Recent content by Jane Smith

  1. J

    Is doing the PGDL still worth it?

    My view is it is if you stand a chance of getting into a good firm as the firms put their future trainees into the PGDL before the SQE course. However if someone might be trying to get into law with low grades, not much chance at a bigger firm, probabl8y will cobble together QWE in various ways...
  2. J

    PGDL Personal Statement

    I agree. I have seen the personal statements eg fairly recently for my two sons and I am a lawyer who asked me to glance at them (during the pandemic). Almost everyone with a 2/2 or higher who can pay the fees gets a place. So theirs were just about why they like law, their interests in it...
  3. J

    LCC (Diploma) vs LCC (Masters) vs LCC (SQE Masters)??

    As said, best to ask the firm. The LCC on its own without masters is the PGDL my sons did a couple of years ago with BPP. It is the traditional law conversion course and with no masters. It ends in about Apriland in their case they started the then LPC that year in Spetember. If you are doing...
  4. J

    CC or Slaughters: Which TC should I accept?

    Pick Slaughter and May. I worked there in the past and it is the best of those two choices. Both are good firms however.
  5. J

    My Training Contract Journey

    What a wonderful description. Glad you made the choice of firm that suits you (and I write that as an older lawyer who used to be at the one you rejected - they are both good firms). Good luck on the SQE course.
  6. J

    LPC or SQE?

    I agree. I think some firms will consider requests for LPC instead particularly as it probably costs them about the same and provided the future trainee does the professional skills course in 2 weeks when the TC starts to get it over (as the SQE cohort will not be doing the PSC course). On...
  7. J

    Anyone doing or completed an online distance PGDL/MA Law conversion?

    The year before BPP's exams were as described above for the PGDL (not proctored for those doing them online). Also for BPP for the LPC (in those days not SQE) this had to be on to the SRA's imposed rules where if you do the exams online they must be proctored with web cam and sweep of room, all...
  8. J

    Professional Indemnity Insurance

    It is just insurance the firm must have in case they are negligent etc and may not practise without it. It has to meet minimum requirements and can be quite expensive. I could have bought a small house with the amount I have paid for it since I set up my own one person firm in the 1990s and I...
  9. J

    Failed ULAW BLP

    Yes, I believe it is an SRA rule imposed on the providers such as BPP and ULaw. However just do the best you can in the resit and everything else. There is nothing else to be done if there are no grounds for appeal.
  10. J

    Moving law firms post training

    As it was such a long time ago, I will mention it. It was Slaughter and May. I tihnk it also depends on the jobs market at the time as to what people's chances are - there have been quite a few recessions and good times and recessions since I started (including when I graduated when we had the...
  11. J

    Advice on LPC results date and TC start date clash

    Certainly in the old days TCs started in September and exam results were in November (I am very old) so everyone started without knowing if they had passed (and then I suppose had to leave if they did not pass). Firms had no problems with people starting before results were out.
  12. J

    Moving law firms post training

    I have no up to date experience. I managed to do it but that was a long time ago. It was a move to the first firm who had interviewed and rejected me for a training contract before actually. They they wanted someone in a fairly niche department newly qualified and I had won the university prize...
  13. J

    Starting PGDL in September 2023?

    For those needing a masters student loan as you can only have one of those PGDL with LLM and SQE1 might be best. Called, I think - "Full Time LLM Law Conversion with SQE1" at BPP, particularly given in theory you do not need the PGDL any more (although most law firms want it for those without...
  14. J

    How do you bridge the gap between living costs and grant?

    May be live a bit further out and rent a room in a shared house which may be about £500 a month. Also I think with BPP the PGDL is just 2 terms long now so you may be able to get a job between PDGL and LPC. Also you can sometimes do the PGDL online which might help in renting a room somewhere...
  15. J

    Non-law Conversion and SQE1 within one year?

    "I do a conversion course and SQE1 within one year". I think the BPP PGDL is 2 terms. Then the city consortium firms have their 12 month programme after that https://www.slaughterandmay.com/media/1urbrfzb/city-consortium-solicitor-training-programme.pdf. that is not too different from a one...

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