Legal Week research finds work placements are more important than ever. But there are plenty of other things law students need to stand out in a tough market, explains Neasa MacErlean

Specialists involved in recruiting trainees to law firms are trying to become more honest. “We have all been saying the same thing to students – that we are fantastic,” says one manager. The inevitable result, she feels, is that trainees are unprepared for reality. She has seen many students taken aback by daily life when they start the training contract: “It’s a shock to the system on the first day.”