New Threads

Hello,

Has anyone done the Burges Salmon online tests? If so, do you know if the SJT and verbal reasoning tests can be done in different sittings or whether they have to be done at the same time?

Thanks,
Isobel

Greetings! My name is Sofia Rinvil, and it's nice to e-meet you all!

I have a specific question regarding my TC interview at the end of an upcoming VS.

I had a vac scheme last year and was not offered a TC. I have heard that in my upcoming vac scheme that they will want to hear how I have developed since my last vac scheme and why I am ready for a TC now. Is it enough to say that I had not taken the time to research what types of firms, law and training I wanted and I realised that the last firm was not right to me? Or should I focus on specific skills that I have developed? And if so, what types of skills should I address that doesn't make me look bad but highlight how I have grown? I have developed my commercial awareness but I don't know if that is enougb

Hi I’ve opted for BARBRI as my course provider for the SQE has anyone had a recent experience with them for the SQE prep and any advise u can give .

Hi I’ve opted for BARBRI as my course provider for the SQE has anyone had a recent experience with them for the SQE prep and any advise u can give .

Hi, hope everyone's good I have the Vacation Scheme at HFW coming up next week. V excited, and v keen to convert this VS to a TC. Does anyone have any experience of the firm, or any advice on performing well during the VS? Thanks!

I have an invite to a VI from Howard Kennedy and was wondering if anyone has done one of these with them before? If so, what were the questions like? Would really appreciate It if people could share their experiences of it too!

This may be a stupid question but can someone please explain the SQE timings with a potential TC. I just graduated my fourth year at the Uni of Edinburgh with a non-law degree, and am currently looking at applying for TCs and Vac schemes (decided on law only recently). I would need to apply to firms who were willing to help fund my SQE as can't self-fund but I don't understand whether I need to apply for a TC first and then apply for an SQE course or apply together? Can I apply for an SQE course at any point throughout the year? My problem is I don't have the current funds to finance the SQE and would want the security of a firm funding it first

I have just received results for my assessments and will likely finish my degree with a solid 2:1.

Sadly, I have no training contract or even legal role lined up at this moment but I have secured work experience for 3 days at one of the Big 4 and a mock assessment centre at a London firm.

Should I be thinking of postgrad study or the LPC/SQE or is it better to sit out a year?

There is a Ulaw within commuting distance but it is rather pricey and the deadline to apply is in 3 weeks.

I have applied for one Paralegal role of AG. After I submitted the application, I directly received one email about one assessment (next stage of application)

Does anyone know what kind of this assessment is? Is it WG? What things can I do to prepare for it?

Appreciate for every experience sharing.

Hi guys hope you are all well, I am new to this forum so I apologise if a question along the same lines has already been posted here!

I am a PPE student just finishing second year and I have failed an econometrics module worth 20 credits so will be resitting it in the summer. Aside from this my lowest grade this year has been a 70 and I'm doing well enough that I think I can still come out with a high 2.1 for the year and maybe even a first. Obviously I believe I can still get a first overall in my final year, I am wondering if this failed module would be a problem when applying to vac schemes/TC's? I understand some firms are more stringent than others, which firms are these? Or is there a list somewhere of places I should definitely avoid applying to?

Tangentially related to this is what can I be doing this year to make my application as comprehensive as possible? I have only recently begun to consider law as something I'd enjoy and be good at so I worry I am a bit behind. I am at university of Manchester so I plan to join the law society in the new academic year, aside from this what should I be doing? Any things with "low barriers to entry" that I could get into without being a law student? I already volunteer at unrelated things and have done since first year but I'm unsure how I could relate it to law, and I have a part time job but again it is only hospitality work.

Thanks everyone! Looking forward to hearing from you all

Hi everyone!

(Apologies if this is not the right thread where to post this)

By way of introduction my name is Marek and I am currently completing the LPC on a part-time basis.

I have also been working as a corporate/commercial paralegal for a private aviation company for the past 5 years and my experience ranges from PE acquisitions, corporate restructuring, negotiating airport licences/leases, intragroup loan agreements to drafting general aviation commerce contracts.

I currently find myself in a bit of a precarious situation at my company as we no longer have an in-house solicitor who is registered with the SRA, and I am therefore unable to commence my training contract at the said company.

Frankly speaking, panic has been setting in ever since this was communicated to me considering that law firms are gradually phasing out the LPC route to qualifying.

In the past few days, I got organised and created a spreadsheet with all the current TC application deadlines/events etc.

However, the issue is that I do not really have any experience in drafting answers to application form questions and have not networked with any law firms – which I think is really important especially in my case.

Unfortunately, I have obtained a 2:2 in my undergraduate degree due to an illness and the fact that I have been working full time since the first year of my undergraduate studies.

I have been following the TCLA almost since its inception (but never really got involved apart from a couple of instances) and find it to be an invaluable source of information and guidance.

I do plan on going full steam ahead and applying to law firms this autumn even those whose minimum requirements are a 2:1 – one needs to try anyway.

Any tips and pointers in the right direction on which TCLA courses to take and/or other guidance especially in terms of networking/application help & how to stand out will be greatly appreciated!

Thank you for taking the time to read my rant/cry for help.

Regards,

Marek

Hi all,

I was hoping to get some insight into those who have either qualified, or due to qualify, namely around changing area of specialism as an NQ without having sat in the area of law.
I am due to qualify soon, about 8 months out, and want to be as open as possible. With being open, I want to explore option of applying for an NQ role in an area I have not got experience in, but have begun undertaking courses as such to supplement knowledge and gain a wider understanding.

Would this be achievable? I have read online that it is possible and have seen posts of those who have done so in the past. How would I need to navigate this?
For context, I have sat seats in Property (resi and commercial), Family, Private Client (Contentious and Non-Contentious), with my final seat to be confirmed. It is either in Clinical Negligence or a repeat seat. I am interested in Construction Law or Competition Law at the moment.

Grateful for any comments (please be nice in advance)

Hi guys,
I want to share my journey apply first year scheme and open day application outcomes and my self-reflection during this cycle. I am going to apply vacation scheme during my penultimate year- so I am welcoming any suggestion on firm selection, how to narrow down my choice and any suggestion on upcoming vacation scheme.

My background:
1. Educated outside UK doing Alevels in an international school in Asia. Non-native speaker but fluent in English
2.Alevels: A*AAA IGCSE: 8A*
3.Currently in a London uni-has experience in a competitive law related society/student ambassador/scholarship winner
4.Three work experience filling in my application form-student ambassador/teaching assitant/shadowing in a law firm outside the UK
5.I knew nothing about law firm applications before I join the uni and I didn't not ask others help me reviewing applications a lot during this cycle. So don't stress too much if you know nothing when you come to the university.

My Application Outcome:
Fieldfisher 1st year scheme-post OT rej


Simmons&Simmons 1st year scheme-post OT rej (A low quality written app+low score in OT)


S&M Open day/work experience scheme- rej


Clifford Chance Spark- passed WGT-rej


A&O First -OT passed rej


Linklaters-Post OT rej (Their test is very long and hard-including work stimulation+verbal reasoning+WGT)


HSF-OT passed -rej (This scheme recruit more students than other firms since it has two time slot- but I wrote a pretty bad application-so make sure you target on written application and practice carefully on mock test on the HSF website: really helpful)


Baker Mckenzie-received video interview- but rej


Latham&Watkins rej


Macfarlanes-post OT rej (Their test is as hard as Linklaters one)


Morgan Lewis Open day (Very competitive- was offered a phone interview- including several competency questions-but still rejected)


Taylor Wessing- rej


Addleshaw Open Day-Offer


Reed Smith 1st year scheme-Offer (It send you test only if your application passed)


DLA piper-did not offered an online test (WGT)-I send the app to late-they send out offers before the deadline.


Covington 1st year scheme-Offer


Kirkland & Ellis Open Day- Offer (Low offer rate than other Open Days)


Freshfields - did not offered an online test (WGT)


White&Case First year scheme- rej (This recruit more people than other firms since it has two time slot-so be very careful on your written application since there is no online test.)


Dentons Open Day- rej


Osborne Clarke-post OT rej


Hogan Lovells- post OT rej (This also recruit more people since it has two time slot)


Skadden Open Day- offer (This app only requires you put what questions you want to ask about Skadden- but still some people rejected.)

Evaluation: 1. Since these are first year opportunities, your competitors won't be fully ready and most people will only apply Big Names (e.g MC firms-they are overly applied and fewer offers than VS).So make sure you do enough research, and don't omit some firms may fit you.
2. Place more focus on schemes that fast track you to Assessment Centre next year-this will alleviate your workload next year:e.g. A&O/CC/Linklaters/Reed Smith/Simmons&Simmons/Hogan Lovells/HSF (only fast track you through online test)
3. Do quality written application (I wasted most of my times copying and pasting from website initially when I am applying - not specifically target what firms want.)
4. Practice online test (Waston Glaser Test- Do the one on CC website-and search answers on Google-you can benefit from this practice test-the one most like the real one)
Situational Judgement Test: Allen&Overy/Simmons&Simmons/Reed Smith uses similar ones- so make sure you familiar with this format if you applying these- they send you a feedback doc after you do the test- take this as a lesson.)
5.Video Interviews/: Only few firms do VI for 1st year opportunity, and generally are common competency questions.
6. Assessment centre: only Spark has assessment centre- and I was rejected- so find someone on LinkedIn to ask will be helpful.
7.Knowing more about the firm: ask someone in your uni who is a future trainee/or using LinkedIn to connect recruitment team, future trainees. Chambers Student/Firm annual report/Legal Cheek/And our lovely TCLA is useful when I am conducting search.
8.There are also other opportunities like: Campus Ambassador/Panel discussion events/Workshops can help you know more about the firms-stay tuned on these and don't miss them out.
9.Forage: Some firms have forage job stimulation-e.g. White&Case- I guess I lost an opportunity showing my interest to the firm since I didn't do this. Sometimes this experience can differentiate you out from other candidates since you took extra effort on this firm.
10. Some schemes require diversity/low income backgrounds-so make sure you check the website.

I am welcoming anyone advising me how to choose and narrow down my choice during next cycle applying VS. And I wish everyone all the best and good luck for your applications.

Hi guys, I received an interview invitation for Hogan Lovells campus ambassadors: it will have two interviews with partners, senior associates and graduate recruitment.

I wonder what is the structure of this assessment day like- will there be a commercial case study? And should I prepare it? And any situation judgment questions+competency questions may come up during this interview.

This is my first assessment day interview, I appreciate any valuable advice. Thank you.

Hello,

Could you please let me know where, obviously apart from law firms' websites, I could find information about cases law firms have been involved in (legal press, etc) or should I focus on law firms' websites exclusively? I am asking about this as there is a question within an application for a vacation scheme that requires applicants to write about a case X (law firm) has been involved in, and to address why that case is of interest to applicants. I understand that I should choose a case I am genuinely interested in, but I am new to such an application and I am pretty lost. Therefore, I would be truly grateful for any advice/guidance on how to tackle that question.

Also, I was wondering whether recent cases might be more 'appropriate' than older ones - what are your thoughts on this?

Many thanks.

Hi everyone,
I applied for the Herbert Smith Freehills campus ambassador position for next year. I applied March 31st, and got an email in early April that I met the benchmark for the online exam. However, it is end of May and I have not heard back about next steps/application updates. Has anyone else heard back or waiting like me?

Hi I wonder if anyone is interested in having a mock group task during the first week of June? I am thinking to do a group exercise and film it so that everyone will know how they perform. I saw a thread previously suggesting this and I think it is an excellent idea. I wonder if @Jaysen could provide a practice room and materials (apologies - I am having my first AC in June so not much idea of how materials we should prepare)!

Leave a comment below/ dm me and I will form a group asap!

Hi All!

I am writing to ask for advice/people to share their experiences/ direct me to the right place for the following circumstances. A friend of mine has been offered a TC with one firm (firm A) commencing in 2025 and has been given the final contract to sign. However, this friend also has a final interview at another firm in which they are more interested in joining — which is to take place sometime next month (firm B). They are faced with a dilemma: they don't want to inform firm A that they have a final interview with firm B and ask for an extension of time to accept the offer, in case this somehow detrimentally impacts the firm's perception of their commitment etc. (which I don't think should be too much of a worry). They neither want to accept the offer with firm A, for they are unsure that they would be able to renege this acceptance if they were to get a TC offer from firm B. I, therefore, would ask for any advice/ people to share their experience of similar circumstances in response to this thread, as I am 100% sure that such dilemma is very common.

Thanks!
@Jessica Booker

Hi,

I’m a prospective Common Law student at the university of Glasgow. However, I’ve been having some doubts about the chances I have of a successful law career, mainly due to my grades.

In S5, I achieved AACCC in my Highers and haven’t gotten my results yet for the two Highers and two Advanced Highers I’m doing this year.

Though I’ve received an offer from Glasgow (I had mitigating circumstances - lived in a deprived area, worked throughout school, am a young career and did two of their wider access programmes), I’m really not confident at all about my chances of securing a training contract at a London firm. My dream firm is Clifford Chance, and while I understand they don’t have a minimum grade requirement, I’m assuming they still tend to take on applicants with reasonably good grades.

I’m hoping that I can make up for my poor secondary school grades by earning good ones at university, and/or perhaps studying a Masters degree after my undergrad, but I’m really not sure if there’s any point.

I feel under pressure because I’m a Scottish student. Studying Common Law means I’m unable to work in Scotland and I also have offers from Aberdeen and Dundee for joint Common and Scot’s Law courses. Realistically, it would be better for me to go to either of them, because it would mean I could qualify in Scotland and England at the same time. It’s just that Glasgow is easier for me to travel to and is my preferred university over all.

What’s my next step? Do I have a chance with Clifford Chance or any MC firm at all? I’m really unsure what to think or what to do, and my confidence is at an all time low. I’m struggling to think any of my personal skills will be able to aid my in my applications as well - I’m quite poor with interviews, for example.

Any advice at all?

Hello, I have an LLB and LLM LPC but it’s been hard to find legal roles that offer visa sponsorship. I saw some advice about compliance or business service roles and would like to please know more about that. I am a legal assistant now but looking for anything within my knowledge and skills that would offer a visa sponsorship. Still perusing training contracts and paralegal roles but they are difficult to get.

Hello everyone,

I have submitted a number of direct TC applications and have not heard back yet (understandably, as most deadlines have not closed yet). I am planning a trip outside the country for the majority of June, and I was wondering what the interview timelines tend to be like.

In particular, do most firms tend to hold in-person assessment components during June, or is that reserved for July/August? Are there any firms that are known for running the TC assessment sooner?

Thanks! I posted a similar question on the main TC applications thread, but subsequently felt the question was better suited to the interviews discussion section.

I was able to get my QWE signed off at my old job working in local government, however, I now have concerns as to whether I should continue down the route to qualification without obtaining a TC. I am worried that my options might be limited once I am qualified and feel that I will be considerably less experienced than a regular trainee, for example, having not previously had experience with billing.

The general consensus from what I've read online is that going doing the QWE route without a TC is not well respected and might make finding work harder. For context, I am currently working in a data protection and compliance role which is a somewhat niche and competitive area to find work in as a solicitor so do not want to damage my career chances before I've even gotten started.

I have started tentatively looking at TC applications to apply for later this year but am well aware this will push back my qualification date by at least four years and I am not sure if I can justify waiting this long as I have started my career later than most. My existing QWE route will make qualification a lot quicker but would appreciate advise on if I should continue with this or focus on obtaining a TC.

Has anyone ever withdrew from a TC midway through?

Im at a city firm and really not enjoying it, and my mental health is at an all time low. The firms culture has an ‘always on’ mentality including weekends and annual leave, and it’s making me not even want to work in law anymore. I’m being degraded at work every day & wont be the first trainee to have quit recently over this.

I understand I might have to pay back the LPC costs. Has anyone ever had this reduced or been offered something else? Is there anything that could mitigate the costs? I’m from a working class background and the debt would impact the next 5-10 years of my life.

Any help would be appreciated.

Ok so I am really interested in practicing in the UK for an international firm, mainly because the work interests me the most compared to the domestic work in firms in Ireland (I'm Irish btw) I am a bit freaked because when I was looking on LinkedIn of people training in these firms, I got very stressed because they all seem to be very accomplished academically and have a big impressive list of work experience and vac schemes they were on. I got a 2.1 (65%) in my bachelors law degree and I am currently studying my LLM in European law at a very good uni in the Netherlands, but I am still worried that I need to show not-so-average results on my applications in order to be considered. Is it possible to secure a TC with slightly average grades and not that much legal experience.