Firms that care less about grades

[Naskimovski]

Hi everyone,

I graduated in 2024 with an LLB in Law from a Russell Group university. My grades were mostly in the 50s and 60s, but I achieved a 2:1 overall. I also have strong work experience, but I suspect that my applications might be rejected mainly because of my grades.

Could anyone share which law firms tend to be more flexible or holistic when it comes to academic results especially for vacation schemes or training contracts?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Andrei Radu]

Hi everyone,

I graduated in 2024 with an LLB in Law from a Russell Group university. My grades were mostly in the 50s and 60s, but I achieved a 2:1 overall. I also have strong work experience, but I suspect that my applications might be rejected mainly because of my grades.

Could anyone share which law firms tend to be more flexible or holistic when it comes to academic results especially for vacation schemes or training contracts?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I unfortunately cannot give anything close to an exhaustive list, but there are some firms I know have progressed people with overall low 2.1s/overall 2.2s in Year 1 to late stages/made them VS and TC offers:

• Weil
• Watson Farley & Williams
• DLA Piper
• CMS

 

[Naskimovski]

I unfortunately cannot give anything close to an exhaustive list, but there are some firms I know have progressed people with overall low 2.1s/overall 2.2s in Year 1 to late stages/made them VS and TC offers:

• Weil
• Watson Farley & Williams
• DLA Piper
• CMS

Thanks for sharing this, Andrei, that’s really helpful. Out of curiosity, what do you think about the Magic Circle and other big international firms like HSF, Hogan Lovells, Baker McKenzie, or White & Case? Do they tend to be as flexible, or are they stricter when it comes to grades?

 

[Andrei Radu]

Thanks for sharing this, Andrei, that’s really helpful. Out of curiosity, what do you think about the Magic Circle and other big international firms like HSF, Hogan Lovells, Baker McKenzie, or White & Case? Do they tend to be as flexible, or are they stricter when it comes to grades?

From what I know, the Magic Circle firms generally look for reasonably consistent 2.1 results across your modules. More specifically, Slaughters is known to only recruit people with a high 2.1 or a first (with a heavy emphasis on 1.1s) while Linklaters is apparently seeking at least a 2.1 in every module this year. Clifford Chance, A&O Shearman, and Freshfields appear to be more flexible.

As for the big international firms:

• HSF: historically they were known to ask for consistent 2.1 module results; but judging on the fact they have not expressly stipulated this in their VS application website page anymore this year, it could be the case they have changed their policy.
• Baker Mckenzie: I have not heard anything about a module result policy here, and I know people with overall low 2.1s who secured a TC
• White & Case: again, I have not heard of any specific expectation as to module results; and the firm appears to me to be relatively less grade focused when compared to its rivals.
• Hogan Lovells: in the past I know they progressed candidates with low 2.1s, but I have heard they are looking for 2.1 grades in all modules now