My (ongoing) TC Journey

[AMullin]

Hi All,

Thought I would sign up here for a bit of accountability and to share some ideas with likeminded people.

I am a 36 year old father of three, currently looking to make a career change from policing to commercial law.

Background

Didn't do particularly well throughout my academic career, 1 A, 3 B's and the rest C's at GCSE. Similar story at A-Level, finishing with ABC. Ended up making a last minute change from a Nursing degree and ended up going through clearing and studying Law at Nottingham Trent University. Lacklustre performance continued and I ended up graduating in 2011 with a low 2.1 (61). Like many before (and after) me I thought I could make up for this overall lack of dedication by doing an LLM, so I opted for a Masters in International Commercial and Business Law at the University of East Anglia. I really applied myself to this and came away with a Distinction (73) and the award for the top student. I managed to secure a role as a paralegal at Mills & Reeve but suffered massively from imposter syndrome and a general lack of confidence, I genuinely thought I would never be good enough to get a TC and so ended up joining the Metropolitan Police Service as a Police Officer.

Current Situation

I have now served in the police service for over 12 years, the last 6 being as an Armed Response Officer, and I genuinely think I have developed some strong transferable skills for a career in commercial law. Specifically teamwork, communication, resilience and decision-making under pressure. So it is now with a renewed sense of direction that I am trying again to secure a TC at a commercial law firm. I know it is going to be an incredibly difficult process given my academic background and if I ever make it to an interview there will be some questions around my career path and commitment to law so I will have to make sure I'm prepared.

Applications

So far I have been focusing my applications based on firms that I like the sound of and that don't focus on academic requirements. I have also focused on ones with upcoming deadlines so I can get an early indication on how my applications are being viewed. Also, while salary isn't the biggest priority, I can't afford to be taking too much of a pay cut at this stage in my life...

As it stands I have applied for:

• Addleshaw Goddard
• Taylor Wessing
• Gowling WLG
• Kennedys
• Mishcon de Reya
• Clifford Chance
• Freshfields
• Linklaters
• Davis Polk
• Norton Rose Fulbright

I have completed online assessments for Addleshaw Goddard, Taylor Wessing, Gowling WLG, Clifford Chance, Freshfields, Linklaters and Norton Rose Fulbright. I had an email saying I passed the Clifford Chance Watson Glaser so just waiting on an application review from them.

Got rejected pretty quickly from Freshfields which was understandable given my academics and probably a good indication that MC firms are a pipe dream.

So yeh, that's me in a nutshell. If anyone else is in a similar boat or has any wisdom to share then please get in touch!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi All,

Thought I would sign up here for a bit of accountability and to share some ideas with likeminded people.

I am a 36 year old father of three, currently looking to make a career change from policing to commercial law.

Background

Didn't do particularly well throughout my academic career, 1 A, 3 B's and the rest C's at GCSE. Similar story at A-Level, finishing with ABC. Ended up making a last minute change from a Nursing degree and ended up going through clearing and studying Law at Nottingham Trent University. Lacklustre performance continued and I ended up graduating in 2011 with a low 2.1 (61). Like many before (and after) me I thought I could make up for this overall lack of dedication by doing an LLM, so I opted for a Masters in International Commercial and Business Law at the University of East Anglia. I really applied myself to this and came away with a Distinction (73) and the award for the top student. I managed to secure a role as a paralegal at Mills & Reeve but suffered massively from imposter syndrome and a general lack of confidence, I genuinely thought I would never be good enough to get a TC and so ended up joining the Metropolitan Police Service as a Police Officer.

Current Situation

I have now served in the police service for over 12 years, the last 6 being as an Armed Response Officer, and I genuinely think I have developed some strong transferable skills for a career in commercial law. Specifically teamwork, communication, resilience and decision-making under pressure. So it is now with a renewed sense of direction that I am trying again to secure a TC at a commercial law firm. I know it is going to be an incredibly difficult process given my academic background and if I ever make it to an interview there will be some questions around my career path and commitment to law so I will have to make sure I'm prepared.

Applications

So far I have been focusing my applications based on firms that I like the sound of and that don't focus on academic requirements. I have also focused on ones with upcoming deadlines so I can get an early indication on how my applications are being viewed. Also, while salary isn't the biggest priority, I can't afford to be taking too much of a pay cut at this stage in my life...

As it stands I have applied for:

• Addleshaw Goddard
• Taylor Wessing
• Gowling WLG
• Kennedys
• Mishcon de Reya
• Clifford Chance
• Freshfields
• Linklaters
• Davis Polk
• Norton Rose Fulbright

I have completed online assessments for Addleshaw Goddard, Taylor Wessing, Gowling WLG, Clifford Chance, Freshfields, Linklaters and Norton Rose Fulbright. I had an email saying I passed the Clifford Chance Watson Glaser so just waiting on an application review from them.

Got rejected pretty quickly from Freshfields which was understandable given my academics and probably a good indication that MC firms are a pipe dream.

So yeh, that's me in a nutshell. If anyone else is in a similar boat or has any wisdom to share then please get in touch!

Hello!

Welcome to the forum - and thanks for sharing your journey so honestly!

Your background is definitely more of a strength than you think. Twelve years in policing gives you exceptional transferable skills that most applicants won’t have - resilience, teamwork, communication under pressure. Firms genuinely value career changers who bring that lived experience and unique perspective!

Your academics definitely aren’t a dealbreaker either. A 2:1 followed by a Distinction in your LLM shows clear upward trajectory, and plenty of commercial firms will look at the whole picture rather than filtering rigidly.

Your application strategy also makes sense - a good mix of firms that value diverse backgrounds. Early rejections definitely don’t mean that MC firms are out of reach; recruitment is nuanced and often inconsistent, so try not to read too much into one result (and passing the CC WG is a strong sign!).

You’ve got a really compelling story and a unique skill set - keep going and I’m sure it’ll all work out! Best of luck with this application cycle, and I look forward to reading any updates!

 

[AMullin]

Just took the Mishcon de Reya "Virtual Chat", seemed to go ok but then I fumbled on the 60 second video recording - no do overs either 😀. I'll standby for the rejection!

 

[Jaysen]

Good luck this cycle @AMullin!

 

[AMullin]

Right, day off today and 2 out of 3 children at school for the day so perfect opportunity to make some progress!

Plan for the day is to research and start an application to Holman Fenwick and Willan on the recommendation of @1stCycleApplicant. They highlighted their Complex Environment work to me and honestly I'd never even heard of that sort of practice but it sounds really interesting and fits my background and experience quite well. If anyone has any knowledge or insight about HFW that they would be willing to share I would be very grateful!

 

[1stCycleApplicant]

Hi again!
HFW aren’t referred to as Holman, Fenwick and Willan anymore, so only use ‘HFW’ in you written application.
2 key things the firm look for in applications:

1) An understanding of their sector focus and why that makes them stand out against their competitors. Why does the sector focus approach appeal to you. Although, you could tailor the entire application towards the complex environment team, I’m sure that would be fine tbh. But showing an understanding for the sector focus is key.

2) Guaranteed international secondment. They’re like the only firm that has a compulsory international seat, so clearly they value their trainees having a global mindset. You need to show that you are aware that most of the firms work has an international scope (especially complex environments), and why that particularly appeals to you.

 

[AMullin]

On the train into work so got some time to reflect on how things are going.

Managed to catch some of the Legal Cheek Virtual Law Fair yesterday which was really interesting and helped to break the illusion in my head that Grad Recruiters are people to be feared. All of the ones I managed to hear from were very friendly and helpful.

Just as I came away with a degree of hope and optimism BANG Macfarlanes PFO lands in my inbox post App and SJT 👌

I have spent a fair amount of time on an application for HFW and for the first time I have had the feeling that I want to work at a specific firm as opposed to just wanting to be a commercial lawyer. It’s also made me realise that all the applications I have submitted so far have been terrible and generic and likely to be binned off if they haven’t already. Frustrating but all I can do is apply this learning moving forward and make any future applications as strong as possible.

Anyway, enough rambling, back to it!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

On the train into work so got some time to reflect on how things are going.

Managed to catch some of the Legal Cheek Virtual Law Fair yesterday which was really interesting and helped to break the illusion in my head that Grad Recruiters are people to be feared. All of the ones I managed to hear from were very friendly and helpful.

Just as I came away with a degree of hope and optimism BANG Macfarlanes PFO lands in my inbox post App and SJT 👌

I have spent a fair amount of time on an application for HFW and for the first time I have had the feeling that I want to work at a specific firm as opposed to just wanting to be a commercial lawyer. It’s also made me realise that all the applications I have submitted so far have been terrible and generic and likely to be binned off if they haven’t already. Frustrating but all I can do is apply this learning moving forward and make any future applications as strong as possible.

Anyway, enough rambling, back to it!

Hey!

Sounds like a really productive day, and it’s great that the Legal Cheek fair helped break down some of the mystique around graduate recruitment. As someone who now works quite closely with graduate recruitment, they definitely do want applicants to succeed!

I’m sorry to hear about the Macfarlanes PFO - they always sting a bit, especially when you are feeling particularly motivated or optimistic. However, it is brilliant that the HFW application has given you a clearer idea of what you actually want in a firm. That shift from “I want to be a commercial lawyer” to “I can actually see myself here” is a huge step and will make your future applications so much more tailored and stronger.

Try not to beat yourself up about earlier applications feeling generic. Everyone has that moment where things click and they realise their writing style and what a good application really looks like - I know my first round of applications were not great! What matters is exactly what you are doing now - learning from it, and remaining optimistic for future applications.

You’ve got this - keep going, and good luck with HFW!

 

[Jess_AspiringSolicitor]

On the train into work so got some time to reflect on how things are going.

Managed to catch some of the Legal Cheek Virtual Law Fair yesterday which was really interesting and helped to break the illusion in my head that Grad Recruiters are people to be feared. All of the ones I managed to hear from were very friendly and helpful.

Just as I came away with a degree of hope and optimism BANG Macfarlanes PFO lands in my inbox post App and SJT 👌

I have spent a fair amount of time on an application for HFW and for the first time I have had the feeling that I want to work at a specific firm as opposed to just wanting to be a commercial lawyer. It’s also made me realise that all the applications I have submitted so far have been terrible and generic and likely to be binned off if they haven’t already. Frustrating but all I can do is apply this learning moving forward and make any future applications as strong as possible.

Anyway, enough rambling, back to it!

Just wanted to say that I’m in a similar situation to you (career changer with similar GCSEs/A Levels) and also realised after attending recent legal careers events that the 4 DTC applications I’ve submitted so far were probably rubbish and not tailored enough haha!

Definitely annoying, but the positive is exactly what you said — we will only learn more from this experience. We can take what we’ve gained and apply it to the next applications so they are even better.

 

[AMullin]

Just wanted to say that I’m in a similar situation to you (career changer with similar GCSEs/A Levels) and also realised after attending recent legal careers events that the 4 DTC applications I’ve submitted so far were probably rubbish and not tailored enough haha!

Definitely annoying, but the positive is exactly what you said — we will only learn more from this experience. We can take what we’ve gained and apply it to the next applications so they are even better.

Yes exactly this, no sense dwelling on it and there is always next year for the applications already submitted.

Are there any firms in particular that you are looking at? I’m happy to share any insights/mistakes I’ve made along the way that might help you.

I’ve just submitted my HFW app and have fingers crossed for a positive response 🤞

Going to start researching BCLP as my next target.

 

[Jess_AspiringSolicitor]

Yes exactly this, no sense dwelling on it and there is always next year for the applications already submitted.

Are there any firms in particular that you are looking at? I’m happy to share any insights/mistakes I’ve made along the way that might help you.

I’ve just submitted my HFW app and have fingers crossed for a positive response 🤞

Going to start researching BCLP as my next target.

Wishing you good luck with your HFW application!

I am waiting to hear back from CMS and Gowling WLG, although I’m expecting a rejection from the latter because I spotted a small error in one of my written answers post-submission! 🤦‍♀️

Otherwise, I plan to apply for Ashurst, Shoosmiths, Baker McKenzie, BCLP and Macfarlanes when their applications open.

 

[AMullin]

Just a little update as I haven't posted on here for a while.

Did a bit of soul searching yesterday after spending hours on an application for BCLP, which I was really happy with, only to mess something up on the online assessment which earned me a rejection without anyone actually reading my application. Had a long talk with the wife about whether I could keep pouring energy into this process alongside a difficult full time job and raising three young children without any indication that I have a chance of making it. I had all but decided to at least take a break from the process when I got an invite from Reed Smith for an online assessment and VI!

As someone coming from an unconventional background with average at best academics, I cannot understate how uplifting it is to know that a human being has looked at what I have written and thought "Hmm, this could be the right candidate, lets find out some more about them." It is the smallest glimmer of hope but it is more than enough to keep me going.

I still plan to scale it back a bit to avoid burnout and ensure I'm not neglecting family duties, but I must say this one small thing has reignited the fire in me and I know now that I can make it. Reed Smith is one of my Top 3 and I think that must have showed in the application so I think from now on I need to be more of a marksman than a shotgunner and spend what little time I have on firms I genuinely want to work at.

Anyway, that was a bit of a ramble so I'll finish by saying: if you're feeling down or beat up in this process, keep going - you've got this!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Just a little update as I haven't posted on here for a while.

Did a bit of soul searching yesterday after spending hours on an application for BCLP, which I was really happy with, only to mess something up on the online assessment which earned me a rejection without anyone actually reading my application. Had a long talk with the wife about whether I could keep pouring energy into this process alongside a difficult full time job and raising three young children without any indication that I have a chance of making it. I had all but decided to at least take a break from the process when I got an invite from Reed Smith for an online assessment and VI!

As someone coming from an unconventional background with average at best academics, I cannot understate how uplifting it is to know that a human being has looked at what I have written and thought "Hmm, this could be the right candidate, lets find out some more about them." It is the smallest glimmer of hope but it is more than enough to keep me going.

I still plan to scale it back a bit to avoid burnout and ensure I'm not neglecting family duties, but I must say this one small thing has reignited the fire in me and I know now that I can make it. Reed Smith is one of my Top 3 and I think that must have showed in the application so I think from now on I need to be more of a marksman than a shotgunner and spend what little time I have on firms I genuinely want to work at.

Anyway, that was a bit of a ramble so I'll finish by saying: if you're feeling down or beat up in this process, keep going - you've got this!

Hi!

Thank you for sharing this update - it's really lovely to see your motivation! It's so easy to get disheartened in this process, especially when a rejection comes down to something like an online assessment rather than the application you poured time into (and I can't imagine trying to balance this process alongside so many other factors).

I'm sorry to hear about BCLP, but getting the Reed Smith online assessment and VI is an amazing achievement - they're a really great firm (but maybe I'm slightly biased!).

Focusing on firms you genuinely connect with sounds like a smart and sustainable approach, and is a mindset I adopted during my last cycle as well. Best of luck with Reed Smith - I'm sure you'll smash it!