Interview/Open Day/Vacation Scheme Updates- Coronavirus

[TCLA Community Assistant]

For vac schemes where a live element will take place in winter instead of summer, any ideas how this would work with participants planning to start the GDL in September? Would the firms potentially pay back that Year 1 tuition to those they offer a TC? Or is that just a hit everyone will have to take?

Ask the firm on their policy. Some firms will already reimburse the GDL fees if you have started the course. Some may choose to change their policy if they don’t now.

but you can’t make assumptions on this, there won’t be a one size fits all approach - you need to ask the firm to clarify.

 

[AH9891]

A lot of firms fund the GDL and LPC retrospectively anyway but given this is entirely out of students' control I would expect a lot of firms to pay back any tuition regardless of what their policy is on retrospective fee paying

I mean I’m already on the GDL so this doesn’t affect me, but surely there are going to be a lot of people that can’t afford to pay for the GDL without knowing that a firm will pay for it. Would be interesting to see how they are going to handle it? Especially with firms that only take on a handful of all the people on the vac scheme it would be quite risky to start the GDL hoping it will work out?! Strange times!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

I mean I’m already on the GDL so this doesn’t affect me, but surely there are going to be a lot of people that can’t afford to pay for the GDL without knowing that a firm will pay for it. Would be interesting to see how they are going to handle it? Especially with firms that only take on a handful of all the people on the vac scheme it would be quite risky to start the GDL hoping it will work out?! Strange times!

In someways the timing could be good. If people don’t choose to do the GDL of their own accord, they could be put through a SQE prep course or start as a trainee. This means people could start earlier than those who do the GDL anyway.

there also seems to be a suggestion that there will be a bumper January 2021 GDL “Fast-track” intake that will sneak in before the SQE deadline.

 

[anon0408]

there also seems to be a suggestion that there will be a bumper January 2021 GDL “Fast-track” intake that will sneak in before the SQE deadline.

This is interesting! As in an intake from the universities for an expedited GDL? Or an intake from firms?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

This is interesting! As in an intake from the universities for an expedited GDL? Or an intake from firms?

probably only BPP and/or UoL - they usually have a Jan/Feb GDL intake anyway, but seems this might be one they condense down to 7/8 months instead of 10. That’s what has been suggested by a couple of comments on these forums anyway.

 

[gg999]

probably only BPP and/or UoL - they usually have a Jan/Feb GDL intake anyway, but seems this might be one they condense down to 7/8 months instead of 10. That’s what has been suggested by a couple of comments on these forums anyway.

The new PGDL that BPP will be offering in September has already been condensed to 8 months with exams to be taken in both December and April with the academic year taking place from September- April.

If people were to start the PGDL in Jan, it would be a tight squeeze to get them done by August/September, especially since the LPC starts in August/September with lots of pre-reading/prep work expected to be attempted/completed before the start of the LPC (this is especially the case if your firm expects you to complete the accelerated LPC, which I have heard is a lot of work to keep on top of).

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

The new PGDL that BPP will be offering in september has already been condensed to 8 months with exams to be taken in both December and April with the academic year taking place from September- April.

If people were to start the PGDL in Jan, it would be a tight squeeze to get them done by August/September, especially since the LPC starts in August/September with lots of pre-reading/prep work expected to be attempted/completed before the start of the LPC (this is especially the case if your firm expects you to complete the accelerated LPC, which I have heard is a lot of work to keep on top of).

Indeed - I don’t doubt that for a second. But the January 2021 intake will be the last one for those wanting to be a solicitor, so it seems they are trying to cram it in.

 

[ibs97]

Latham is now online. 1 week digital. 1 week work exp in the Winter.

could this potentially mean L&W won't be running their winter VS?

 

[D]

could this potentially mean L&W won't be running their winter VS?

I mean, it's a possibility. However, they could just lump us all in together. They still need to hire for the 2 years ahead at the end of the day. I suppose a possibility would be to just run Spring/Summer in 2021.

 

[NourJ]

Linklaters sent an update: the scheme will be 2 weeks long but we will be paid for 3. There will be seminars and we will be assigned to 2 different seats as planned with a trainee buddy and a principal. We will be assessed based on general feedback, graded project-based tasks and the final TC interview.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

I thought it might be useful for everyone to see this and see how well the legal sector is fairing in comparison to other graduate job sectors. I know there is a lot of worry, but so far the legal sector is one of the most stable industries that has seen the fewest amount of cuts to student vacancies.

 

[GP Salient]

I thought it might be useful for everyone to see this and see how well the legal sector is fairing in comparison to other graduate job sectors. I know there is a lot of worry, but so far the legal sector is one of the most stable industries that has seen the fewest amount of cuts to student vacancies.

Is this because graduates are hired years in advance for their TC's at their law firms? And if I can be pessimistic, is the number low because law firms haven't felt the full economic effects of the virus yet?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Is this because graduates are hired years in advance for their TC's at their law firms? And if I can be pessimistic, is the number low because law firms haven't felt the full economic effects of the virus yet?

Yes - the time lag always helps for their to be much more stability in legal recruitment. The heavy investment in training and development also contributes to this stability though - you are investing long term into new employees, so you can afford to not think short term.

And undoubtedly law firms will have further economic impacts. However many firms tend to continue to pick up different types of work in times of recession and are still kept busy. Generally, firms' profitability in the financial crisis was pretty high.

My point is that many other sectors will be screwed way before the legal sector is though..

 

[Christina_1213]

Linklaters sent an update: the scheme will be 2 weeks long but we will be paid for 3. There will be seminars and we will be assigned to 2 different seats as planned with a trainee buddy and a principal. We will be assessed based on general feedback, graded project-based tasks and the final TC interview.

Hey have you received their calendar invitation for Q&A? I haven’t received it yet and just want to make sure that it’s not just me that haven’t received it.

 

[NourJ]

Hey have you received their calendar invitation for Q&A? I haven’t received it yet and just want to make sure that it’s not just me that haven’t received it.

I didn't receive it yet either!

 

[Christina_1213]

I didn't receive it yet either!

Thanks for letting me know!

 

[Reg]

Hello,

I’m not sure if anyone is or was looking to apply to Freeths but they have temporarily closed their applications until further notice.

 

[123454321]

No worries if not but does anyone know what the current situation in terms of trainees due to commence in September this year is? e.g. have their TCs been deferred/wfh or is it still looking uncertain? Or if not maybe the situation in similar industries e.g. banking, big 4 etc?

 

[c1070]

No worries if not but does anyone know what the current situation in terms of trainees due to commence in September this year is? e.g. have their TCs been deferred/wfh or is it still looking uncertain? Or if not maybe the situation in similar industries e.g. banking, big 4 etc?

I think it is totally firm dependant, I know of some friends who have been deferred to feb, others have been told they’ll do at least the first 2months remotely, and others who have been told they intend to start them but can’t be certain. Also know of at least one firm who have already been told they will have to take an immediate pay cut

Like I said it is completely dependant on firm/size etc.

as an additional industry my friend who was supposed to start the IBM grad scheme has been deferred 3months

 

[MarathonNotaSprint]

No worries if not but does anyone know what the current situation in terms of trainees due to commence in September this year is? e.g. have their TCs been deferred/wfh or is it still looking uncertain? Or if not maybe the situation in similar industries e.g. banking, big 4 etc?

Yeah I have a friend who says that whether or not they'll commence their TC this year is dependent on business needs and the affordability of taking on trainees (due to reduced revenue/business etc). If not, it will probably be deferred til Feb. This is for an MC firm btw.