My unusual journey to a TC

[Ali A]

Hi,

I thought I would post on here as I have seen other people do the same and it is very motivating to see people stick to their goals and update everyone as they go.

I am a current LPC student. I decided to self-fund the LPC after getting a high 2:1 from a RG university and then a master's in corporate law from another RG university. I wanted to paralegal in London after university initially but my mum needed me to stay home for a year after being away for 4 years so I decided to do the LPC remote. This is because my city does not have that many legal opportunities and I wanted to stay somewhat close to law and the career.

Throughout my studies, I never really took applying for VS' and TCs seriously as I thought this was what people did once they graduated.

However, in my second year, I sent 5 applications off but all were instantly rejected mainly for them being plagued with typos. In my third year, I did not apply at all.

During my master's, I sent off a grand total of one application which was also rejected.

However, this year during my LPC I have made a real attempt at sending off applications and attempted to learn more about the career through Aspiring Solicitors, Legal Cheek and of course TCLA.

This year I have set myself the goal of attending at least one AC which would also be my first ever!

So far I have sent off applications to:

GOWLING (REJECTED POST ONLINE TEST)
IRWIN MITCHEL (REJECTED POST ONLINE TEST)
CMS (COMPLETED WG, AWAITING RESPONSE TO SEE IF I HAVE SECURED A VI)
BRISTOWS DIRECT TC (REJECTED AFTER VI)
CLYDE & CO (COMPLETED VI, AWAITING RESPONSE TO SEE IF I HAVE SECURED THE AC)
DWF (INVITED TO COMPLETE VI)
ADDLESHAW GODDARD
WFW
TRAVERS SMITH
WHITE & CASE
BDB PITMANS
CHARLES RUSSELL SPEECHLYS DIRECT TC
PINSENT MASONS DIRECT TC

I still need to apply for:

WOMBLE BOND DICKINSON VS
BAKER MCKENZIE DIRECT TC
BCLP DIRECT TC

I have celebrated my successes so far. After feeling like I would never get past the application stage I have managed to do so on 6 occasions this cycle. This felt amazing. I then completed a few VIs which felt so hard but was also proud that I was invited to complete them. I hope they continue to come and I perform well enough in one to get that elusive AC and possibly the VS or TC.

I will use this thread as a personal journal that people are welcome to comment on. I have found reading other people's goals and progress to be very encouraging and hope I can do the same for others.

So here it is, onwards and upwards!

 

[aishaalexandra]

Hi Ali!

Thought I would come on to comment and say well done with your applications and getting so many off! I too did the LPC remote and was worried for some reasons that firms would see it as less rigorous than those completed in real life but this was not the case and I was not even asked about it! This worry might not have even crossed your mind so apologies if so but just letting you know that it does not matter at all! I was still able to secure my TC and it is at one of the firms on your list.

Your dedication this year is evident and seems to be paying off in the number of Vi's that you have been undertaking! Keep plugging on, as everyone on this forum tends to say- it only takes one!

Good luck!

Aisha

 

[Ali A]

Hi Ali!

Thought I would come on to comment and say well done with your applications and getting so many off! I too did the LPC remote and was worried for some reasons that firms would see it as less rigorous than those completed in real life but this was not the case and I was not even asked about it! This worry might not have even crossed your mind so apologies if so but just letting you know that it does not matter at all! I was still able to secure my TC and it is at one of the firms on your list.

Your dedication this year is evident and seems to be paying off in the number of Vi's that you have been undertaking! Keep plugging on, as everyone on this forum tends to say- it only takes one!

Good luck!

Aisha

Thank you so much Aisha!

It had crossed my mind about the remote LPC but I thought if it came up in an interview I would be able to justify it.

Congrats on securing your TC!

I appreciate the kind words and you are right that it does only takes one!

 

[Ali A]

Just a little update.

Since I last posted I have received rejections from WFW for the VS and Pinsent Masons for the direct TC.

I have since completed the DWF VI which went okay considering the questions were very difficult.

Today I received the best news. My dream firm White & Case liked my application and invited me to complete a VI for the spring VS.

It is fantastic to finally get good news after only receiving bad news over the last few weeks.

Onwards and upwards!

 

[Ali A]

After sending of the WBD VS application, I have now finished all my applications for a VS this cycle.

I will still apply to a few more Direct TCs this month and continue to send more in the coming months if I fail to secure a VS.

But for now, this is the current results of my applications this cycle: (*if a firm is blank it means they are yet to reply post application)

GOWLING (REJECTED AFTER ONLINE TEST)
IRWIN MITCHEL (REJECTED AFTER ONLINE TEST)
CMS (REJECTED AFTER WATSON GLASER)
BRISTOWS DIRECT TC (REJECTED AFTER VI)
CLYDE & CO (REJECTED AFTER VI)
DWF (AWAITING RESPONSE AFTER COMPLETING VI)
ADDLESHAW GODDARD
WFW (REJECTED AFTER APPLICATION)
WHITE & CASE (AWAITING RESPONSE AFTER COMPLETING VI)
BDB PITMANS (AWAITING RESPONSE POST ONLINE TEST)
PINSENT MASONS (REJECTED AFTER APPLICATION)
TRAVERS SMITH
WBD
CHARLES RUSSELL SPEECHLYS DIRECT TC


I am happy about the progress as this is my first genuine attempt at an application cycle. I have been invited to video interviews which shows my written applications are improving.

I am disappointed about CMS as I thought my application was strong and I performed well on the WG. However, I did apply on the deadline and I need to learn to apply earlier for firms that recruit on a rolling basis.

Hoping to hear good news back from Travers, CRS, WBD and Addleshaw Goddard post-application in the coming weeks (fingers crossed!).

Really hope I progress to the AC stage for DWF and White & Case as I felt my VI performance was good enough given the questions.

In the meantime, I will concentrate on sending direct TC applications to two of my favourite firms in the coming weeks. Baker McKenzie and BCLP.

Let us see what happens!

Onwards and upwards.

 

[Ali A]

Update!

DWF AC!

Super excited and nervous. Can't believe I reached my first ever AC.

Onwards and upwards!

 

[Jaysen]

Update!

DWF AC!

Super excited and nervous. Can't believe I reached my first ever AC.

Onwards and upwards!

Best of luck

 

[Ali A]

Best of luck

Thank you so much Jaysen!

 

[Ali A]

Update!

DWF AC went how I expected it to considering it was my first AC ever. I felt I performed well in the interview and did alright in the group exercise.

However, the written exercise was a bit of a mess for me and I struggled to understand what the question wanted me to focus on with all the documents that we were provided. I think I will score low on the written assessment. We were also told beforehand to prep for a proofreading exercise which turned out to be false to see how we would adapt and this really threw me off to be honest.

However, no one has heard back yet so let's see what happens! Fingers crossed!

 

[Ali A]

Update!

White & Case AC invite.

Super shocked and excited as this is a dream firm of mine and I have been rejected three times previously from the firm.

Annoyingly the only AC date available is on the same day as my LPC exam but I will have to make it work somehow.

Going to prep as much as I can but really hope it goes well!

 

[Aspiring.lawyer.to.be]

Best of luck!

 

[Ali A]

Best of luck!

Thank you so much!

 

[NatashaS98]

This is such fantastic news! Well done @Ali A, this is definitely a testament to all your hard work

 

[Ali A]

This is such fantastic news! Well done @Ali A, this is definitely a testament to all your hard work

Thank you for the kind words, Natasha!

 

[Logan1101]

How'd you manage to self fund the LPC? were you working full-time? Also, have you not heard back from Travers?

 

[aishaalexandra]

How'd you manage to self fund the LPC? were you working full-time? Also, have you not heard back from Travers?

If you do it as a masters you can get LLM funding from the government. Not for the entirety of the the cost but for a large portion

 

[Jaysen]

Update!

White & Case AC invite.

Super shocked and excited as this is a dream firm of mine and I have been rejected three times previously from the firm.

Annoyingly the only AC date available is on the same day as my LPC exam but I will have to make it work somehow.

Going to prep as much as I can but really hope it goes well!

Good luck!

 

[Logan1101]

If you do it as a masters you can get LLM funding from the government. Not for the entirety of the the cost but for a large portion

Are the cost of SQE courses similar or relatively cheaper than the LPC? Any government funding for this?

 

[aishaalexandra]

Are the cost of SQE courses similar or relatively cheaper than the LPC? Any government funding for this?

I must admit I’m not entirely sure! The SQE was in its infancy when I was looking I’m afraid!

 

[Ali A]

How'd you manage to self fund the LPC? were you working full-time? Also, have you not heard back from Travers?

Hi Logan,

It is a great question. I actually used up all my loan when I did the master's at Durham University. So for the LPC I had to completely self-fund.

During my undergraduate and postgraduate degree, I worked in customer service and saved. It was not meant to be for the LPC but I decided to do it this summer after I could not move to London to Paralegal this year.

It is still a financial struggle and the only way I was able to afford it was by doing it remote via the ULaw online-LPC. This means I have no accommodation costs as I am at home and hardly any costs to live (except phone and gym membership). It has been a tough year, I don't really have the money to do anything but I am telling myself its just one year and will be so worth it in the future hopefully!

In regard to Travers, no reply yet!