What young lawyers can be doing to ensure they are connected without opening up too much  

Growing up in the digital age is nothing short of amazing. With endless resources and information at our fingertips, relying on internet-based communities and using digital apps to complete everyday tasks is commonplace. While the rest of the world, from ordering takeout to dating, has caught up to the realities of our digitized world, other areas like traditional education have largely maintained stagnant. This is where PREP comes in.

The Practice Readiness Education Program or PREP was designed by the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED), a non-profit organization that provides the training students require before becoming a lawyer in Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan. The organization is launching PREP in June 2020, designed to turn today’s law school graduates into the lawyers of tomorrow.

Built on best practices around the world, PREP delivers practical skills and competencies in an integrated approach that combines interactive, transactional learning and simulation within four distinct phases, each providing you with an opportunity to interact with lawyers, instructors and even simulated clients to improve your competencies.

It is changing the game on how law students are honing their skills. PREP not only rethinks the delivery method of curriculum, but it also has allowed for an unprecedented platform that is accessible on any mobile device and tablet for easy-to-use training wherever you go.

One consideration surrounding PREP is how it can best integrate with the lives of those who use it. A natural point of interaction between the new platform and its users is social media. CPLED has a robust social media presence that offers real-time updates on local events, can answer any questions related to PREP and the curriculum and can help young lawyers connect with each other.

Wondering about transitioning your online presence from college to career? Here are a few tips on how to ensure your social media presence is ready for the professional world.

• Trust your instincts. If you are wondering to yourself whether or not something is ok to post, you probably shouldn’t. Also, it may be time to delete any leftover partying photos from university. You’ll always have the memories, right?
• Leverage professional platforms. While Snapchat may be fun to connect with friends, it won’t exactly get you prepared for the professional world. LinkedIn is a great social platform that is focused on connecting industry professionals and sharing information. CPLED has an active LinkedIn presence and by following them today, you’ll instantly be connected with the legal community in Canada.
• Consider privatizing accounts. In addition to step one, locking down your accounts will make sure you retain some privacy while still being able to share your life with your friends and family.

Social media is a fun and powerful tool that can be extremely beneficial to your network-building as you develop into a professional. We hope you use these tips to ensure you’re getting the most out of the platforms from a professional sense and would invite you to follow CPLED on Facebook and LinkedIn to keep up to date on all of our exciting news and developments.