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Hi all,

I find myself in a very privileged situation with a TC offer and a summer vacation scheme offer elsewhere.

I am currently doing the SQE and have been given 2 weeks to accept/reject the TC offer. This obviously would mean that I would be required to accept the TC offer well before the vacation scheme takes place. What makes the situation particuarly complicated is the TC firm would like to financially cover the remaining part of my SQE studies (just completed SQE1). I understand when you become financially tied to the firm and reneging becomes extremely difficult. I was wondering what penalties I may face if I later choose to renege post summer vacation scheme in this scenario?

Additionally, I was hoping for clarity in terms of what steps I can take. Should I try ask the summer vacation scheme firm to expedite me on a direct TC process if that is a possbility. I enjoyed the vacation scheme firm more and their practice areas align more with my interests but the dilemma of having a guaranteed TC is spinning my head. Any clarity or thoughts on steps I could take will be appreciated.

Thanks!

@Jessica Booker

Did anyone applied for Edinburgh/Glasgow 2025 traineeship? Has anyone heard back from the virtual interview yet?

Hello, has anyone done the assessment centre for CMS this cycle?

Hello,

I am in my final year of studying law and slightly unclear on next steps. I have applied for vac schemes last year and this year, but with little success. What should my next steps be? Just keep applying for vac schemes? Try and apply for training contracts?

Thanks for responding, I am just lost right now.

Please can anyone who has done their SQE2 prep with ULaw share their experience on the course and the most efficient way of getting through it alongside ULaw's teaching structure and materials? Or even if you didn't prep with ULaw, would still be helpful to get your insight on how you approached SQE2 prep.

Context — I started the LLM SQE1&2 prep course with ULaw in September 2024, just sat my SQE1 in January 2025. I am prepping for SQE2 now with ULaw. So would be helpful to get some thoughts from those who prepped with ULaw specifically on how you used ULaw's materials and teaching to supplement your SQE2 prep.

Steps to take during the course
From what I have read and heard so far about the ULaw prep course for SQE2 is that the workshops which teach you the 'skills' aren't massively helpful because to some degree all they're teaching you is 'common sense'. And even for modules which are perhaps more foreign to us e.g. advocacy / interviewing, they still aren't teaching you anything substantive about the skill itself, more so just giving you a chance to practise with your peers or practise legal research / writing under timed conditions during the workshops.

I am aware that the main chunk of work for SQE2 prep is actually keeping my FLK fresh. But I don't know HOW specifically. Obviously wouldn't make any sense to engage with FLK using practice multiple choice questions anymore as with SQE1, but how exactly did you approach refreshing your FLK? Did you narrow it down to specific topics and practise recalling the information in long, written-form / the form that we will be examined in? If so, how did you go about doing this? If not, what else did you do to prep?

One of the things I regretted with my SQE1 prep is not having gotten into the habit of doing practice questions and learning from them sooner. So if anyone could share any mistakes you were making with SQE2 prep that you wish you had realised sooner and share any specific, actionable steps that I can take to cut to the chase, that would be extremely helpful.

Additional materials
I have also heard feedback that the main issue with ULaw is the lack of mocks available (they only provide one or two?) which many felt didn't adequately prepare them. Please can anyone share (whether you were with ULaw or not) whether the mocks your provider gave were adequate and whether you had to invest in materials from other providers to supplement your learning? If yes, what were some paid or free resources you used that you found helpful?

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for applying for a TC to a firm you currently work at as a legal assistant/paralegal etc.? Especially for the "why firm" part - how would I leverage on my current experience at the firm, beyond just saying something vague like "everyone has been really nice to work with"?

Hi all! I was wondering if I could get some insight from anyone with more legal experience than me.

I am looking at applying to an international White & Case paralegal role. It is the first of its kind I am applying to, so I am slightly unfamiliar with the process.

Would you recommend I include a cover letter? There is no mention on the application form over what information to include, but I am aware that a CV is needed (and likely an academic transcript).

What should I include in my cover letter, and should I address it to the jurisdiction's office that I am applying for?

Thank you in advance!

Hi all,

I was just wondering whether anyone has received a response from TLT in relation to the Beyond Programme yet?

I understand the assessment centre is due to take place at the end of Jan/start of Feb and I am yet to receive a response either way.

hi has anyone done an AC for TLT or CMS 2025 as ive got one for both firms next week and im super worried, could really use the advice or tips from ppl who have done one.

I am a First Year Law student and I am looking at requirements for Vacation schemes for next year. My A-Levels didn’t go to plan due to some problems I dealt with. In short, my school life wasn’t at all great; bullying from a teacher and kids through secondary, getting SA’d by a guy in my year, my grandad getting cancer around exam period.
That’s the general gist of it. I got ABBB at alevel, the law firm needs AAA. I know there are other firms but this is more of a question out of curiousity. Would I be able to use these issues as mitigating circumstances, or would it hurt my career more so to do it?

Hey everyone.

I'm a first-year undergraduate at the University of Aberdeen. My work placements to date have been a week shadowing 2 barristers in the High Courts of London and working in a smaller but notable Highstreet Firm in Belfast specializing in Criminal law, Medical Negligence, Family law, Litigation and Conveyancing.
For some background information, I achieved relatively highly on my GCSEs (888877765) but absolutely screwed up my A Levels (BBD in Maths, Music and Biology. I dropped Chemistry after Year 12 due to it being too much work for me) as my parents wanted me to study medicine and forced me to do the related subjects (albeit Music because I have a diploma in piano etc).
I managed to scrape my way into Aberdeen through clearing and have achieved a comfortable first on all of my first-semester modules as well as just begun working at the local Citizens Advice Bureau.

My problem arises that whilst I have been consistently labelled as "eager" and "proactive," as I am navigating the many avenues that my Law Degree can take me, I already have the impression that pursuing any opportunities in Commercial and Corporate law are at a dead end due to my especially poor A level results and the University I go to (whilst my impression is based on various rankings, Aberdeen is a very prestigious University that has consistently ranked in the top 15 Law Schools in the UK and beaten numerous Russel Groups). In all honesty, I was just grateful to get into University anyway and due to how much work and tears I shed at A Level I find myself feeling more comfortable than my peers. even more so coming from a working-class background and the first in my family to go to University).

However, I feel that even though I feel like I am thriving in my higher academic position, receiving several work-experience opportunities as a first year and that A levels are not representative of my potential, I fear that many competitive and larger firms will simply ignore any valid reasons or strengths I have shown just because of my A level grades. Because of this, I'm unsure whether there is any point in me even beginning to pursue an interest at a Magic/Silver Circle or any BigLaw firm as I would simply be represented by a series of bad grades that didn't go my way due to very nuanced reasons.

That being said, I have found that my skill set lies primarily in the fact that I can work with and talk to absolutely anyone (I have been asked several times why do I not pursue a career in sales instead) and have shown this by previously having volunteered in a severely understaffed hospital ward and grown up around mostly upper-class kids (meaning I've effectively had to adapt to suit anyone's preferences).
This is why even as a first year, I excel in 'networking' and creating lasting impressions on senior Law figures and have also managed to receive a 1-week placement with Dyson's IP department and potentially a placement at Eversheds Sutherland (and also the placements mentioned at the top of my post).
Unfortunately, I feel this key strength of mine is irrelevant to any big city firm and have slowly been saddened at the prospect that I may never work for a notable firm. I have a genuine interest in global commercial affairs but I feel like this doesn't make a difference.

Is there any point in me even looking at this forum, open days or opportunities concerning Corporate Law anymore? What's the point if all of my skills are buried beneath my crap A levels.

I am not looking for any sympathy and apologize if it has come across to anyone that I am looking for it. I thought I had gotten past the pitfalls of being judged for my grades and that thriving in my Law degree would be enough but I am coming to the realization that none of that matters.

I'm in the very fortunate position of having passed ACs for both CMS and DLA Piper - happy to offer tips to anyone who's yet to go through the process (not that I'd feel especially qualified for this!)


However, the CMS offer is for a direct TC, and DLA for a Summer Internship. I really liked DLA, more so than CMS - but the option of just accepting the CMS TC and not having to worry about passing an internship is tempting. If the DLA offer were for a direct TC I'd accept that without hesitation.


Has anyone been in a similar position, or have experience working at either of these two firms? Also, does anyone know the typical % of students who end up going on to pass the DLA Summer Internship?

Hi there,

I have an AC tomorrow for SM. It only involves a written assessment and a group project.

I believe the group project will involve 'factors that will impact the profession in the future'.

No idea about the written assessment - will it involve drafting legal documents? I don't have paralegal experience so I'm worried it will.

Please, please, please bombard me with tips/anecdotes/advice.

Thank you.

Hi everyone,

I’ve recently been invited to complete the pre-assessment centre written task for the BBC. However, I’ve received very little information about what to expect. All I know is that I’ll have 5 hours to complete the task via HireVue, but I’m unsure of how to approach it.

Should I treat it like a case study, as one might in a typical assessment centre, or take a different approach? I've also been unable to find much information about this specific task online.

If anyone has experience with this or any tips, I’d greatly appreciate your insights. Thank you!!

Hi! I've been invited to a Macfarlanes assessment centre next month. I was wondering if anyone had any tips or had any recent experiences at the firm that they could share

Hi everyone, how can I best prepare for a situational judgement test? for law firms in general

Hi All, In writing a letter during TC assessment centre, do you include the firm's address on the top right side of the letter or insert letterhead manually?

Keeping this as a sort of diary! I just graduated from a top 10 British uni with a non-law 2:1 this year. No GDL (hoping to find a firm to sponsor me!). This is my first ever attempt at securing a TC.

NB any incorrect punctuation in firm names is deliberate so it is harder to track my postings - an attempt to stay anonymous here so any GR remain unbiased

Interested in SouthWest firms, and a couple in Cambridge. Definitely not London. Hoping for more of a PrivateClient base, and particularly hoping to qualify into Family. (I know this is TCLA but hopefully this is still ok to post - I have had so much help from this forum already just from lurking and perhaps my posts might help someone else.)

Applying to:
- Charles.Russell.Speechlys
- Michel.mores
- Foot.Anstey
- TLT-LLP
- Burges.Salmon
- Ashford.s
- RWK.Good.man
- V.W.V.
- Harrison.Clark.Rickerbys
- Mills.&.Reeve

CURRENT STATUS
- Missed deadline for Irwin.Mitchell (gutted. thought it was in Jan, not Dec)
- PFO from Mills.&.Reeve after psychometric test and personal statement :/
- Applications in progress for Michel.mores and Foot.Anstey.
- First application to C.R.S. sent off, crossing fingers for second round! Feel quite positive about this one. I researched a lot and think it was tailored to me and the firm well. We'll just have to see what they think.

Feeling:
- slightly down from M&R rejection so soon into the cycle, and the stupidity of missing IM applications altogether!!!
- trying to remain hopeful and keep pushing on - determined to not let it affect my other apps
- favourite firm is Michel.mores, with C.R.S. close second. After that, I am not too picky. But if C.R.S. reject me at this stage, I will be gutted

Fingers crossed for everyone. Will update as emails come in / I send off applications. I also work full time so it is taking me up to each deadline to get it done... But we'll all get there in the end!

Hi,

I have an interview upcoming with Slaughter and May, and I know they tend to quiz you on why certain grades were lower than others. My second year grades were lower than my first year grades, but still were not bad. Is it worth mentioning that the cohort as a whole scored poorly because of a changed exam format and I stil ranked comfortably in the top 20% of students, if so how would I do this without seeming like I am not accepting responsibiltiy for getting lower grades?

Thanks

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to self-fund the SQE2 this year and would love to hear from those who have already taken it, particularly if you went through the exemption route (I completed the LPC in 2022) and have enrolled in a prep course (or not). I am a paralegal, working full-time and will have obtained 100% of my QWE early 2026.

I'm interested to know more about the following:

• Preparation: How did you prepare for the exam? Which provider did you go with, and would you recommend them? Did you find their resources comprehensive and helpful? How many months did you spend revising, and how did you balance your study schedule if you were working or had other commitments? As someone who completed their LPC a while back, how should I go about revising FLK?
• Advice: If you could go back, what would you do differently in your preparation? Are there any tips, resources, or strategies that you found particularly helpful for passing?

I’d really appreciate any insights or advice as I decide on my study and exam approach. Thank you in advance for sharing your experiences!

Hi all,

Looking for recommendations for the better prep courses or alternatives for SQE2.
I did my GDL and SQE1 through COLP, and am in no hurry to return to them!

Has anyone heard of or used the course on In House W? Or what about the Revise SQE2 books?

Thanks,
Amy

Answered

For those that have completed the LPC and the SQE 2, how did you find it and the SQE 2 exams, especially with the FLK and how did you study for it? As someone that has completed the LPC a few years back, sitting the SQE 2 now seems to be about re-memorising all the FLK/black letter law. Some people have said FLK comes up a lot while others noted it makes up only a small part of the SQE 2 exams.

Just submitted a VI , but I got cut off just as I was wrapping up my answer for the final question. Not too sure how much made it through. Anyone hear been in a similar position, and did you get progressed?

Hi all.
I am a third year non-law undergrad and have only begun my law journey within the last year. I applied for a couple of vacation schemes but wasn't successful, so I am wondering what to do next. I will be moving back home to Nottingham in the summer, and have been considering enrolling on the University of Nottingham Law LLM, or a law conversion course at the local ULaw campus (I can't afford to self fund so I would need to do a course that has government/sfe funding available). However, I also think I could spend a year applying for vac schemes for Winter 25-Summer 26, hoping to secure a TC through these. If I did this and did not sit a conversion course, I would try to find some sort of legal work – maybe secretarial or something that wouldn't require law experience – obviously this may be rather hard given the current jobs market nationally, and the commercial law market in Nottingham.
I am looking for advice as to what my next steps should be. I understand that a law conversion course is not strictly required in order to secure a TC, but would it help my application at all, over the second option? My main worry is that I am unable to find legal work and have less on my CV to show my interest in commercial law.
Thank you all for your help, I look forward to hearing back.