Applying for direct TCs with only mini pupillage legal experience?

[awatling1]

Hi,

So I’ve only applied to one direct TC so far (Clifford Chance) and got rejected, the rest of my applications have been for vacation schemes. My only legal experience is five mini-pupillages, mix of commercial and civil, one family. I was wondering if it is worth making direct training contract applications with this? It does look like I have strongly swayed to the Bar, I have gone to a lot of open/insight days but obviously this is not the same as having concrete VS experience. Would firms be turned off by this?

 

[Amma Usman]

Hi,

So I’ve only applied to one direct TC so far (Clifford Chance) and got rejected, the rest of my applications have been for vacation schemes. My only legal experience is five mini-pupillages, mix of commercial and civil, one family. I was wondering if it is worth making direct training contract applications with this? It does look like I have strongly swayed to the Bar, I have gone to a lot of open/insight days but obviously this is not the same as having concrete VS experience. Would firms be turned off by this?

To the contrary, I would say firms would love that you have done up to 5 MPs! You could pick out similarities in the work you have done, considering it’s also legal, and link to specific legal practice areas in a solicitors firm. There is also strength in referencing that you have tried X, liked this about it, but then you attended an open day at Y, and found you liked A,B,C because of Q, and this is why you want to become a solicitor. Juxtapose both fields and draw the similarities.

Please remember this - five mini-pupillages is excellent experience. Showcase this well in your applications, be specific about what you learnt and your motivations. Use the STAR technique if the question presents itself in that way - specificity yet again. The barristers and solicitors route are different but not so far off in terms of early on, you get legal exposure. I know people who have also started off as barristers and later became solicitors. It is worth reaching out to someone on LinkedIn to get their views on the switch/any differences, etc. Knowing both fields well will enable you to confidently convey why you want to become a solicitor since you have previously committed to the bar (this is a question which I reckon will come up often).

Best of luck! Really rooting for you!

 

[certihxh]

I wanted some a

To the contrary, I would say firms would love that you have done up to 5 MPs! You could pick out similarities in the work you have done, considering it’s also legal, and link to specific legal practice areas in a solicitors firm. There is also strength in referencing that you have tried X, liked this about it, but then you attended an open day at Y, and found you liked A,B,C because of Q, and this is why you want to become a solicitor. Juxtapose both fields and draw the similarities.

Please remember this - five mini-pupillages is excellent experience. Showcase this well in your applications, be specific about what you learnt and your motivations. Use the STAR technique if the question presents itself in that way - specificity yet again. The barristers and solicitors route are different but not so far off in terms of early on, you get legal exposure. I know people who have also started off as barristers and later became solicitors. It is worth reaching out to someone on LinkedIn to get their views on the switch/any differences, etc. Knowing both fields well will enable you to confidently convey why you want to become a solicitor since you have previously committed to the bar (this is a question which I reckon will come up often).

Best of luck! Really rooting for you!

i wanted to some advice on how I can frame my mini pupillages/insight days in a positive way. I’ve currently done 2 minis, work experience with GLD and open days at commercial sets. I would like to get a vac scheme however my minis were at common law sets and I haven’t had the chance to attend any insight/talks from the firms I’d like to do a vac at. Any advice appreciated!!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

I wanted some a

i wanted to some advice on how I can frame my mini pupillages/insight days in a positive way. I’ve currently done 2 minis, work experience with GLD and open days at commercial sets. I would like to get a vac scheme however my minis were at common law sets and I haven’t had the chance to attend any insight/talks from the firms I’d like to do a vac at. Any advice appreciated!!

Hi @certihxh !

Thank you for sharing - it’s great that you’ve already done two mini-pupillages, work experience with GLD, and open days at commercial sets. This is all great exposure to the legal profession and shows real initiative.

Even though your minis were at common law sets, there’s still a lot you can draw on for vacation scheme applications. Firms won’t expect everyone to have come through the ‘typical’ route, especially if you can reflect on your experiences and relate them to why you’d like to be a solicitor.

The main thing will be to demonstrate clearly why you want to be a solicitor rather than a barrister, and how your experiences shaped that decision. For example:

• Maybe you found yourself more interested in the collaborative, team-based nature of legal work in private practice
• You might’ve enjoyed working through complex commercial scenarios over time rather than the more advocacy-driven side
• You could highlight an interest in engaging with strategic and long-term client relationships, which are central to the role of a solicitor

This question does tend to come up in most commercial law interviews, so I wouldn’t panic if you get asked it! I would say it’s okay to discuss how your experiences helped you rule out the Bar and confirm that your skill set and preferences align better with the solicitor route.

To bridge the gap with firms that you are interested in applying to, you could:

• Reference any recent matters, news publications, or even podcasts from those firms to show an interest and understanding of what they do
• Show how your existing experiences have reaffirmed your interest in the legal industry, and how your skills fit with the role
• Emphasise that you are now looking for first-hand insight into the solicitor role through a vacation scheme

Ultimately, focus on building a genuine and honest narrative about how your previous experiences - even if not directly linked to commercial law - have shaped your ambition to train and qualify as a solicitor in private practice. For context, I did not attend any open days / insight events for the firm I secured a TC at, so it is definitely not essential to. Your genuine motivations and interests will be key for making successful applications.

I hope that assists! Wishing you the best of luck