Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello @Jessica Booker, hope you are doing well. I just got a response from CC but I'm not able to decode it, so could you please help.

"Dear Dhruv,
Thank you for your enquiry.
As you will be a final year Law student, you will be eligible to apply for our 2023 vacancy, however, you must check with the Solicitor Regulation Authority that you are holding a UK qualifying degree.
If you do not, then you would need to study and sit the PGDL, which means you would need to apply for the 2024 Training Contract, as you would be considered by the SRA to be studying a non law degree."

I'm just not able to figure out what needs to be done and what intake do I apply for (2023 or 2024). What do I check with the SRA? And I thought that post-Sept 2021, everybody would start with the SQE but what is PGDL, I am just not aware of this.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello @Jessica Booker, hope you are doing well. I just got a response from CC but I'm not able to decode it, so could you please help.

"Dear Dhruv,
Thank you for your enquiry.
As you will be a final year Law student, you will be eligible to apply for our 2023 vacancy, however, you must check with the Solicitor Regulation Authority that you are holding a UK qualifying degree.
If you do not, then you would need to study and sit the PGDL, which means you would need to apply for the 2024 Training Contract, as you would be considered by the SRA to be studying a non law degree."

I'm just not able to figure out what needs to be done and what intake do I apply for (2023 or 2024). What do I check with the SRA? And I thought that post-Sept 2021, everybody would start with the SQE but what is PGDL, I am just not aware of this.

You haven't got a English qualifying law degree, so you need to apply for the 2024 programme.

You don't need to check anything with the SRA.

The PGDL is a GDL course that you would have to make if you were going the LPC route. Many firms are still putting their trainees through a GDL equivalent course if they haven't got an English law degree

 

[Dwight]

I don't think there is an answer to what the split should be unfortunately. There's too many variables to consider.

Unfortunately over applying is a risk that all candidates need to consider and factor in to their decision making process. I don't think of unique do winter schemes, it applies to all jobs you apply to.

Although a firm may move you to other opportunities is very much down to them at the time. Many firms won't move candidates do future schemes, mainly where they could fill the schemes just with this process. Other firms are more open to it. You may find that some firms just transfer your application over to a direct TC application too.

But except many firms to just say there not much they can do - ultimately if you are accepting one firms winter scheme over another, then there is a strong chance you’ll probably select that firm for a TC too as clearly you have a preference for that firm. Many firms won't want to bend over backwards for someone if they are clearly not the candidate’s first choice.

Thank you for your response, @Jessica Booker.

In your opinion, what are the chances that winter, spring and summer schemes will be in-person?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you for your response, @Jessica Booker.

In your opinion, what are the chances that winter, spring and summer schemes will be in-person?

Impossible for me to say. All it will take is another form of lockdown or a new variant and we could find no one has a choice in the matter.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

You haven't got a English qualifying law degree, so you need to apply for the 2024 programme.

You don't need to check anything with the SRA.

The PGDL is a GDL course that you would have to make if you were going the LPC route. Many firms are still putting their trainees through a GDL equivalent course if they haven't got an English law degree

Thank you so much for your help.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me something about retention rates that the firms release? Are they about trainees who decided that they just didn't see themselves working there for life, or are these rates about the firm who chose not to take a few trainees because of their average performance during the TC or is it a mix of both, just means to arrive at a final rate of retention ?Thanks.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me something about retention rates that the firms release? Are they about trainees who decided that they just didn't see themselves working there for life, or are these rates about the firm who chose not to take a few trainees because of their average performance during the TC or is it a mix of both, just means to arrive at a final rate of retention ?Thanks.

It depends how the firm wants to manipulate the stats.

Sometimes it’s calculated on the qualifying intake minus those who don’t apply for jobs with the firm, those who aren’t offered a job (mixture of poor performers and those who only apply to departments that are over subscribed), and those who don’t accept a job they are offered.

Sometimes firms don’t include those who don’t apply for NQ roles.

Sometimes firms also don’t include those who turn down roles.

Some firms are also slightly sneaky in only offering fixed term NQ roles rather than permanent roles to manipulate their retention statistics.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

It depends how the firm wants to manipulate the stats.

Sometimes it’s calculated on the qualifying intake minus those who don’t apply for jobs with the firm, those who aren’t offered a job (mixture of poor performers and those who only apply to departments that are over subscribed), and those who don’t accept a job they are offered.

Sometimes firms don’t include those who don’t apply for NQ roles.

Sometimes firms also don’t include those who turn down roles.

Some firms are also slightly sneaky in only offering fixed term NQ roles rather than permanent roles to manipulate their retention statistics.

Thanks. Just a follow-up question, please? From what I've understood, it isn't really going to help our application if we decide to mention these retention rates in the interview (since it is calculated so strategically), right? Please correct me if I'm wrong, though? I was reading on Legal Cheek that Links had the highest retention rate amongst all the MC firms this time (or at least one of the highest), so is there any way that this information can be used? I have no idea how but it would be great if you could please tell me more about how the best candidates might use this.

Thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks. Just a follow-up question, please? From what I've understood, it isn't really going to help our application if we decide to mention these retention rates in the interview (since it is calculated so strategically), right? Please correct me if I'm wrong, though? I was reading on Legal Cheek that Links had the highest retention rate amongst all the MC firms this time (or at least one of the highest), so is there any way that this information can be used? I have no idea how but it would be great if you could please tell me more about how the best candidates might use this.

Thanks

I think if firms have consistently low retention rates that is a worry, while firms with a consistently high retention rate are clearly doing well to manage their talent pipeline and retain talent in the firm.

I don’t think it’s valuable looking at just one intake’s retention rate - but instead looking at how it averages out over a number of intakes over recent years

 

[white9]

@Jessica Booker

Hi Jessica - do firms usually have any preference whether you do the LPC part-time or full-time? I'd like to do it full-time and continue working, but unsure if they will have any issue with this.

I will of course enquire with them directly when appropriate, but just thought I would ask!

Thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker

Hi Jessica - do firms usually have any preference whether you do the LPC part-time or full-time? I'd like to do it full-time and continue working, but unsure if they will have any issue with this.

I will of course enquire with them directly when appropriate, but just thought I would ask!

Thanks

When you say work, do you mean part-time or full-time? How many hours a week would you be doing alongside a full time course?

 

[white9]

When you say work, do you mean part-time or full-time? How many hours a week would you be doing alongside a full time course?

Sorry! I meant part-time...

I'd like to do the LPC part-time (one evening class a week) over the two years before a '23 TC start.

 

[Dwight]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

(1) Sometimes I feel like I am not writing the work experience section correctly or getting the most of my experiences on paper.

How do you go about writing the work experience section? What should I include and not include, how should it be structured etc

I would really appreciate a full overview on this.

(2) Also, from your experience, how, if so, are applications for vacation schemes that are limited to finalists/graduates different than vacation schemes open to all (all = penultimate year students and above)? Can you please give me a response to the same question but winter vs spring/summer schemes.


Thank you.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

(1) Sometimes I feel like I am not writing the work experience section correctly or getting the most of my experiences on paper.

How do you go about writing the work experience section? What should I include and not include, how should it be structured etc

I would really appreciate a full overview on this.

(2) Also, from your experience, how, if so, are applications for vacation schemes that are limited to finalists/graduates different than vacation schemes open to all (all = penultimate year students and above)? Can you please give me a response to the same question but winter vs spring/summer schemes.


Thank you.

Focus on explaining the unique elements of your work experience and your specific impact or achievements. There is little point using phrasing like “I worked with trainees and associates” to describe a vacation scheme for instance. I’d much prefer to know the specifics of the work you did. For instance if you were responsible for drafting something, tell me what type of company it was for or what it was related to. Being specific makes your answer more unique and gives your interviewer something to pick out and discuss in more detail.

There is no difference for vacation schemes for finalists than there would be for penultimate year students. They just run later in someone’s academics for recruitment purposes.

 

[Dwight]

Focus on explaining the unique elements of your work experience and your specific impact or achievements. There is little point using phrasing like “I worked with trainees and associates” to describe a vacation scheme for instance. I’d much prefer to know the specifics of the work you did. For instance if you were responsible for drafting something, tell me what type of company it was for or what it was related to. Being specific makes your answer more unique and gives your interviewer something to pick out and discuss in more detail.

There is no difference for vacation schemes for finalists than there would be for penultimate year students. They just run later in someone’s academics for recruitment purposes.

Would a recruiter want to hear all the documents I drafted or it is better to say the following: 'I drafted some legal documents, for example …'?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Would a recruiter want to hear all the documents I drafted or it is better to say the following: 'I drafted some legal documents, for example …'?

They don’t need to hear all of them. I’d pick a couple of the most interesting eg: drafted a research note on AI technology development and a memo for a biotech company on the impacts of a new law.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

@Jessica Booker , just a follow up question here, could you please tell me if the work ex section has the ability to make or break an application? I mean do e get brownie points if we can make it succint+interesting?

Thanks.

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker , just a follow up question here, could you please tell me if the work ex section has the ability to make or break an application? I mean do e get brownie points if we can make it succint+interesting?

Thanks.

Every part of an application is make or break - it isn’t just work experience, it’s every single bit of information you put down.

 

[scics]

Hello, a very broad question here. Aside from the expected academics, what should I do starting from my first year that would make me an ideal candidate for top law firms, given good performance in interview and aptitude tests. My current plan was to compete at university level in my sport, the law society, and some kind of outreach program for children interested in law at state schools, something along those lines.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello, a very broad question here. Aside from the expected academics, what should I do starting from my first year that would make me an ideal candidate for top law firms, given good performance in interview and aptitude tests. My current plan was to compete at university level in my sport, the law society, and some kind of outreach program for children interested in law at state schools, something along those lines.

Just keep yourself busy and take responsibility. It doesn’t really matter what you do, it’s more that you show you are proactive in seeking opportunities, develop your skill set and your interests.