It is common knowledge amongst many young and aspiring law students that not getting signed to a Big 5 Law Firm is easily one of the worst things that could happen to you upon the completion of your LLB. It is also common knowledge that the only viable route after that final “pens down” moment is articles of clerkship, right? WRONG!
The truth is that very often, as law students, we are presented with the harsh and false reality that our legal journey is to follow a vertical and linear path. It is not often that we are given the opportunity to explore alternative routes. As if it is not already stressful having to deal with the mammoth that is completing this very intellectually demanding and emotionally draining degree, when we finally cross the finish line without having signed anywhere deemed worthy or meaningful, we are faced with a new problem, the severe unemployment rate and the following words, which I guess are meant to be received as consolation: “Law is highly saturated.”
What I believe to be of true importance is allowing ourselves to operate from the framework and perspective that we are not meant to have the same path as our peers and that not following this linear path does not at all equal failure, nor does it automatically mean an unsuccessful future is to be resultantly anticipated. See, the fact of the matter is that it is extremely difficult to view the trajectory of our careers in a light that illuminates endless possibility because, very often, our universities do not necessarily give us a choice. Some of the academic awards and law events held on our campuses are greatly sponsored by these big firms that we ought to aspire to practice at. Modules that deal greatly with corporate commercial law seem to be placed at the very top of the hierarchy, while the rest tend to feel like an afterthought.
Let’s talk about it. All of it.
No Articles, No Future
Securing articles of clerkship tends to feel a little bit like a humiliation ritual at a certain point because of the large number of law graduates produced annually and due to the many hurdles some firms create for law graduates. Whether that be having your own vehicle, a valid driver’s licence and, of course, an “excellent academic transcript”, many law graduates have their confidence completely depleted by the overwhelming experience of seeking articles. But I do wonder if perhaps we are not taking into consideration the fact that law is incredibly diverse and opens doors outside of traditional legal practice that can be equally, if not more, satisfying than working at any law firm. As a law graduate, you can enter the world of corporate finance, compliance and regulation, government roles, risk, policy, consulting, academia and many other industries where your legal training is an asset. Why would a degree that fundamentally and analytically prepares, and very often demands you to think differently and creatively, restrict you to a career that does not allow for any meandering? Of course, there is nothing inherently problematic about securing articles and choosing a traditional legal journey. Finding joy and harmony at a law firm is not anomalous. However, it is crucial to understand and be aware of the endless possibilities that being a law graduate creates for you. Not getting articles does not define you, nor is it a measure of your intelligence or an indication of your competence.
We All Have Different Strengths
While speaking out loud and publicly might be something that one of your classmates is comfortable with, you might be the complete opposite. You may thrive at conducting research and submitting intense, research-heavy assignments where you are given the space to express your perspective thoroughly on paper, rather than vocally. Perhaps you are exceptionally good at building relationships, negotiating, organising, analysing information or working with people. Perhaps you have an interest in business and find yourself fascinated by how companies operate, how financial markets function or how regulation influences commercial decisions. Maybe you are passionate about human rights, policy, academia or public service. The beauty of a legal education is that it exposes you to all of these different ways of thinking.
We often make the mistake of believing that the “best” law student is the person with the highest marks who secures a position at the most prestigious firm. But professional success is not a competition with one universal definition of winning. Your strengths may not necessarily be rewarded by the same environment that rewards someone else’s. One person may flourish in litigation. Another may thrive in compliance. Someone else may discover that they love research and eventually pursue academia. Another may use their legal background to enter banking, investment, corporate governance or regulatory affairs. None of these paths are inherently more legitimate than the other.
Your First Job Does Not Have to Be Your Final Destination
There is also an enormous amount of pressure placed on graduates to make the “right” decision immediately. We are expected to know which area of law we want to practice in, which firm we want to work for and what our five-year plan looks like before we have even had the opportunity to experience the working world. If we do not have everything figured out by graduation, we somehow convince ourselves that we are already behind. But careers are not always built in straight lines. You might begin your career in compliance and later move into legal practice. You might start in a corporate environment and eventually return to private practice. You might complete your articles and realise that traditional legal practice is not for you. You might discover an entirely different industry that you had never considered while sitting in your first-year law lectures. Changing direction does not mean that everything you did before was wasted. Every experience adds something to your professional identity, knowledge, skills, relationships, resilience and a better understanding of what you actually want. Sometimes the “detour” is the thing that makes your career uniquely yours.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Reshoketsoe Reneilwe Modiba, known as Shoki, is an LLB graduate and an LLM candidate in Mercantile Law at the University of Pretoria, specialising in banking law, insolvency law and transnational business law.
She has experience as a content creator and marketing intern at the Department of Library Services at the University of Pretoria, where her responsibilities included creating engaging reels, static posts and stories to promote library services and communicate important information to students across various social media platforms.
Shoki has participated in several mentorship programmes, including being a mentee in the 2024 For Women in Law intake, where she attended all contact and online sessions and actively contributed in meetings with mentors and guest mentors, while also supporting fellow mentees. She is also a mentee in the 2025 South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges (SAC-IAWJ) programme, where she engaged in regular contact sessions, court observations, webinars and reflection sessions. Through these experiences, she developed skills in legal writing, research and drafting, while gaining insight into court hierarchy, legal ethics and career development.
Outside of her academic pursuits, Shoki is a creative at heart and enjoys writing poetry, short stories and drawing.