TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

[kmo20]

Hi, I was hoping someone may be able to help with an issue I have come into regarding my training contract. At the time of accepting my TC I wanted to undertake an international secondment. However, since then I have had a change in personal circumstances. If there is a very high percentage of people (nearly everyone) that go on an international seat at the firm I have a TC with, will I be able to do a client secondment instead due to being unable to do an overseas seat? And is this likely to disadvantage me compared to my fellows trainees?

Any advice would be really appreciated - thank you so much in advance!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi, I was hoping someone may be able to help with an issue I have come into regarding my training contract. At the time of accepting my TC I wanted to undertake an international secondment. However, since then I have had a change in personal circumstances. If there is a very high percentage of people (nearly everyone) that go on an international seat at the firm I have a TC with, will I be able to do a client secondment instead due to being unable to do an overseas seat? And is this likely to disadvantage me compared to my fellows trainees?

Any advice would be really appreciated - thank you so much in advance!

This really won’t be a problem. Just because firms offer a high number of international secondments does not mean you have to go on one nor that you are at an advantage if you go on one. Client secondment or a normal seat will be perfectly acceptable options and you will be more concerned about where you are qualifying and what experience lines you up well for that anyway.

 

[Mug Fan]

Hi everyone! I’m an international student who did both my schooling and law degree abroad. While I am applying for VS and TCs this year, I also want to have a firm backup plan. I’ve reached out to a few law firms, and given that my law degree is not a qualifying degree in the UK, they would require me to finish the PGDL. Do you think it would be wise for me to self-fund the PGDL this year in case I don’t get a TC? Would it be beneficial in any way?

Not sure how to phrase this, but "how much of an issue is money for you?"

Basically, if you get the TC first, they will generally fund the PGDL for you and give you a substantial (£10-20kish) maintenance grant.

If money is no object and you are convinced you will get a TC eventually, then crack on I guess.

Do you have another job? My issue with doing this would be less about paying for the exam, but more the foregone income of quitting a full-time, well paid job in order to study full-time, only to then not get a TC!

 

[kmo20]

This really won’t be a problem. Just because firms offer a high number of international secondments does not mean you have to go on one nor that you are at an advantage if you go on one. Client secondment or a normal seat will be perfectly acceptable options and you will be more concerned about where you are qualifying and what experience lines you up well for that anyway.

Thank you so much Jessica, this is good to know!

 

[bsh]

@Jessica Booker Hi Jess, just wanted to follow up on here. Are you still doing marked written exercises? I can see they are sold out at the moment... Either way, could you please share the resources you have previously mentioned that you think would be useful preparation. Thank you.

 

[VMS]

Has anyone heard back from the BBC yet after the written task and two video questions?

 

[nyanchan22]

Has anyone heard back from CMS Middle East post WG?

 

[Tintin06]

More training contract dreams happening again. This time, AC at a restaurant. They were running an in-house TC. I have applications on my mind.

 

[Zaidoz10]

Has anyone heard back from CMS Middle East post WG?

Nope.

 

[0livia.pope]

Has anyone heard back from the BBC yet after the written task and two video questions?

They said that they will get back to people mid Jan

 

[VMS]

They said that they will get back to people mid Jan

Thanks! Just me getting stressed then.

 

[ke.nabbk26]

Doing another undergraduate degree or even a two-year law degree could be exorbitantly expensive, especially for an international student; the PGDL, however, is a very financially viable option - all courses cost under the £15,000 mark. Many people who have qualified abroad and hope to work in the UK opt for the PGDL.

Don’t get me wrong, you are right, financially speaking, self funding the PGDL over a second undergrad or a two-year LLB is extremely viable.

Also, it is a good option depending on your career plan. After the PGDL you can find a paralegal role to get work experience, network and fund your time in the UK until passing a TC, as I mentioned in the end of my answer.

However, even for those graduating from commonwealth countries or with large work experience overseas, it is hard to compete with local undergrads to get TC, NQ or associates roles. The PGDL (or even a LLM with a distinction) will not make such a difference in your TC application as the firms will look primarily at your undergrad marks. It can show your commitment to law, but don’t compensate undergrad marks.

So saving money now can cost your time in the UK if you don’t get a TC or a paralegal job right after the PGDL.

 

[gazdgazd11]

Completed CMS VI for direct TC (London) on 06/12. Haven't heard back. Is this normal?

 

[Gg2001]

Hi everyone! I’m an international student who did both my schooling and law degree abroad. While I am applying for VS and TCs this year, I also want to have a firm backup plan. I’ve reached out to a few law firms, and given that my law degree is not a qualifying degree in the UK, they would require me to finish the PGDL. Do you think it would be wise for me to self-fund the PGDL this year in case I don’t get a TC? Would it be beneficial in any way?

Are you international as in non-European or from Europe but not UK? PGDL should be fine if you’re European (visa is different), if you’re not, I wouldn’t self fund either masters or pgdl for UK. I did my bachelors from UK and went back home. I have met many LLM graduates (LSE and QMUL) who graduated this December (LLMs are every popular for people who do LLB in their home country and then LLM in UK), most (90%) of them were unable to get anything in UK and have a law job in their home country lined up. Again, this is just my experience. Try and meet alumni from your university who have gotten TC abroad (for eg in India many NLU grads go to UK). If you have enough funds and a job lined up back home, you can take the risk of doing a masters in UK, otherwise I wouldn’t recommend it at all. Sorry if this seems harsh but I have met many stressed out international students who were unaware of the UK legal market before coming to UK. You can apply for direct training contracts for firms that hire a decent amount of people from this route.

 

[ilovegardening1111]

Hi @JessicaBooker (and anyone else who can help), I wondered if I should include mitigating circumstances even if I did achieve the grades that a law firm is requiring?

 

[TeeTee123!!]

Does anyone perhaps know when we will hear back from Gowling post VI?

 

[Tintin06]

Hi @JessicaBooker (and anyone else who can help), I wondered if I should include mitigating circumstances even if I did achieve the grades that a law firm is requiring?

Yes because the requirements = minimum. Many will have exceeded such grades.

 

[jta227]

Just found out from asking that Clifford Chance does send WG reports if anyone wants to request theirs. Even though they gave me a PFO (their WG is just a benchmark) it’s quite encouraging knowing that I’ll have the same score next year and that I’m probably (hopefully) passing all the other firms’ WGs and hence focusing my improvement on other areas.

 

[sarahfw]

Hi everyone, I'm currently trying to tackle this application question:

'Tell us about any open days and events that you have attended in the legal sector'

I haven't managed to speak to the firm in question on the Legal Cheek virtual law fair and nor have I managed to attend many events relevant to the sector they are in. I am struggling to think how to link the events I have attended to the work of this firm. I have however done five weeks QWE in an in-house department that is relevant to one of the firm's key sector focus areas. I attending a law firm event giving external training to the in-house team. Could I mention that and try and weave it back into my interest in the firm? Can I also mention Forage experiences in response to the above?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi @JessicaBooker (and anyone else who can help), I wondered if I should include mitigating circumstances even if I did achieve the grades that a law firm is requiring?

If your academic results during the period of the mitigating circumstances are reflective of your general abilities, then you don’t need to highlight the circumstances. If there is a dip/blip in academic performance (despite still meeting the firm’s requirements) then you can highlight the circumstances still.