Thanks a lot for thisI don’t think you should assume a firm ‘doesn’t want you’. This whole process is super competitive, with some firms having just a 0.5% chance of securing a TC! Just because Baker McKenzie rejected you last year, doesn’t mean they will do the same this year. Besides, you wouldn’t know unless you gave it a shot and reapplied. I got rejected for one of their open days this cycle and I’m not letting that discourage me from applying for their DTC lmao.
To my understanding, Macfarlanes allow you to re-apply in the same cycle, if you got rejected for the VS after the application stage. I would double check this though just in case. If you can apply again, I’d say go for it! The firm seems really good!
BCLP is a shout tbh. They have a really good training contract and offer a lot of client and international secondments. If you are interested in real estate, BCLP is the best firm for that kind of work. I went to their Dec open day this cycle and liked the firm a lot.
I would also recommend applying to Stephenson Harwood (SH). They don’t have a minimum A-level requirement, their annual trainee intake is around 25, their NQ salary is £100,000 and they specialise in things like shipping, aviation and international trade. If that sounds interesting then I’d apply to them as well.
I think social mobility and rare recruitment are different to mitigating circumstances. If for example you went to a comp state school, were eligible for free school meals, were the first generation in your family to attend university, come from a low income background, grew up in care, etc., you would be considered socially mobile, in which case firms would assess your A-level grades in the context they were achieved in. Mitigating circumstances is things like illness, bereavement and things beyond your control like the COVID-19 pandemic for instance.
I would say apply to any firm you are interested in, regardless of whether they have a minimum A-level requirement. I think firms are more concerned with performance at university than at school. If you are on track for a strong 2:1 or first, having lower A-level grades won’t matter too much. It would be more competitive for sure, but you have to give yourself a chance at least! Best of luck!
It was more the fact that I seemed to get “auto-rejected” by Bakers as everyone else’s applications took two months.
Thanks for the information though about Macfarlanes as I will have to take a look at that.
BCLP I will take a good look at too.
