TCLA General Discussion Thread #2 (2021)

[TCLA Community Assistant]

The LPC is with an LLM. The firm is paying for it. I don't think I'll be able to get maintenance from student finance though, as my undergrad ended up being 4 years long (due to a leave of absence) and I'm pretty sure they explained you can't get a postgraduate loan if you end up having a 4 year undergraduate degree (or something like that).

I'll send them an email about it, because they did ask if anyone wanted a paralegal role before their TC but I assumed this was FT and aimed at those who had already completed the LPC!

Thanks Jessica

I’d double check, as I think you might be eligible for a postgraduate maintenance grant anyway.

 

[Matt_96]

The LPC is with an LLM. The firm is paying for it. I don't think I'll be able to get maintenance from student finance though, as my undergrad ended up being 4 years long (due to a leave of absence) and I'm pretty sure they explained you can't get a postgraduate loan if you end up having a 4 year undergraduate degree (or something like that).

I'll send them an email about it, because they did ask if anyone wanted a paralegal role before their TC but I assumed this was FT and aimed at those who had already completed the LPC!

Thanks Jessica

I'm surprised they have a problem with your undergrad being four years long. Mine was four years long and Student Finance never batted an eyelid!

 

[Anon 11031]

I'm surprised they have a problem with your undergrad being four years long. Mine was four years long and Student Finance never batted an eyelid!

When I took a leave of absence, which was a decision made towards the end of the academic year after they'd paid me, they said that it would prevent me from getting postgraduate funding as the standard is 3 years undergrad + 1 year postgraduate.

From what you and Jessica have said though, it's worth me ringing up to find out!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

When I took a leave of absence, which was a decision made towards the end of the academic year after they'd paid me, they said that it would prevent me from getting postgraduate funding as the standard is 3 years undergrad + 1 year postgraduate.

From what you and Jessica have said though, it's worth me ringing up to find out!

I think the way in which post graduate funding works now has changed from probably when you were told that. As I understood it, the eligibility has no ties to your undergrad beyond the fact that if you have failed to contribute to your undergrad loan when you should have contributed, they won’t lend you the money because you have defaulted already.

 

[Anon 11031]

I think the way in which post graduate funding works now has changed from probably when you were told that. As I understood it, the eligibility has no ties to your undergrad beyond the fact that if you have failed to contribute to your undergrad loan when you should have contributed, they won’t lend you the money because you have defaulted already.

Thanks for this, Jessica.

I'm going to give them a call in the morning, although I'm not keen on the idea of getting a postgraduate loan I think it's probably wise to have in case I do need to quit work. I suppose I don't have to take the full amount either.

If it transpires that I don't need it, and can work through, can I withdraw my SL application or ask them to not pay me?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Thanks for this, Jessica.

I'm going to give them a call in the morning, although I'm not keen on the idea of getting a postgraduate loan I think it's probably wise to have in case I do need to quit work. I suppose I don't have to take the full amount either.

If it transpires that I don't need it, and can work through, can I withdraw my SL application or ask them to not pay me?

You’d just pay it back if you had the money spare.

 

[RoughWood]

When I took a leave of absence, which was a decision made towards the end of the academic year after they'd paid me, they said that it would prevent me from getting postgraduate funding as the standard is 3 years undergrad + 1 year postgraduate.

From what you and Jessica have said though, it's worth me ringing up to find out!

Hi, it is definitely worth contacting Student Finance, as Jessica said it has changed relatively recently. I have just had my application approved and they specified that you can have up to 4 years undergraduate, £11.5ishk for post grad then £27ishk for PHD's.

 

[kr253]

Hi all, hope this is the right place to ask this!
After a crushing round and failing to convert my VS ( ), I'm trying to pick myself back up and am now applying for some other vaguely legal-related jobs to keep me going financially for another round. I'm currently applying for an MoJ role and was wondering if anyone has any advice about how to approach civil service behaviours on an application form? Do I need to use specific examples, or is it okay to be general? There doesn't seem to be any opportunity on the form to describe my work experience more generally, so I'm a little confused how to begin.
I remember seeing some people discussing these a while back but can't seem to find the posts - any advice would be appreciated!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi all, hope this is the right place to ask this!
After a crushing round and failing to convert my VS ( ), I'm trying to pick myself back up and am now applying for some other vaguely legal-related jobs to keep me going financially for another round. I'm currently applying for an MoJ role and was wondering if anyone has any advice about how to approach civil service behaviours on an application form? Do I need to use specific examples, or is it okay to be general? There doesn't seem to be any opportunity on the form to describe my work experience more generally, so I'm a little confused how to begin.
I remember seeing some people discussing these a while back but can't seem to find the posts - any advice would be appreciated!

Civil service heavily relies on a framework that they assess from. They don’t really look at your past experience, they will just look at the skills needed for the job.

When you apply/on the job advert, there should be a very strong indication of the competencies they are assessing. The job level will also determine the level to which they need these skills.

You can find out more here: https://assets.publishing.service.g...hment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

 

[kr253]

Civil service heavily relies on a framework that they assess from. They don’t really look at your past experience, they will just look at the skills needed for the job.

When you apply/on the job advert, there should be a very strong indication of the competencies they are assessing. The job level will also determine the level to which they need these skills.

You can find out more here: https://assets.publishing.service.g...hment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

Thanks very much Jessica!

 

[Matt_96]

Hi all, hope this is the right place to ask this!
After a crushing round and failing to convert my VS ( ), I'm trying to pick myself back up and am now applying for some other vaguely legal-related jobs to keep me going financially for another round. I'm currently applying for an MoJ role and was wondering if anyone has any advice about how to approach civil service behaviours on an application form? Do I need to use specific examples, or is it okay to be general? There doesn't seem to be any opportunity on the form to describe my work experience more generally, so I'm a little confused how to begin.
I remember seeing some people discussing these a while back but can't seem to find the posts - any advice would be appreciated!

I can give you some insight into this as I recently interviewed with the CPS which uses civil service behaviours.

Can you clarify which behaviours the role is particularly looking for? Civil Service apps do tend to be quite different to how commercial firms do things.

 

[kr253]

I can give you some insight into this as I recently interviewed with the CPS which uses civil service behaviours.

Can you clarify which behaviours the role is particularly looking for? Civil Service apps do tend to be quite different to how commercial firms do things.

Thank you! It's looking at: Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, and Working Together. The link Jessica shared was really helpful in understanding it, but I'm just wondering how specific/general to be. For context, I've got 4 years of full-time work experience, most recently working at a very senior level in a small PR agency - so I am confident I have the skills/behaviours they are looking for, but just unsure how best to illustrate these here.

 

[lawstudent12345]

is Sidley's vac scheme only for penultimate year law students and final year non-law students? That's what it says on their website (but they supposedly take very few non-VS trainees so it seems kinda weird). I'm entering my final year of law and wanted to apply for their winter vac - anyone know if they'd consider me?

 

[charotts1708]

is Sidley's vac scheme only for penultimate year law students and final year non-law students? That's what it says on their website (but they supposedly take very few non-VS trainees so it seems kinda weird). I'm entering my final year of law and wanted to apply for their winter vac - anyone know if they'd consider me?

I did the summer vac this year and got a TC offer off the back of it. There was a mix of second-year and third-year law students, and some grads if this is any help. I don't think they take direct TC applications, correct me if I'm wrong though.

 

[Anon 11031]

@Jessica Booker @RoughWood

Thanks for the advice - I've just applied for student finance. Apparently firm funding and having a 4-year undergraduate course doesn't affect it! Yay! No more stresses about next year!

 

[RoughWood]

@Jessica Booker @RoughWood

Thanks for the advice - I've just applied for student finance. Apparently firm funding and having a 4-year undergraduate course doesn't affect it! Yay! No more stresses about next year!

You're welcome! Great to hear that funding doesn't affect eligibility, takes some of the pressure off

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

@Jessica Booker @RoughWood

Thanks for the advice - I've just applied for student finance. Apparently firm funding and having a 4-year undergraduate course doesn't affect it! Yay! No more stresses about next year!

Amazing news!

 

[W]

Hi guys

Quick question:

Does Frehfield send you the results for the WG test after you do it or do you have to request it from them?

If anyone knows, that would be much appreciated!

 

[SamTam99]

Hi guys

Quick question:

Does Frehfield send you the results for the WG test after you do it or do you have to request it from them?

If anyone knows, that would be much appreciated!

You have to request

 

[W]

You have to request

Thank you and is it the Freshfields graduate recruitment email you contact?