Hi everyone <3

[TomieKaw]

Hope everyone is having a great week! I am completely new to TCLA and wanted to introduce myself and get some sort of advice on my situation since ngl I have a wave of depression hitting me every. single. day.

I am International student, my age is in the higher 20s, have obtained an LLB from a UK based university (Non Russel Group) with a low 2.1; don't have the most impeccable academic results but I have got a drive like no other because I am relentless in my path to succeed. I can speak 6 languages (4 fluently, 2 on a more basic/intermediate level and currently learning 2 more), I have excellent networking & communication skills. I am currently applying to TC's within the Uk, outside of the Uk, applying to paralegal roles, internships, you name it (everything that has a legal job description under the sun basically) and so far, nothing. I also feel that because of my age and graduation date, I am truly losing in this race against time... Some days seem bleak, some hopeful but I will not give up no matter what. I guess what I am looking for here are words of encouragement and to feel like I am not alone in this path. I have many regrets concerning my academics especially having not tried as hard as I should have during high school and in university itself (I don't want to blame ADHD but after being diagnosed, it makes total sense: gifted child turned into incompetent adult).

If you were to ask me, well then why corporate law or why law at all, I would have to say I went into this field at a very young age with the dream of making an impact in people's lives through protecting their rights aka going into criminal/human rights side of things and while studying my LLB I wanted to actually take the BTC path but due to changes in my personal life and lack of access to certain opportunities, I had to resort to the SQE path and here we are I guess...

Thanks in advance for reading this incoherent post and look forward to garnering any sort of response.

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

Hi @TomieKaw

Welcome to the forum! Thank you for being so open about your own experience of trying to break into law. Really wanted to emphasise that you're not alone in how feel, and there are loads of applicants on here who I'm sure can relate. What you’ve said will resonate with many people here.

The first thing I really want to highlight is this: neither your age nor your academic record will automatically keep you from getting a training contract. Many people think they’re being rejected because of a low 2:1 or a non-Russell Group background, but in most cases, the issue lies elsewhere (usually in the quality of their applications themselves). I think it's also worth noting that you have things working in your favour as well (as you seem to appreciate), including your language skills, your international outlook, and your interpersonal skills. I'd say don't underestimate how important these are in securing a training contract.

Having met many people in a similar position to you, I think what consistently sets successful candidates apart is:

• their ability to show well-thought out motivations for wanting to go into commercial law;
• their ability to apply and demonstrate their commercial awareness during law firm interviews; and
• the overall structure, tone, and accuracy of their application writing.

These are skills that can be developed. Although it can be daunting, I'd really recommend trying to double down on these goals over the next few months. I'd also encourage you to come up with a strategy for applying to firms and to help you achieve some of the goals/skills that I've mentioned above. If you want to talk more about anything, please don't hesitate to post about it on the forum and tag/ask any community assistants here, including myself.

Hang in there!

 

[Jaysen]

Hope everyone is having a great week! I am completely new to TCLA and wanted to introduce myself and get some sort of advice on my situation since ngl I have a wave of depression hitting me every. single. day.

I am International student, my age is in the higher 20s, have obtained an LLB from a UK based university (Non Russel Group) with a low 2.1; don't have the most impeccable academic results but I have got a drive like no other because I am relentless in my path to succeed. I can speak 6 languages (4 fluently, 2 on a more basic/intermediate level and currently learning 2 more), I have excellent networking & communication skills. I am currently applying to TC's within the Uk, outside of the Uk, applying to paralegal roles, internships, you name it (everything that has a legal job description under the sun basically) and so far, nothing. I also feel that because of my age and graduation date, I am truly losing in this race against time... Some days seem bleak, some hopeful but I will not give up no matter what. I guess what I am looking for here are words of encouragement and to feel like I am not alone in this path. I have many regrets concerning my academics especially having not tried as hard as I should have during high school and in university itself (I don't want to blame ADHD but after being diagnosed, it makes total sense: gifted child turned into incompetent adult).

If you were to ask me, well then why corporate law or why law at all, I would have to say I went into this field at a very young age with the dream of making an impact in people's lives through protecting their rights aka going into criminal/human rights side of things and while studying my LLB I wanted to actually take the BTC path but due to changes in my personal life and lack of access to certain opportunities, I had to resort to the SQE path and here we are I guess...

Thanks in advance for reading this incoherent post and look forward to garnering any sort of response.

Completely agree with @Ram Sabaratnam. A big welcome to the community @TomieKaw.

 

[TomieKaw]

@Jaysen Thank you so much for the warm welcome and @Ram Sabaratnam for the incredible advice since it is a far more refreshing outlook and helps me focus on the present and what is within my control rather than being stuck in a loop of the past. I will most definitely post within the forums if I need anything further. Great to be a part of such an incredible community!