young adults in the special needs training centre to live independently in the community).
I am surprised with how busy I have been and the quality of work that I have been given. Most prospective law interns have visions of themselves standing in front of the photocopier all day, but this has not been the case in RDJ.
The unique aspect of Keating Connolly Sellors as a placement opportunity was that I received trust and responsibility from each head of department, since the firm wanted to provide me with the opportunity to learn and gain as much experience as possible during my placement.
Each member of staff has helped me at some point, from scheduling documents or becoming accustomed with the case management system used in the office at the beginning of my placement. More recently, I had the opportunity to accompany and aid solicitors at auctions, High Court settlement talks and meetings with counsel.
Consumer protection law is a practical topic to have knowledge about. The amount of times I was contacted by friends asking about warranties and other various consumer rights that summer was incredible. What was even more incredible was that I actually had the knowledge, thanks to my supervisor, Clara Thornton, who provided me with an interesting variety of work.
I was a member of the paralegal team. A paralegal is usually a law graduate or co-op student who is there to support solicitors in the firm, particularly the litigation department. As a team, we worked well together which added hugely to my experience and taught me the importance of having respect and good relations with colleagues. I also had the opportunity to assist the marketing manager in the firm which gave me a great insight into the work involved in maintaining a high reputation in a competitive market.
As a law student, I understand how lucky I am to be working in a top five firm. MHC truly lives up to its reputation, it is a firm that really cares about the atmosphere in the office and ensures that everyone feels welcome. They make it really easy to get to know your colleagues on a personal and professional level.