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Hi there!

I've been on this platform for over two years now and I really admire the supportive community that's been cultivated. Reading about different people's journeys and advices has been inspiring, and so I thought I'd create a thread to share mine as well (in a narrative way). It may resonate with your own journey. Plus, I need a break from my SQE2 revision.

My journey started five years ago when I was rejected by my firm choice on UCAS (an RG university) after failing to meet their condition. On the advice of my parents, I then decided to reject my insurance choice (a non-RG university) and had to go through clearing. Luckily, I was accepted by another non-RG university for a spot on their three-year LLB course.

During my three years there, I didn't write a single VS or TC application. This was in part because I hadn't heard about them until the end of my 2nd year, but mainly main because I didn't know how or what to do and I was scared of rejection. I had attended a few firm events and done some legal internships back home during the holidays, but I was still lost in the overall process. All I knew then was that I might be interested in commercial and corporate law. By the end of my 3rd year, COVID hit. At the time, I thought "since my visa is going to expire and I might be interested in commercial and corporate, I may as well study an LLM and buy myself some time", which is what I did.

I applied to two RG universities for my LLM, and was (fortunately) accepted by both so I went with the one I liked most. I met a friend there who went to the same university as I did for LLB, and he introduced me to TCLA. I made an account and left it. I thought I'd apply for VS and TC during my LLM, but again, I didn't make a single application. I told myself then that I didn't need to apply yet because I needed to focus on my LLM, but really, I was just scared of being rejected. Meanwhile, I witnessed my friend secure a TC that year.

Seeing him secure his TC, I felt like my clock was ticking. So right after I finished my LLM, I got a graduate visa and told myself "it really is now or never". I took a 6-month gap year, drew up a list of 20 city firms that I was interested in, and wrote my first cover letter that took me a little under three months. My draft was atrocious. I spoke to my friend again and he told me to use TCLA and get a gold subscription. I figured I might as well. I started scanning the forums and past successful applications to learn what people wrote about and how they wrote it. The more applications I wrote, the quicker and better quality my applications became.

By the end of my first application cycle, I submitted 17 applications. Then the rejections came. Some were outright PFOs, a few were after a test (including the Arctic Shores mini-games). All in all, I received 16 PFOs with 1 summer VS application that I somehow managed to get an AC out of. I was fairly certain I had bombed the firm's psychometric test. To this day, I still have no idea how I passed it. I put in the work to prepare for the AC and I was a nervous wreck when I did my interview. I had to ask for the interviewer for a bit of time so I can think of an answer to one of their questions. I didn't come out of that AC confident I'd secure a VS, but miraculously, they offered me a place.

Since I've never done a VS before, I spoke to my friend again for advice, to which he suggested I speak to future trainees who did the VS the year prior. I reached out to 8 individuals on LinkedIn and 3 of them responded. They gave me invaluable advice and strategies to make the most out of my VS. I went into my VS nervous but prepared. I met my fellow vacation schemers, one of whom is part of my trainee cohort. As I went through each day, I found myself feeling more and more comfortable at the firm. It definitely helped that everyone in the department that I was in were incredibly friendly. I then did my post-VS AC and interview.

To prepare, I spoke to a few trainees who shared their resources to me and my fellow vacation schemers. I was nervous, but I wasn't nearly as nervous as I was for my previous AC. Still, I didn't come out of it confident, because I felt I had messed up my answer to one of their interview questions. For the next two months, I tried not to have any expectations and just enjoy the summer weather. A friend told me "even if you did fail, having done a VS is still a feather in your cap and you can do it again next cycle". Then surprisingly I received a call from the firm offering me a spot.

After that, I continued my holiday, worked as a paralegal for a short while, went home to see family and returned in August for my SQE.

That's been my journey so far. I'd like to hear about your own journey so far, or if you want to, ask me anything!

Hey guys! I'm a scond year law student. I'm interested in corporate law and quite sure I want to work in this field which I find very fascinating. I've always wanted to work in a law firm in a big city, I find that working in highly stimulating environments is very good for me. What I'm struggling with is making a plan for the fututre... I'm a good student and will hopefully graduate with first class honours. My degree is focused on global and comparative law. I'm debating on getting a post graduate degree in European Business Law to strengthen my knoweldge in corporate law. In the meantime I'm planning on starting with work experiences at some local law firms and maybe attend some firms' open days and workshops. I'd also like to get involved with ELSA (european law students assosciation) and get a prominent role in the community. Furthermore I'm planning on opening an online newspaper where I can keep fellow students updated on relevant commercial law news and events. This is how I plan to build my CV
What I struggle with the most is what to do after... On this platform I hear a lot on vacation schemes, which are not really a thing where I come from (Italy). Should I apply for one? Or can I still land a training contract with good education background and some work experiences? I'd like to work for an intenrantional firm, potentially either in the UK or the US. Are there some general rules and requirements to apply for training contracts in these countries? How long in advance is one supposed to apply for training contracts? I'm scared it'll take too long and eventually it'll be too late to start my career. I'm so lost I'd really appreciate if anyone could help.

Hi everyone. Jony here.

The old folks here might remember me - used to hang around these parts almost 4 years ago, giving advice to people on the application process. And the grit of it all. I still get a few messages here and there from folks thanking me for helping them through a TC interview and securing a TC, or someone passing an AC and getting into a vac scheme and maybe that is all worth while.

Just wanted to encourage you reading this. Your journey could be completely different, and could take you on a HUGE roundabout. But even in this job market - you will be OK. Your journey might look different from the person to your left and right but so long you keep walking you're OK.

I think I made my last post about 3 or 4 years ago. I'm ex-army, law degree. Applied for a SC after applying to 40 firms. After a firm kindly took me on, the war in Ukraine broke out.

I was moved. I was humbled. I jumped on a one way ticket to Ukraine from where I was working, in the townships of SA. I stayed in Ukraine for a long time ... saw the horrors of war. Helped hundreds of refugees make their way to safer areas in the West. Brought food to families. Sourced clothes. Hugged a ton of mothers who had clutched knives until they reached the border (and then finally dropped them at our aid station because they were no longer threatened by traffickers). We identified traffickers and reported them to police. We distributed aid ... the days never stopped and the list of things we could do never shrank.

My perspective changed. My life changed - I later moved to Kenya/Ghana and spent the remainder of my time there, working with local churches and communities to grow local talent and to help young people develop.

Now I'm back in the City. Just passed SQE 1. After 4 years in what I would consider the reality of human suffering (war, famine, drought areas), coming back into law is eye opening for me and I'm still learning ... every day. There's good you can do and good you can achieve with the folks around you.

I just want to encourage you that like many of you I'm an international student who never thought he could do too much until the world came and showed me that if I put my hands to something meaningful, someone can have a bit of a better life. And for me, that was, and is, enough.

About to head into the City in September proper to begin work, and I really, sincerely wish ALL of you all the best. my DMs are open for you if you need advice, thoughts, or even a prayer.

Lots of love
Jony

Hi all,

Coming from a Communications background, I am interested in pursuing a legal career with the long-term aim of qualifying as a Deputy District Judge. I have received an offer for an LLM SQE1 course from BPP (PGDL included) for which I applied due to the timeliness of the program (beginning in May, this offers PGDL/SQE1 and 2 assessment by December 2025) but after having reviewed online reviews of the school, I’m not so sure whether to accept their offer.

I am starting from scratch with regards to my legal career so my first course of action is PGDL. Are there any recommendations as to alternative programs/schools to consider?

Hi everyone,

I have progressed to the next stage of the Howden Legal Internship programme and I'm wondering if anyone else has also reached this step and has any advice. If so, please reach out to me!

Hello everyone,

I hope you are well!

Unfortunately it appears that I have not been successful in obtaining a spot on LW’s first year scheme, I would greatly appreciate if someone could provide me with some feedback on my application questions. I truly believed this was a strong application, and had put so much work into building myself up as an applicant and working on my soft skills/confidence in general.

I don’t have much support in the way of a support system, and would really appreciate any help or feedback if this isn’t too much to ask. I’m positive I can turn things around

Hello,

Have any of you already applied for the Work Experience programme at Kingsley Napley and secured it? If so, could you please share your thoughts on the application process? Also, did you find the Work Experience programme interesting?

Thank you.

Hello!
Feeling stressed by A-level requirements as a bachelors and GDL graduate.

I got a BBB at A-levels, back in 2018. I have since got a high 2:1 (non law) at a RG uni and a distinction in the GDL.
Most firms I'm interested in have an AAB requirement - can I still apply? I also have a 6 month legal internship abroad.

I dont have any extenuating circumstances for my A-levels (but I do for my undergraduate and GDL).

Has anyone with a similar background successfully got TCs at one of these firms despite their A-levels. I feel I have gotten far more disciplined and intelligent since graduating college so it can be quite frustrating, that A-levels are still considered years on.

Would appreciate any advice or opinions

Hi everyone,

I know this is quite forward thinking and there’s a lot to consider ( I may change my mind later and decide I don’t want this ) but… I was just wondering, would it be possible, after the two year training contract to qualify into a firms office abroad as a NQ on a permanent basis?

I understand the barriers with visa reqs and being in a different jurisdiction, and the firms business needs/ type of work.

I was just wondering if this was possible at all- if for arguments sake I did want to leave the UK. Do firms allow permanent internal transfers? Are there any firms ( I know there are people at Latham who have done this) that would consider this request at all or know people who have made the move?

(Also want to make clear, as ridiculous as this post may be as I’m only a student, right now my main priorities are obtaining a vac scheme/training contract and I’m focusing on that, but I just wanted to inquire.)

I am in my final year at a pretty small uni and am projected to get a solid 2:1.

Most students in my cohort are planning to self-fund their postgrad qualifications and I am looking for some way or another to be able to avoid this.

I sadly do not have any legal work experience but have managed to get a few open days via Aspiring Solicitors and I am waiting for a reply from one of the firms that I had an open day at but have been rejected by the other two.

What should I be thinking about at this moment with my career path? My goal is/was to work as a solicitor with a commercially related (business-oriented) practice area.

Hi everyone,

We're conducting some research on what makes a law firm stand out to you, amongst its competitors. This would help us understand how we can best work with law firms in the future to create the most useful resources!

Imagine you have offers from two law firms that are well known competitors, what would play the biggest role in your decision of which offer to accept? For example, would you be sure to go with a firm that you've had a positive experience with, speaking to trainees or graduate recruitment? Is the prestige of the firm undeniably the most important factor for you?

I'd love to hear your opinions below!
Shahana.

I was wondering if someone on here can help me. I am a trainee solicitor and I am due to qualify at the end of June 2024. I am currently on a debt management plan (DMP) which I disclosed to the SRA via the early character and suitability assessment route. A bit of background, I got into some credit card debt during my time at University (2013-2016) and during the 2/3 year period after I moved back home. I had some family troubles which meant i had to leave the family home and struggles to keep up with bills, I also had severe mental health problems and struggled with alcoholism and have been in recovery for nearly 5 years now. I entered the DMP in November 2019 and kept up with all payments, however, as I had to stop paying my creditors my credit file showed some defaults hence why I had to disclose this issues. The SRA found there to be no issues with my character and suitability.

I was made aware at the time that I have to redisclose the issue when I apply to be admitted to the roll. The SRA have advised that although they are not bound by their decision they do usually uphold their decision and I have a friend who recently qualified after having numerous driving offences and disclosing the issue via the early character and suitability assessment. I contacted the caseworker recently who dealt with my early suitability assessment and he confirmed that as long as nothing has changed then they will uphold their decision. Nothing has changed and I have continued to pay the monthly agreed amounts under the DMP and my settlement date for the DMP is actually now 2 months sooner that anticipated when I disclosed the issue as I have increased my payment amount. I also anticipate that i will be able to pay this sooner that the 2026 date as my salary will double when I qualify. The SRA took this into account when considering my suitability and found it to be a mitigating factor.

The caseworker who dealt with my early assessment in 2022 recently advised me though there is a potential that the redisclosure may affect my qualification date as my case will have to be allocated and reviewed by a caseworker which could take up to 6 weeks! I however, spoke to two people on the SRA pre-admission line who told that this wouldn't affect my qualification date as these types of applications are normally decided within 30 days and also they already have most of my details from the first assessment.

I have secured an NQ position at a new firm which I am due to start a week after i qualify and I am worried that this may impact my start date. I have already made my current firm aware of this and they advised me that this shouldn't be an issue and in any case its my responsibility as disclosure is done after my firm has signed off my training. I am also going to make my new firm aware of this just in case it does affect my start date.

My question is has anyone been through or is aware of anyone who has been through a similar procedure and whether they have had any issue with the qualification date?

I was wondering if someone on here can help me. I am a trainee solicitor and I am due to qualify at the end of June 2024. I am currently on a debt management plan (DMP) which I disclosed to the SRA via the early character and suitability assessment route. A bit of background, I got into some credit card debt during my time at University (2013-2016) and during the 2/3 year period after I moved back home. I had some family troubles which meant i had to leave the family home and struggles to keep up with bills, I also had severe mental health problems and struggled with alcoholism and have been in recovery for nearly 5 years now. I entered the DMP in November 2019 and kept up with all payments, however, as I had to stop paying my creditors my credit file showed some defaults hence why I had to disclose this issues. The SRA found there to be no issues with my character and suitability.

I was made aware at the time that I have to redisclose the issue when I apply to be admitted to the roll. The SRA have advised that although they are not bound by their decision they do usually uphold their decision and I have a friend who recently qualified after having numerous driving offences and disclosing the issue via the early character and suitability assessment. I contacted the caseworker recently who dealt with my early suitability assessment and he confirmed that as long as nothing has changed then they will uphold their decision. Nothing has changed and I have continued to pay the monthly agreed amounts under the DMP and my settlement date for the DMP is actually now 2 months sooner that anticipated when I disclosed the issue as I have increased my payment amount. I also anticipate that i will be able to pay this sooner that the 2026 date as my salary will double when I qualify. The SRA took this into account when considering my suitability and found it to be a mitigating factor.

The caseworker who dealt with my early assessment in 2022 recently advised me though there is a potential that the redisclosure may affect my qualification date as my case will have to be allocated and reviewed by a caseworker which could take up to 6 weeks! I however, spoke to two people on the SRA pre-admission line who told that this wouldn't affect my qualification date as these types of applications are normally decided within 30 days and also they already have most of my details from the first assessment.

I have secured an NQ position at a new firm which I am due to start a week after i qualify and I am worried that this may impact my start date. I have already made my current firm aware of this and they advised me that this shouldn't be an issue and in any case its my responsibility as disclosure is done after my firm has signed off my training. I am also going to make my new firm aware of this just in case it does affect my start date.

My question is has anyone been through or is aware of anyone who has been through a similar procedure and whether they have had any issue with the qualification date?

.

I sat the SQE2 in January of this year and comparing my experience to others in my cohort, the assessment centre can make a big difference to your experience.

I sat the assessments in London.
My written exams were in ITTS - Aldgate East
My oral exams were in - Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) [30 Euston Square]

I had a really good experience at both venues. Not to scare anyone but the computers can act up sometimes for the written assessments and the staff at Aldgate East (both the invigilators and IT) knew what they were doing and were quick to resolve any issues.

(N.B: No matter what weird IT bug occurs, don't panic because it can be fixed and they will add extra time to your test, just do not click "Next Question" whatever you do because once you go to the next question, there's absolutely no going back. You will be asked several times to confirm if you want to go to the Next Question so you can't do it by accident, but do not do it even if the invigilator/IT tell you to do it).

I heard from someone taking the exams that the Aldgate East test centre is the highest rated for SQE2 written and the oral venue was excellent as well, again well run and a nice place to be for the day. Thought it would be helpful to have a thread for people to recommend/warn against test centres!

Hello everyone!

I'm an international student, who will graduate this September from a university outside the UK. I have studied an LLB and Master's degree in law from a top University in France. I have significant experience in common law, having completing a 2 year Diploma on the topic during my undergrad where I studied Contract, Property and Tort Law. As well as having spent my first year of Master in University College London (UCL) for an exchange program, where I studied Commercial Law, Conflict of Law and Company Law. Through my studies I also have a good knowledge of comparative law (encompassing both civil and common law jurisdictions), european law, and international law.

My long term goal is to qualify as a solicitor in London.

However, I understand the challenges I face as an international student (and more and more any student) in securing a Training Contract. As such, I am applying to Training contracts and Graduate apprenticeships, as well as Paralegal and Legal Assistant roles. I would like to know if there is any feasibility in the path I want to take, as I'm aware that my chances might be limited due to my background and difficulty to secure sponsorship, considering the current visa requirements.

I'm keen to explore all possible avenues to work in the UK and would greatly appreciate any advice or insights you might have. What alternative options exist if securing a training contract, apprenticeship, paralegal or legal assistant role doesn't work out? It is important to know that I cannot fund the SQE by myself or with the help of my family, as I have already took out a loan previously for my studies.

Additionally, I'm very interested in hearing from or about international students who, without prior studies in the UK, managed to secure a training contract. It would be especially encouraging to learn about those who have succeeded in this endeavor.

Thank you so much for your time and any guidance you can offer!

Hi all,

Recent news about firms revoking TCs for failing the SQE1 has given me quite a lot of jitters. My offer letter also stipulates that my TC offer is conditional upon passing the SQE on first attempt, so failing really isn't an option for me and I want to give myself my best shot at getting this right.

I am due to start the LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) prep course at ULaw London Moorgate in September 2024. Was wondering if anyone here could shed some light on how best to prepare ahead of the course start date? If there is realistically nothing I can do ahead of the course starting, for those who have finished the SQE1, is there anything you wish you had known earlier when you first started the course that would have made the exams less painful?

Just for some context, I did a 3-year undergrad law degree, graduated in summer 2023.

Has anyone done a prior Links vac scheme and wouldnt mind providing me with some insight into it all, got mine in a couple of weeks now and the nerves are kicking in.

Hi everyone,

One of our members started this thread and were a little worried to keep it up in case there was any risk for them as an applicant. I'm taking it over as I appreciate the concern.

I know there is a lot of worry about how law firms view the SQE (and what happens if you don't pass). While law firms also had policies on this during the LPC, I understand from speaking to many of you that the worry comes from the fact that the SQE is not the LPC, and that there are issues with how the SQE is being taught/examined. Further thoughts from Patrick McCann here.

So the goal of this thread is to provide an accessible list of law firm resit policies. I'm not making a comment on whether this is a good or bad thing, but I think it's useful to be open about this information. If you have information you would like to share with me, feel free to private message me with evidence and I can update the list. It'll be a little unstructured for now until I get more information.

Ashurst

• Appears that there was an announcement sent that future cohorts are expected to pass first time

Bird & Bird

• Feedback from future trainees that they received an email prior to results day reassuring them that they can resit

Clifford Chance:

• Training contracts rescinded after failing to pass on the first attempt (Link)

CMS:

• Attempts: Single first attempt
• Resit: No
• Additional info: You may be need to repay the maintenance grant and/or SQE fees in full if you fail to pass the SQE at the first attempt.

Freshfields

• “While we reserve the right to withdraw offers if assessments are not passed, we consider all circumstances and speak to the individuals before coming to a decision. To date, we have allowed resits in almost all cases, and have provided additional financial support, as well as covering all exam fees. (The Lawyer)

Macfarlanes

• No resit policy (Link)

Linklaters

• One resit allowed

Slaughter and May

• Training contracts rescinded after failing to pass on the first attempt (Link)

White & Case

• Allows resits (unverified)

Has anyone given/ is planning to give the GRE here?
Anyone planning on applying for an MBA in the USA?

I'm thinking of applying to BP Collins for a vac scheme as I'm interested by their high rankings in family law, which I want to specialise in. However, I can't seem to find any information about the cases they've worked on in this area - I've tried the firm's website, Legal Cheek, Times awards, etc. Would this put me at a disadvantage when talking about why I want to join the firm as it may look like I haven't researched enough/don't have a strong enough reason?

I started my application journey in my third year of law school.

My very first application made it to AC with HSF, and I was incredibly nervous. My anxiety was through the roof. I did one mock interview before the actual AC. I ended up being rejected post-AC, but I could understand as I was lacking in many aspects of my performance.

I received multiple rejections after that post-application. I made 11 applications after the HSF one. Three actually made it past the initial application stage. One to AC.

When I received the invite to the Freshfields AC, I was incredibly nervous again. But this time, I thought I would pull out all the stops. I felt this one was mine, for sure. I did three mock interviews, all of which were very helpful. Unfortunately, I missed the pass mark on their written exercise and my performance in the technical interview could have been better. However, I improved significantly in my competencies according to the feedback. I was absolutely devastated and incredibly tired after that process. It was mentally exhausting.

After this, I applied for a few summer internships and actually scored two in-house legal internships with international firms. I converted one into a 12-month fixed-term contract as a paralegal.

I undertake a lot of responsibility and contract management in this role. I have improved a lot of my technical commercial awareness. Or so I thought...

My second application cycle, my first application, went to AC with Allen & Overy! This time, I wasn't nervous but excited. I knew I could do it. I had improved and built up my skills and experiences. I had around 5-6 mock interviews to prepare. Unfortunately, I was rejected, although the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. I was so frustrated. What more can I possibly do?

After my AC with A&O, I have had 6 rejections post-application. One rejection by Reed Smith following the online test and video interview stage.

I don't know what I am doing wrong.

Hi has anyone received an offer from SH for the spring vacation scheme?

Has anyone worked in the above role? I can't seem to find any previous recruits just so I can get an idea of what it's like. TIA