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I am about to finish university and am on a vacation scheme. I have found out I need to resit one of my papers which was flagged for a high AI content. My resit mark will be capped at 40.

A board convened to consider my case and I submitted evidence. They found in favour of likely AI misapplication and therefore gave me the punishment above.

I have done some reading into the SRA character and suitability guidelines and it does not seem clear how strongly they rule on plagiarism, even though it is noted as a factor. I read an FOI in 2022 which said that they had not refused to admit a candidate due to academic misconduct for several years.

One option I am considering is going an early assessment to get the result. However, I am worried that no time will have elapsed for me to show improved character.

Any advice or help on this would be appreciated.

Hey all,

First of all I’ll preface by saying this is premature, and I do not actually have the TC offer. But I am on a vacation scheme where the offer rate is 90-100% for my office, and a TC is likely, so this has been playing on my mind a bit and I’m looking for thoughts.

My reasons for applying to this office are: it’s a sizeable city, good firm, 90 mins from home, and I was just generally looking for legal experience.

However I’ve also been fortunate to have some other legal experience this summer in London, and it’s really made me want to work there. I’m sure I’m romanticising a little, but it really feels like the place I wanna be and build a career, I cannot see myself in this other city long term.

Beyond that, while this firm is really great, they don’t offer a few of the practice areas that I’d really love to try out in their regional offices. The pay is also significantly less both as a trainee and as an NQ, I’d still be house sharing in this city. And their funding during my GDL and SQE years is not great so I’d definitely still have to work alongside both.

I know I’d be very fortunate to get a TC anywhere, and a lot of people say just to qualify and then move. But I don’t know. When I look at the next 4 years, it’s two really hard courses, while having to work at the same time. Then two training years, on a low salary, maybe not doing some of the areas I’m most interested in (though there are still many), away from family and friends. A big part of me wants to just take a risk, try for a London firm next year (my final year), maybe one with higher funding and salaries, and build my career there. As a non-law stem student I’m not even 100% set on law, I wouldn’t mind trying something else out so I may also apply for grad schemes and the like, though they are also obscenely competitive.

I don’t know, would this be monumentally stupid?

I applied for the JMW solicitors work experience (JMW Inspire) in May and have not heard anything back yet.
The scheme starts in July.

Has anyone else applied to this ? If so have you heard back yet ?

Hello!
I recently received all my second year grades back, and was worried whether any would potentially hinder me from applying to MS/SC etc firm's
I achieved 69s in (eu module and technology in the law module), and 65 (tort, land) I also however achieved a 59 in equity.
In oct/Nov of 2nd year I also applied to 7 VS's, with help from a dei recruitment organisation and was not able to achieve any, maybe because of the contract 2.2 in first year?
In first year I achieved 74 (public and policy), 70 (practical legal skills) 63 (criminal law), and 53 (contract law)
I also did a spring scheme at one of the magic circle firms (slaughters) and have visited 3/5 MS firms for open days, and brand ambassadored for one as well,
I was interested particularly in slaughters especially after the spring scheme, but I know they are focused on grades, would one high 2.2 be enough to deter? What about the other ms/sc's?
As for extrcurriculars I have done 4 mini pupillages, advocacy training, sports, own a business, have done one week work experience with a top northern law firm in the property and real estate, and am involved in the law clinic, citizens advice and social mobility organisations as well as an ethnicity based organisation focused on education of children
I am hoping my Extracurriculars will help with applications, but am worried the higher tier law firms might reject my applications once third Yr begins because of the 2.2
Thank you in advance
Gura

Hello!
I recently received all my second year grades back, and was worried whether any would potentially hinder me from applying to MS/SC etc firm's
I achieved 69s in (eu module and technology in the law module), and 65 (tort, land) I also however achieved a 59 in equity.
In first year I achieved 74 (public and policy), 70 (practical legal skills) 63 (criminal law), and 53 (contract law)
in second year I did not received any VS (applied to 7, mostly silver, 1 ms, regional firms)
I also did a spring scheme at one of the magic circle firms (slaughters) and have visited 3/5 MS firms for open days, and brand ambassadored for one as well,
I was interested particularly in slaughters especially after the spring scheme, but I know they are focused on grades, would one high 2.2 be enough to deter? What about the other ms/sc's?
As for extrcurriculars I have done 4 mini pupillages, advocacy training, sports, own a business, have done one week work experience with a top northern law firm in the property and real estate, and am involved in the law clinic, citizens advice and social mobility organisations as well as an ethnicity based organisation focused on education of children
I am hoping my Extracurriculars will help with applications, but am worried the higher tier law firms might reject my applications once third Yr begins because of the 2.2
Thank you in advance
Gura

I go to University of Aberdeen and my average for this year is 77.8% (high 2:1 at my institution). My first year grades are 1:1, 1:1, 1:1, 1:1, 2:1, 2:1, 2:2, 2:2. I am worried that these 2:2 (69% both respectably and less than a mark off a 2:1) will hinder me. I will also like to note my best grade is a 1st in contract law at 87%. For reference my degree is 4 years and I can only apply for first year schemes this coming year and the type of firms I'm going for are outside the silver or magic circle (like CMS, Addleshaw Goddard, Pinsents, BCLP). I would like to also add I have had very very good work experience this year alone: Dyson in house legal counsel internship, 1 week at Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast and confirmed royal courts of justice London with an Immigration Judge. I have a very wide range of extracurriculars (orchestras, sports, societies) and have even co founded my universities commercial negotiation society.

NA

Hi everyone, is there a general expectation/limit on when final year students can apply for paralegal roles? I am currently waiting for my marks for some of my modules and won't receive them until mid-July. A quick search on LinkedIn and I saw multiple openings in practice areas that I am interested in (either from optional modules or previous experience). Is it fine to apply regardless, or should I wait until I receive the marks back?

I don't have a preference on start date and don't mind starting as soon as I have final classification.

Hi TCLA!

I am facing uncertainty about where it is worth applying to certain firms given inconsistency in my grade profile. I am aware that firms like HSF want a 2:1 in every module. I know Slaughters look for a high 2:1, but I am unsure whether that requirement pertains to the average or module grades. I would really appreciate anyone sharing specific names of other firms that are pickier with grades.

For context I go to a RG uni and am studying law. I am aware that most firms take a “holistic” approach, but would really appreciate insight into the firms that care more about grade specifics! Thanks

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if my chances for a TC at a MC/SC firm are over. I got my dissertation results back and it was a 2:2, however the rest of my transcript was strong enough to pull through, and my overall wasn’t impacted too much so i still graduate with a 68 overall. However does the 2:2 in that one module eliminate my chances of a TC despite my high overall?

My name is Sharan, I just finished my first year studying Law at SOAS, University of London and it’s been pretty amazing so far!

I am wondering if there are any tips regarding writing a cover letter for the winter vacation scheme with Vinson & Elkins.

Hi everyone,

I’m an Indian law student, and my course structure is a bit different from the National Law Universities (NLUs). Despite that, I’ve completed a few strong internships and have worked as a paralegal with small international firms.

I’m now hoping to apply for training contracts and vacation schemes, but despite my research, I haven’t been able to find clear guidance or resources.

I’d really appreciate help from this community on how to explore international opportunities, specifically:

• How can I apply for training contracts and vacation schemes as an Indian student?
• Which firms are open to considering applicants from India or with non-traditional academic routes?

Any advice, experiences, or resources would be extremely helpful. Thank you so much in advance!

Hey guys, I have made a list of things that I look for in a firm and one of them me is intellectual property being an area that they work in. I really enjoy it and I wondered if anyone knew any firms that even had IP as a seat perhaps?

TIA

Edit: wrong section for my query

Hey everyone,

I have been thinking for quite some time to write about this journey because nothing good comes from just within. I thought that this could be an area where I can remember to apply and actually hold myself accountable. In terms of my background, I am about to graduate from a decent RG university, I have good grades, I have a vac scheme at a reputable firm and I also have middle east experience, where I have interned at 3 UK/US firms in the MENA region and one MENA firm where I gained experiences into a lot of different practice areas.

Aspirationally, I know I want to experience corporate and finance seats, but I also want the opportunity to go for competition and tech seats. So its very wide and I do tailor my applications depending on the firm's strengths but I find myself interested in these areas for certain.

I have done 2 cycles, my first cycle I wrote 9 or so meh applications and received one VS. However, after not converting my VS into a TC, I felt some concern as an international student and academically, but I also knew that I could work hard to ensure I get to that place. This cycle I wrote 18 applications, and I actually liked a few of them. However, I only got one VI, a few test invites (which I then messed up due to issues in prioritisation), but ultimately I learnt a lot. For example, I learnt that Jones Day really does get back to you within 15 days, was pleasantly surprised there.

I know theres a good amount of Direct TCs still open, and seeing as a lot of firms align with my practice area interests, I will be getting back into applying to them properly. I have 10 applications remaining, and these are the ones I am considering:

Reed Smith
Eversheds
RPC
WFW
HFW
Macfarlanes
White & Case
Stephenson Harwood

I'm going to set a time on the weekend where I talk to you all about the processes and what I did in the week.

Amat victoria curam.

Hiya,

I have my first vacation scheme, how do I best prepare to convert the vacation scheme into a Training Contract ?

Thank you,

Hi

@Jessica Booker , @Ram Sabaratnam , @Amma Usman / Others, do law firms that sponsor students for full-time SQE impose any restrictions on part-time work during the LLM SQE ?

Thank you.

Hi everyone,

I'm currently in the process of submitting my application for the Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) Kramer Internship in Hong Kong, specifically targeting their arbitration team.

I've hit a significant roadblock with a technical glitch on their online application portal, and I'm hoping someone here might have encountered something similar or can offer advice.

In the "Education Details" section, the "University" field is marked as mandatory, but when I click on the dropdown menu, it's completely blank/empty. There are no options to select, nor is there any free-text field or an "Other" option to manually input my university name. This is preventing me from proceeding with the application.

I've already sent detailed emails explaining the issue (with screenshots) to both [email protected] and [email protected] but I haven't received a response yet.

Has anyone else experienced this specific issue with HSF's portal, or any other firm's application system, where a mandatory field offers no options whatsoever? Also, are there any other general HSF Hong Kong recruitment or HR email addresses that I should try contacting?

Any insights or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

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Hey everyone,

After years of lurking on TCLA, I’ve finally decided to step out of the shadows and start sharing my training contract journey.

So many of you have kept me going through the rejections, the rewrites, and the late-night Legal 500 rabbit holes — so now I’m hoping to do the same for someone else. If you're feeling stuck, behind, or just plain lost... you're not alone.

Here’s a bit about me:

• Law grad with a First from a Russell Group uni (yes, with a couple of rogue 2:2s along the way — it happens)
• Completed one vac scheme with a transatlantic firm
• Now in my third application cycle and still figuring it out

For a while, I completely stopped applying. The constant rejections before even getting to interview were draining. But I’ve picked myself back up and I’m giving it another proper go — targeting the few direct TC applications still open this cycle.

I’ll be using this thread to track my progress, wins, fails, and everything in between. Hopefully, this becomes a space where we can share real tips, keep each other accountable, and maybe even celebrate a few offers together.

Hi everyone,

I recently had an interview with Slaughter and May and got a rejection a few days ago.
I am not sure whether maybe my case study report wasn't good enough (will try and ask) – anyhow, I've been wondering how everyone prepares for those? I didn't do an LLB in the UK, so I'm not sure if a lot of the case study practice usually happens as part of university law societies etc.
I have done the TCLA course case study but – if I remember correctly – there was only one business case study, and I am looking for sources that have a number of them (incl. suggested solution).

Thanks in advance for any tips

Hey! If I could get some clarification on whether you can give the online tests for Linklaters Applications (Ex-Watson Glazer) once or it is different for different programmes. For example if you are not able to clear the online tests for the vacation scheme then would you not be able to apply for other applications like direct TC applications.

Hi All,

I have a BSc Biomedical Science (graduated 2016) and MSc Neuroscience (graduated 2018) and currently work in Research & Development in the public sector as a Senior Contracts Associate which involves drafting, reviewing and negotiating research contracts with universities, charities, other collaborating institutions and liaising with/escalating research contracts to our in-house counsel where appropriate.

The next step above my current role is to Contracts Manager and then you hit a glass ceiling of if you want to go any further, you obviously require a legal qualification. I've pondered a great deal about where to go from this role and I think it's best that I pursue a career as a solicitor. The formal legal training and qualification I believe will open a lot of doors for me and I believe I have the capacity and appropriate skills to excel in a role as a solicitor.

My question is this, does it make sense for me to apply directly to training contracts as a non-law graduate with minimal legal exposure. I know they say in the TC entry requirements that they take non-law graduates but is that just something they say in theory but realistically when competing against bright, fresh-out-of-uni law grads a non-law grad is just not going to fare well? I've seen that a potential option for someone like me might be going via the paralegal route and then from there that firm may support me in enrolling onto their training contract - I've seen Macfarlane offer this. I guess this is all fairly new to me and I'm just looking for some guidance. I wouldn't want to start applying prematurely to firms without knowing what route might suit me best.

Also for context and to complicate things slightly, I'm currently pregnant with my second child due in October so I initially started off thinking how I could spend this next maternity leave to improve myself i.e. take the Postgraduate Diploma in Law? I've seen some paralegal roles wanting legal background like the PGDL so perhaps during this maternity leave I could make a start on PGDL and then once complete try and secure a paralegal role and then from there pursue a training contract?

Thank you for taking the time to read and advise me.

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to actually get past the first stage of the Linklaters vac scheme/TC application, since it's just a Cappfinity test with no written application? I've applied 4 times and gotten rejected every time after the test, and I was just wondering how anyone even gets past this stage!