Vacation Schemes Training Contract Training Contract Journey SQE

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My Training Contract Journey!

historytolaw
Hey Everyone!

I’ve enjoyed reading all the TC journey posts lately, so I thought I’d start my own! I’m a second-year student history and politics student at UCL (no dissertation stress just yet, thank goodness), but I figured updating this thread would help keep me motivated as I dipped my toes into the legal world.

For context, I do not have any A-Levels due to mitigating circumstances, but I do have an Access to HE diploma, which has left me with 141 UCAS points. So, my application to firms has to be strategic based on their requirements.

So, there are no Vacation Scheme applications for me yet—I don’t meet the eligibility requirements. But I’ve been making progress in other areas! I recently applied for the Clifford Chance Spark Scheme, and I’m anxiously waiting to tackle the Watson Glaser test. I'm not going to lie; I’m feeling a little nervous about it. I’ve heard the Watson Glaser is no walk in the park, but I’m staying positive and preparing as much as possible. Although, I cannot (for the life of me) grasp the assumptions section.

I’m trying to stay involved and build up my experience, even if it’s outside the traditional legal route. Seeing other people’s progress is motivating, and I’m excited to keep working toward those bigger applications next year. But for now, it’s a mix of uni, societies (getting involved in those more!), and prepping for the Watson Glaser.

Wish me luck!
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Undergraduate Results & Impact on Apps

L
Hi!

I would like to preface that overall I did achieve a 2:1 at undergraduate from a very good RG in Accounting and Finance. However, I will provide my grade breakdown and it will immediately become apparent how much my grades fluctuated, much more than the average person's would.

The reason for this post is that I have been attending a lot of events with different firms and two firms including Travers Smith and Willkie have stressed the importance of consistent undergraduate results. Willkie in particular takes undergraduate results into account much more than postgraduate. I have completed the PGDL, the results of which I have also disclosed.

This is honestly kind of distressing because I feel like I am going to be discounted immediately because of the level of fluctuation in my grades. Does anyone have any insight into firms which have said either similar or have made contrary statements to Willkie etc, or does anyone have any advice on what to do.

@Jessica Booker I feel like you would be able to offer valuable insight as well. I do not want a sugarcoated answer if I'm honest, I need someone to be completely truthful about my prospects based solely on my grades.

First Year
Economics – 76
Business Law – 64
Financial Management – 80
Management Accounting – 49
Statistics – 76
Analytics – 40
Financial Accounting – 83
Foundations, Skills and Debates – 66

Second Year
Economics – 68
Financial Reporting 1 – 56
Financial Reporting 2 – 40
Finance 1 – 48
Finance 2 – 60
Business Law 2 – 67
GEB – 65
Entrepreneurship – 65

Third Year
Economics – 58
Equality – 68
CIM – 67
Company Law – 68
Law for Entrepreneurs – 67
Mergers and Acquisitions – 63
Accounting for Sustainability – 80
International Trade Law – 61

PGDL
Contract Law - 75
Tort Law - 79
English Legal System & Con Law - 79
Criminal Law - 73
Law of Organisations - 83
Land Law - 83
Equity & Trusts - 81
Ad Law and Human Rights - 81

I had mitigating circumstances in my first and second years of undergrad, the latter of which was marked as severe by my university's exam board.
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Need Advice - Applying for Vac Scheme & TCs with a low 2.1

O
Hi! I'm relatively new to this website but I just wanted to seek some advice/guidance about my prospects for a legal career.

For context, for my A-levels, I got A* A B. I completed my LLB at Lancaster Uni which isn't a russell group but it is in the top 10 2024 uni ranking (if that helps :/). Due to covid + family issues, I really struggled to get through uni so I only graduated with a low 2.1 and didn't apply for any vac schemes either. I am currently doing the LLM SQE1&2 course at BPP (funded through the postgraduate loan).

So my question is, am I wasting my time applying for vacation schemes/TC's at top law firms (in the top 50), should I aim lower/what type of firms would I be able to get into?

Also, should I apply for direct TC's?

I have almost no legal experience:
  • one vac scheme I did back in 2018 at Allen & Overy (secured through my sixth form)
  • Criminal Mock Trial Competition (2015) - one the case but not in the overall competition.
  • Civil Litigation Mock Trial x2 - won both (2022)
-> I'm not sure if the mock trials are even relevant and if I should include them in my CV or cover letter.

Due to my lack of experience, I wanted to build up my spec by doing another vacation scheme. Tbh I dont know which to prioritize atm and self-funding the sqe isn't really an option for me rn so I am really hoping for a TC. Is this too unrealistic?
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Poor A-level Grades - Is it possible to get a TC ??

ihatelaw
I'm currently studying a non-law course at King's College London (a Russell Group university), and I'm interested in pursuing a career in law. However, I’m concerned that my A-level grades (ABC) might affect my chances of securing a training contract at top law firms.

I understand that academics are important, but I’d love to hear from those in the industry—how much weight do A-levels carry compared to university performance, extracurriculars, work experience, or networking?

Any advice on how I can strengthen my application, given my circumstances, would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your insights!
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"Company/Organisation Referee"

OVLD68
HI, this may sound like a stupid question, but what does this actually mean? I'm a student so I have a reference from my academic tutor, but I'm not entirely sure what I put here. Is it someone I worked for? Another lecturer? The thing is, I have had quite a bit of experience in the past for law, but it never been anything long enough to really warrant a reference.

Any help would be appreciated.
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Where firms recruit from (Vacation Scheme vs Direct TC applications) 2024-2025

Ram Sabaratnam
Hi folks!

To help you develop a well-rounded application strategy, we’ve put together the following thread highlighting where firms typically recruit from—whether it's through vacation schemes or direct training contract routes. We've organised firms into four categories:
  1. Firms which recruit a significant portion of their trainees through the direct training contract route
  2. Firms that recruit primarily through vacation schemes, but have a healthy direct trainee intake
  3. Firms that recruit from vacation schemes in the first instance
  4. Firms that recruit only through their vacation schemes

50%-100% from direct TC applications

Brown Rudnick
Charles Russell Speechlys
Clifford Chance
CMS
Cripps
Curtis
Farrer & Co
Fieldfisher
Freshfields
Fried Frank
Greenberg Traurig
Harbottle & Lewis
Hill Dickinson
King & Spalding
Kingsley Napley
Macfarlanes
McDermott, Will & Emery
Paul Hastings
Slaughter and May
Stephenson Harwood
Winckworth Sherwood

Mostly from Vacation Scheme but with a consistently healthy direct TC intake

These firms recruit predominantly from their vacation schemes, but they have frequently made more than one direct TC offer every year in recent years – a direct TC app to these firms will almost certainly be read and considered seriously for a TC.

Ashurst
Baker McKenzie
Bird & Bird
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
Burges Salmon
Goodwin
HFW
Hogan Lovells
Irwin Mitchell
K&L Gates
Linklaters
Mayer Brown
Morgan Lewis
Trowers & Hamlins
Watson Farley & Williams
White & Case

From Vacation Scheme in the first instance

These firms recruit primarily through vacation schemes. Although direct TC routes exist at these firms, they are typically only used by firms when they don't find enough future trainees on their vacation schemes.

Arnold & Porter
Eversheds Sutherland
Gibson Dunn
Orrick
Osborne Clarke
Sullivan & Cromwell
Travers Smith
*Womble Bond Dickinson

*There is only one option which is to apply for their placement scheme - after the AC they offer candidates who cannot complete the placement scheme a chance to complete a direct TC interview day instead.

Only from Vacation Scheme

Akin
Cleary Gottlieb
Clyde & Co
Cooley
Covington & Burling
Davis Polk
Debevoise & Plimpton
Dechert
DLA Piper
Herbert Smith Freehills
Jones Day
Katten
*Kirkland & Ellis
Latham & Watkins
Milbank
Mills & Reeve
Mishcon de Reya
Morrison Foerster
Paul, Weiss
Reed Smith
Ropes & Gray
Sidley Austin
Simmons & Simmons
Skadden
Squire Patton Boggs
Taylor Wessing
Vinson & Elkins
Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Winston & Strawn

*They have historically advertised a direct TC route, but in previous years they have cancelled their vacation schemes and awarded direct training contracts solely from their vacation scheme interviews.

This list is based mainly on information from Chambers UK and firm websites. However, please note that it’s a dynamic list, and we’ll keep updating it as we get more reliable information. If you have any suggestions on how we can improve this thread, we’d love to hear from you!

We hope this list helpful to you! Best of luck with your applications, and keep us posted on your progress!
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Advice for Transitioning from Corporate Law to Tech Law?

E
Hey everyone,

I am currently working in corporate law but have been thinking about transitioning into tech law, especially with the way the tech industry is evolving these days. I’ve always been interested in the intersection between law and technology (AI, cybersecurity, data privacy, etc.), but I’m not sure where to start.

For those of you who’ve made a similar switch, I’d love to hear your thoughts! How did you make the transition? Are there any specific courses or certifications that helped? And what’s the work-life balance like compared to corporate law? When I was Googling for the same I came across these resources https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/threads/legal-tech-ai.2432/ what is Generative AI however they are good but I want to learn more from community members.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance! 😊
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words of encouragement needed

N
hi all,

its yet another application season and i feel so defeated by the last one that i am slowly losing hope of ever getting of tc... would love to hear some of your stories or words of encouragement!

i went to a red brick uni, completed the lpc and have 3 years experience as a paralegal incl 2 years in a MC firm. last year i secured 2 vac schemes and got to the final interviews, i also applied to some firms directly and also got to the final stages and then a big disappointment comes. the feedback is very rarely helpful too - the most recent firm said i scored the highest from all candidates across 3 weeks during a VC, my soft skills are great and yet the others were still better than me

slowly losing hope as i dont get much guidance on what to work on. i am not from the uk but lived here for over 5 years and really really want to stay and start working as a solictor!!

i am not considering qualifying under the sqe as im worried i wont get an NQ role (definitely not getting it at my firm).

any tips or words of encouragement v welcome!
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The Weekly Brief: Commercial Awareness Updates

Amma Usman
Hey everyone!

Welcome to this thread, where I'll be sharing regular commercial awareness updates to keep you in the loop on the latest trends and news—perfect for staying sharp ahead of those crucial law firm interviews and assessment centres. My goal is to post a new update every day from Monday to Friday, covering a wide range of topics, so there’s always something fresh to discuss.

Why is commercial awareness so essential? It's one of the top skills every law firm looks for because it goes beyond simply having an interest in business. Commercial awareness shows that you understand how current events impact clients and the wider legal market, and that you can make informed connections between what’s happening in the world and how it shapes the advice lawyers give to their clients. Essentially, it's what transforms you from an applicant who wants to be a commercial lawyer into one who thinks like a commercial lawyer. When you’re able to discuss global affairs and industry trends through this lens, it sets you apart as a candidate who’s truly ready to add value.

Take your time to build this skill, and don’t worry if it feels challenging at first! Just a little bit of research and consistent reading will build a solid foundation. I hope these updates will help make this learning journey easier and more engaging.

Looking forward to sharing and discussing these insights with you all—feel free to comment, ask questions, or suggest topics. Happy reading!
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Central Banking to Law

B
Hello! I’m seeking advice on leveraging my experience at the Bank of England for applying to training contracts. I graduated with a law degree and have previous experience working with Clyde & Co and Baker McKenzie through work shadowing. I also completed a vacation scheme at DLA Piper, where I was offered a TC but turned it down as I had already accepted the role at the BoE in banking supervision.

How can I effectively highlight my BoE experience in my TC applications/target any specific law firms? Additionally, if I’m considering alternative paths to enter the legal field outside of TCs, what options should I explore?

Thank you!
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