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  1. J

    Is a conversion course necessary for a non-law undergrad to secure a TC?

    I would probably do the combined PGDL with SQE1 masters course at somewhere like BPP (16 months from September - as the masters loan covers the year's law conversion and the SQE1 course (not not the SQE fees nor SQE2 course); whilst also applying for sponsored TCs and vac schemes. I think the...
  2. J

    Trainee Solicitor roles - not allowing anyone who has completed the LPC

    Also people with 2 years of work of the right kind, may qualify by the "equivalent means" route just with the LPC if they can document the work etc. ie qualify without SQE2
  3. J

    What I wish I'd known about SQE1

    That will be very useful for people. (May be worth readers checking the latest booking system for SQE1 as I think they changed it this year to make it easier, rather than people having to sit for hours trying to log in to book).
  4. J

    Clifford gave me a Chance (A now SQE Journey)

    Even though I am an old lawyer it is very interesting. We have family members applying etc so I like to keep in touch. Good luck with SQE1 exam in January.
  5. J

    Quite a sad TC unsuccessful story

    I hope you manage to find something. I applied to 139 in the last year of my LLB (a huge number even for the old days - I am an older lawyer) and had 25 interviews before getting one. I must be the worst interview candidate on the planet. In those days I just had to type a covering letter...
  6. J

    SQE Full-time

    It is not easy. Some people have parents in London or commutable distance to London such as in Kent, Cambridge etc so can live at home rent free. Others can share a room or flat even if quite far out of London in a very cheap area. Near me out here in zone 5 - outer London - a room is about £800...
  7. J

    Urgent advice needed – should I apply for the SQE or LPC this September?

    The only reason to do the LPC now (for those very few people who are allowed to qualify the LPC way - most aren't) in my view is if you are 100% sure you will fail a closed book set of exams like SQE1 either because you cannot remember anything and need open book exams or your brain works in a...
  8. J

    SQE LLM VS The SQE preparation courses

    If you don't need an LLM in your home country for future work opportunities it is probably best to switch just to the SQE1 and 2 and not the LLM bit as the LLM part will just involve extra pointless time and as your other different is in person or not in person being in person is probably better...
  9. 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...
  10. 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...
  11. 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...
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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...
  15. 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...
  16. 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...
  17. 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.
  18. 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...
  19. 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.
  20. 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...

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