New Threads

This thread is for the general discussion of the Article #32 The Legal Profession This Week - Parliamentary Controversies. Please add to the discussion here.

This thread is for the general discussion of the Article Trainer Trouble: JD Sports to Sell Footasylum. Please add to the discussion here.

This thread is for the general discussion of the Article Analysis of the Week: Holding Interest?. Please add to the discussion here.

This thread is for the general discussion of the Article Hampered Hiring: KPMG and the REC Report on Candidate Shortages. Please add to the discussion here.

Hey everyone! New here so just wanted to get your thoughts on my situation below and my chances of securing a TC. I know a lot of my chances will hinge upon my ability to write applications/perform in interviews, but any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

I completed the GDL in June 2020 and the LPC in June 2021, achieving a commendation in the former and distinction in the latter. My A levels were AAA and I got a mid-2.1 from a Russell Group university. In terms of legal work experience, since early 2020 I’ve worked in an admin role at a law firm, however, I completed an online vacation scheme at a City firm in summer 2020 and have done weeks here and there in City firms (a mixture of internships and work experiences).

I’ve had a couple of years out of applying due to some family issues at home and to concentrate on the LPC, and I am finally looking to get back into applying for vacation schemes/training contracts. However, I’m worried about the changes to the qualification process and how law firms will see the gap between completing the first vacation scheme and now, as well as self-funding the LPC. Do you think this will affect my chances of securing a VS/TC? What do you think are my best options going forward? Thank you!

Hi everyone,
I found out yesterday that I'm through to the grand final of the Aspiring Solicitors' Commercial Awareness Competition!! Is anyone else through to the final? How are you preparing? Anyone get through on previous years? How did you prepare? How was the day? I think it's unlikely that I'll win (I'm baffled that I got this far) so I'm curious about what opportunities come up just from being in the final - does anyone who's been in previous years know?
Thanks

I was wondering how to go about answering the interview question 'where do you see yourself in 10 years?'. This is a question I struggled with in an interview last year so I am keen to have a really strong answer this time around.

Should I focus on a particular area of law I am interested in and would like to practice in or more long term goals like senior associate? Or equally should I mention more unique characteristics to the firm such as innovation/tech?

Hi everyone,

I'm a future trainee starting my TC in August 2023. I'm also a final-year undergraduate law student graduating in June 2022, and I will have to do my LPC in between 2022 - 2023 (my firm isn't switching to the SQE for now). I'm currently trying to negotiate my LPC dates with my firm, but we've run into a few issues.

Most previous trainee cohorts at my firm have done the full-time LPC (September - June). However, I'd like to do the Accelerated LPC so that I can use the extra time to work as a paralegal or do something else (I worked for a few years before I could start uni, so I'm slightly older and have a bit of financial pressure to start working full-time again). We're currently discussing 2 alternative options to the full-time LPC:

Option 1: Do the Accelerated LPC from August 2022 - end of February 2023, and then spend March 2023 - the start of my TC in August 2023 working. This has been done before by a number of (British passport holding) trainees in previous cohorts. However, the problem that is I'm an international student and we understand this may cause visa issues. I'm not concerned about having to leave the UK in between March - August 2023 because I can work in my home jurisdiction, but the issue concerns whether I can still receive my work visa to start in August 2023 if I do this. Neither Grad Rec nor I are entirely sure about this (we just know it's potentially problematic), so I was wondering if anyone has done this before or knows whether this is possible?

Option 2: Spend June - December 2022 working, do the Accelerated LPC from January - July 2023, and start my TC in August 2023. I've heard this is common in MC firms, but my firm doesn't have a massive intake and they don't really have trainees who have done this previously. A senior I spoke to told me that there's a concern BPP (unfortunately, I can't change provider) could be slow in releasing my grades in July, which could potentially delay my work visa and ability to start in August 2023. Grad Rec isn't really thrilled by this prospect either because nobody has tried it at the firm. Does anyone have experience with this?

Apologies for the long post, and thank you in advance for your help!

So I had an interview last week for a vac scheme, and got a rejection today. I'm feeling lost and dejected because I thought it went so well, only to get this result. I feel like I have good experience, I got a 1st class, and work hard on my applications and interview prep. Just not sure where to go from here.

Hi
Will I be asked to so a case study during my Stephenson Harwood interview ?

Hey @Jessica Booker

I have a few questions regarding referees I was hoping you could answer.

I’m in a bit of a strange situation. In my work experience sections for VAC schemes I have put down the company names that I have ‘worked’ for but I have always technically been a contractor. All of my roles have been sales related and I have been paid commission without a salary. I have also never been registered as self employed or submitted any self assessment filings because I have never earned over the personal threshold. I realise this is probably a massive oversight and I’m terrified that a reference agency is going to pick this up if I am offered a VAC or TC. I obviously have transactional proof of money coming into my account but am still worried!

Also, for a separate venture I was a director of a company. How will an agency gain a reference for this? Will they bother?

Thanks for all of your help!

Hi,

Does anyone have any tips for writing a good Slaughter and May Cover Letter?

Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone could detail any trade-offs between chosing the PGDL over the GDL for someone looking to complete vacation schemes next year.

I also wanted to ask what would qualifying under the new SQE regime look like? I presume I cannot complete a training contract this way, but surely this does not matter as most corporate law firms will have transitioned to the new standards, at least by the time I qualify (2025 / 2026)?

I have a feeling it might be better to study the PGDL under the new regime, but I also feel I might have to wait a few years before commercial law firms will catch up to this new mode of training.

Very quick question and not sure who would be best to answer this. Perhaps a recruiter.

What does the legal market look like for trainees (silver circle) looking to make a lateral move to a transactional department in a magic circle firm? I am sure MC like to recruit from there own, but is there a decent market out there for SC trainees looking to make the move? On LinkedIn (from my limited research), it seems far more likely that SC move to US firms rather than MC. Not sure how true that is.

Thanks

Hi - following the post regarding “I got a training contract after ten years”, it got me thinking of reading online (I can’t recall where, so I do not know if it is a reliable source) that law firms tend to only accept candidates that have completed the LPC within the last 3/4 years. They like candidates to have completed it recently than a while ago. Does anyone know if this is correct?

It is great to read that you can still hope to get a training contract after years of applying. The candidate clearly had a lot of determination and tenacity. Being a mature candidate myself, does anyone have knowledge of which law firms that take candidates for training contracts with life experience? It puts me off applying to firms that do not indicate or promote diversity on their careers pages of accepting candidates from a variety of backgrounds such as non-Russell group universities, age and career changers. Some only give the qualities/competencies they are looking for and no other information which leaves you thinking if it may not be the right kind of firm for me.

Thank you.

Hi folks,

Basically, I have been met with rejection after rejection in the last cycle. I have BCC in my A-levels, a first-class LLB degree from non-RG uni, and then a distinction in an LLM from a RG uni. I have some mitigating circumstances for my A-levels. I also have 9 months' experience as a paralegal, which is my current role. I have 3 mini-pupillages with very respectable barristers' chambers. I also have a couple of awards from Inner Temple for students from underrepresented backgrounds.

However, with all these things, I still cannot secure a vacation scheme or training contract. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong, other than there being strict cut off A-level requirements. I am just feeling a bit hopeless. I worked so hard to make up for the bad A-levels, and it's beginning to feel like it didn't matter.

I'd really appreciate some words of encouragement or people in similar circs that have managed to get a VS/TCs to offer their guidance.

Hi guys,

I have recently been offered a Training Contract at a firm in London. I have worked there for three months now as a paralegal, having finished my LPC in July.

Problem is, one of the partners is the most awful and rude person I have ever met. He constantly derides me and regularly tells me I’m a F****** idiot. He will look for absolutely any opportunity to bollock me and specifically does it when there isn’t anybody around to witness it.

I’d love to be able to just brush it off, but I can’t. I genuinely feel sick at the prospect of having to work with him. Everybody at the firm knows how difficult he can be, but for some reason he is so much worse with me and I am hating every day.

Should I just walk away before I commit to the TC? I appreciate how lucky I am but the prospect of the next 2 years working with him just seems like something I can’t get through. Surely it’s better to leave now than stick it out?

Further to this, it will then mean that I have lasted only 3 months in my first legal job which won’t look great on my CV…

I’d love your thoughts or if any of you have experienced the same thing. Everybody else at the firm is lovely, but it’s a small team and often there will just be 2 or 3 people in the office. Thanks for your help!

Hi All, I am feeling very lost about what career I would like to pursue now I have finished Uni so I was wondering if anybody could speak on their experiences. I completed a law degree but tbh I didn't enjoy it as much as I expected so I am now questioning whether I should pursue a career in law. As I haven't obtained a TC I am skeptical to take the paralegal route as I don't want to regret not pursuing another career in the event that I still can't get a TC after years in a paralegal position. If I don't decide to pursue a legal career can anybody suggest another industry which may be suitable to a law grad? I enjoy the problem solving side of law and would like a career with good progression. For some reason I have this feeling of failure that I wouldn't be utilising my law degree by becoming a solicitor. I was wondering if anybody took the paralegal route and successfully gained a TC and how long it took them? If somebody could speak on their experience and give me some advice it would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Hi everyone, just wanted to have some thoughts on imposter syndrome - if this is something that anyone else is struggling with at the moment and how you deal with it.

A bit of background about me, I’m female and in my mid 20s. I completed the MA Law conversion in 2019 and then went into a paralegal role. I’ve recently started my training contract with the same firm and they’re sponsoring me through the LPC part time which I’m incredibly grateful for. Although I’ve performed well academically, I went to a state school and I’m 1st generation to attend uni in my family. I’ve always struggled with imposter syndrome but recently it seems to have been getting worse.

I think it stems from 2 places:
1. Feeling like I’m not good enough/don’t belong.
2. Feeling guilty/like I don’t deserve the opportunities that are being given to me (especially when I see friends who are still unable to get TCs).

I know imposter syndrome is quite common (especially for women), but it would be good to hear of other people’s experiences/tips on how to overcome these feelings of self-doubt/guilt.

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance

Hi everyone,

Looking for a bit of advice if anyone has been in a similar situation. I am currently in a great non-legal role but have TC lined up for Sept 2023 (starting the LPC in September 2022). It's such a long gap and I'm questioning what I should do in a few ways. At the moment, I'm planning on leaving my current role in July or August 2022.

When should I let my current manager know that I will be leaving? I have been at the company for a number of years and have a lot of respect for my manager - I know they would be disappointed and I want to give them plenty of time to find a replacement (it's a fairly niche role with a lengthy application/interview process). Should I consider working a few hours week or part-time while doing the LPC if that's an option? I'm 90% sure I want to focus solely on the LPC but also wouldn't mind a small income as the LPC grant isn't huge.

Thanks

Hello, I recently applied for an Open Day with White & Case. The Open Day is happening next Tuesday (23 November 2021) and I've not heard the outcome of my application yet. Has anyone heard back from the firm? I don't know if the reason I've not heard back is because I've been rejected I just wished they would tell me so I can stop checking my emails every day