Seld-fund SQE, LLM or Paralegal if I am looking to apply for TC, as an international student

elainehua

Standard Member
Premium Member
Jan 23, 2023
7
4
Hi, I have read through a few of the TCLA forum posts and found much information covered by Jessica really helpful. However, I realised that many discussions are not really directed at international students (which is the reason why I opened this thread). It would also be extremely helpful if anyone can give me some advice on the next step in my career application.

I am an international student currently in the final year of LLB at an RG uni (with an expectation of mid-2:1). I have 2 legal-related experiences in my home jurisdiction. In this cycle, I applied to a few VS and TC (I am aware that there is a good chance that I will not hear back). So I am planning what I would do in the upcoming year if I don't get a TC. I am currently considering 4 options and I want to know about their pros and cons before deciding which road to opt to. (in addition, I have enough funding to complete any route below without any financial difficulties)

1.) Self-fund SQE whilst seeking VS and TC: The key question I want to ask is, will self-funding + passing the SQE exams really increase my chance of getting a TC? Some TCLA forum posts said, if the firm has a funding scheme, it is likely that they won't see a candidate already passing SQE more advantageous than someone who didn't. And, Jessica covered somewhere that it might place candidates at an 'odd position' where they are qualified but without QWE. Some also said that firms might have their own desirable structure of SQE that they want their trainee to complete so it's not wise to do it yourself. My question is: at the time being, are these claims above myth/truth? Is self-funding SQE a good option for someone who wants to secure TC in the future?

2.) Paralegal whilst seeking VS and TC: from various resources I read, this seems like a desirable route to pursue as some firms recruit internally. However, there are two issues I am concerned about.
1. Are firms normally willing to sponsor a working visa for their paralegals? if not, it means that I would need to do paralegal on a Graduate Visa (PSW) that expires in 2 years, which is quite horrifying (lots of pressure :( ). I also heard that they are very unwilling to recruit international students because of the sponsoring issues, is this a myth?
2. A lot of them seem to require previous working experience. What is the chance for a new LLB graduate to secure a parallel position?
3. What is the best place to look for para-legally positions? Any tips and advice would be appreciated!

3.) LLM at RG University. A big advantage of this is that Visa would not be a problem (same as the Self-fund SQE course at ULaw option) as it extends my student visa status. And it almost acts as a filler year + gives me one more year to go through the VS and TC cycle. However, My question is, does studying LLM really advance my position as a VS/ TC applicant? Would they prefer a candidate who spends a year doing paralegal/SQE than studying LLM?

4.) Enroll on non-law graduate schemes and apply VS and TC during the scheme. I applied for a 2-years graduate scheme in a government body (and have a good chance of being accepted). The work mildly overlaps with Trainee's work (it could be a seating option for the trainee). I personally don't mind delaying the process of qualifying as a solicitor for a few years (however, my ultimate goal is still to become a qualified solicitor). I am wondering, what is the chance of getting back into VS/TC whilst on a non-law graduate scheme, or should I opt for paralegals? and, is there a point of doing this year as it seems to divert my career path?


A last general question is that, given I am committed to pursuing the career of a solicitor + securing a TC. Which route should I opt to consider my status as an international student and my qualification? Thank you!
 

Jessica Booker

Legendary Member
TCLA Moderator
Gold Member
Graduate Recruitment
Premium Member
Forum Team
Aug 1, 2019
13,339
19,152
The LLM is only going to buy you another year of applying. It won’t improve your CV for most U.K. law firms - the exception generally is if you are applying for a niche/specialist role and your LLM aligns with that discipline (eg Shipping Law / IP).

Sitting the SQE is more productive but still doesn’t necessary dramatically improve your chances of securing VS or TCs. It’s not to say you shouldn’t do it but I think you just have to weigh it up

As mentioned in another post, getting a visa for the vast majority of paralegal roles is difficult mainly because they don’t meet the visa’s requirements. So it’s not necessarily that law firms don’t want to apply for them, it’s that they can’t (although many would not pay for visas for such a role even if it was easy). Therefore working as a paralegal is really going to need you applying and paying for a graduate visa to cover you to work for up to two years.

The non legal graduate programme may be an option but there are things to consider. Doing vacation schemes when you are already working can be difficult to 1) get the time of work; 2) get the approval to go and work for another organisation; 3) pass conflict checks (especially if it is a government organisation). Plenty of people secure TCs while pursuing a different career route and some manage to do VS, but VS will come with additional obstacles. For instance, if you are working on a skilled persons visa for your graduate programme, working for another company is near on impossible. You can only really do this if you are in a graduate visa which is tied to you rather than your employer (skilled persons visas are tied to your employer who is sponsoring you).
 

Momo

Esteemed Member
Nov 21, 2022
97
42
The LLM is only going to buy you another year of applying. It won’t improve your CV for most U.K. law firms - the exception generally is if you are applying for a niche/specialist role and your LLM aligns with that discipline (eg Shipping Law / IP).

Sitting the SQE is more productive but still doesn’t necessary dramatically improve your chances of securing VS or TCs. It’s not to say you shouldn’t do it but I think you just have to weigh it up

As mentioned in another post, getting a visa for the vast majority of paralegal roles is difficult mainly because they don’t meet the visa’s requirements. So it’s not necessarily that law firms don’t want to apply for them, it’s that they can’t (although many would not pay for visas for such a role even if it was easy). Therefore working as a paralegal is really going to need you applying and paying for a graduate visa to cover you to work for up to two years.

The non legal graduate programme may be an option but there are things to consider. Doing vacation schemes when you are already working can be difficult to 1) get the time of work; 2) get the approval to go and work for another organisation; 3) pass conflict checks (especially if it is a government organisation). Plenty of people secure TCs while pursuing a different career route and some manage to do VS, but VS will come with additional obstacles. For instance, if you are working on a skilled persons visa for your graduate programme, working for another company is near on impossible. You can only really do this if you are in a graduate visa which is tied to you rather than your employer (skilled persons visas are tied to your employer who is sponsoring you).
I am also at a similar position just that I am currently doing my LLM now in the UK. Based on this, I assume getting a paralegal role using my graduate visa is the best option while waiting to secure a VS or TC?
 

Jessica Booker

Legendary Member
TCLA Moderator
Gold Member
Graduate Recruitment
Premium Member
Forum Team
Aug 1, 2019
13,339
19,152
I am also at a similar position just that I am currently doing my LLM now in the UK. Based on this, I assume getting a paralegal role using my graduate visa is the best option while waiting to secure a VS or TC?
That’s not without its issues - working as a paralegal can make it difficult to get time off to attend vacation schemes and sometimes conflict checks or individual firm’s policies can stop you from being employed by another law firm/legal employer.

It is a good way of developing your CV though - it’s just will be more difficult specifically for vacation schemes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Momo

eleven14og

Legendary Member
Gold Member
Premium Member
  • Dec 8, 2021
    148
    326
    Hiya, I'm an international student and graduated LLB last year. I applied for the graduate visa and I am currently a paralegal. It is highly unlikely that firms sponsor visa for paralegals so I think graduate visa is a must for such roles. But if you apply for Fix Term Contract positions, graduate visa wouldn't be a problem.

    I would say don't worry too much about your experience. I had 4 month worth of internship, 3 of which are from my home jurisdiction, and 1 month at a London branch of a home jurisdiction firm. My top tips would be to send as many applications as you can! You could submit through LinkedIn, Law Firm application portals, and contact recruitment agencies.

    One problem with LLM is the course duration. If it is for 1 year, you may not be able to attend VS during the summer because of the 20 hour term time work limit. But it should be fine for 10-month courses.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Semisama

    Momo

    Esteemed Member
    Nov 21, 2022
    97
    42
    Hiya, I'm an international student and graduated LLB last year. I applied for the graduate visa and I am currently a paralegal. It is highly unlikely that firms sponsor visa for paralegals so I think graduate visa is a must for such roles. But if you apply for Fix Term Contract positions, graduate visa wouldn't be a problem.

    I would say don't worry too much about your experience. I had 4 month worth of internship, 3 of which are from my home jurisdiction, and 1 month at a London branch of a home jurisdiction firm. My top tips would be to send as many applications as you can! You could submit through LinkedIn, Law Firm application portals, and contact recruitment agencies.

    One problem with LLM is the course duration. If it is for 1 year, you may not be able to attend VS during the summer because of the 20 hour term time work limit. But it should be fine for 10-month courses.
    Hey, are you working as a paralegal long term for 2 years or short term basis ? Thanks for the information! Luckily my LLM is 9 months so i can do summer vac scheme But havent had any good outcome so far. Do you also have any example of contact recruitment agencies? Thanks for the info!
     

    eleven14og

    Legendary Member
    Gold Member
    Premium Member
  • Dec 8, 2021
    148
    326
    Hey, are you working as a paralegal long term for 2 years or short term basis ? Thanks for the information! Luckily my LLM is 9 months so i can do summer vac scheme But havent had any good outcome so far. Do you also have any example of contact recruitment agencies? Thanks for the info!
    Hi, I applied for a 6-month fixed term position but they had an permanent position opening so I got the permanent one eventually. The HR at my firm said they may be able to sponsor in two years but not sure right now.

    DA Solutions and Flex Legal are both quite good but I only did short term (3-4 weeks long) document review projects with them. There may be more threads on the forum with other recommendations.
     

    Momo

    Esteemed Member
    Nov 21, 2022
    97
    42
    Hi, I applied for a 6-month fixed term position but they had an permanent position opening so I got the permanent one eventually. The HR at my firm said they may be able to sponsor in two years but not sure right now.

    DA Solutions and Flex Legal are both quite good but I only did short term (3-4 weeks long) document review projects with them. There may be more threads on the forum with other recommendations.
    Thank you, If I m actively looking to secure a direct TC after I graduate in July, short term (3-4 weeks) paralegal positions would make sense right?
     

    eleven14og

    Legendary Member
    Gold Member
    Premium Member
  • Dec 8, 2021
    148
    326
    Thank you, If I m actively looking to secure a direct TC after I graduate in July, short term (3-4 weeks) paralegal positions would make sense right?
    To be honest, I don't think these document review projects are as valuable as paralegal positions. They are basically reviewing documents for litigation/arbitration cases. Pretty boring and repetitive work imo. If you intend to secure a TC, it's best to start with these experience and find longer term paralegal roles afterwards.
     

    InternationalLina

    New Member
    Feb 22, 2023
    1
    1
    Hi, I have read through a few of the TCLA forum posts and found much information covered by Jessica really helpful. However, I realised that many discussions are not really directed at international students (which is the reason why I opened this thread). It would also be extremely helpful if anyone can give me some advice on the next step in my career application.

    I am an international student currently in the final year of LLB at an RG uni (with an expectation of mid-2:1). I have 2 legal-related experiences in my home jurisdiction. In this cycle, I applied to a few VS and TC (I am aware that there is a good chance that I will not hear back). So I am planning what I would do in the upcoming year if I don't get a TC. I am currently considering 4 options and I want to know about their pros and cons before deciding which road to opt to. (in addition, I have enough funding to complete any route below without any financial difficulties)

    1.) Self-fund SQE whilst seeking VS and TC: The key question I want to ask is, will self-funding + passing the SQE exams really increase my chance of getting a TC? Some TCLA forum posts said, if the firm has a funding scheme, it is likely that they won't see a candidate already passing SQE more advantageous than someone who didn't. And, Jessica covered somewhere that it might place candidates at an 'odd position' where they are qualified but without QWE. Some also said that firms might have their own desirable structure of SQE that they want their trainee to complete so it's not wise to do it yourself. My question is: at the time being, are these claims above myth/truth? Is self-funding SQE a good option for someone who wants to secure TC in the future?

    2.) Paralegal whilst seeking VS and TC: from various resources I read, this seems like a desirable route to pursue as some firms recruit internally. However, there are two issues I am concerned about.
    1. Are firms normally willing to sponsor a working visa for their paralegals? if not, it means that I would need to do paralegal on a Graduate Visa (PSW) that expires in 2 years, which is quite horrifying (lots of pressure :( ). I also heard that they are very unwilling to recruit international students because of the sponsoring issues, is this a myth?
    2. A lot of them seem to require previous working experience. What is the chance for a new LLB graduate to secure a parallel position?
    3. What is the best place to look for para-legally positions? Any tips and advice would be appreciated!

    3.) LLM at RG University. A big advantage of this is that Visa would not be a problem (same as the Self-fund SQE course at ULaw option) as it extends my student visa status. And it almost acts as a filler year + gives me one more year to go through the VS and TC cycle. However, My question is, does studying LLM really advance my position as a VS/ TC applicant? Would they prefer a candidate who spends a year doing paralegal/SQE than studying LLM?

    4.) Enroll on non-law graduate schemes and apply VS and TC during the scheme. I applied for a 2-years graduate scheme in a government body (and have a good chance of being accepted). The work mildly overlaps with Trainee's work (it could be a seating option for the trainee). I personally don't mind delaying the process of qualifying as a solicitor for a few years (however, my ultimate goal is still to become a qualified solicitor). I am wondering, what is the chance of getting back into VS/TC whilst on a non-law graduate scheme, or should I opt for paralegals? and, is there a point of doing this year as it seems to divert my career path?


    A last general question is that, given I am committed to pursuing the career of a solicitor + securing a TC. Which route should I opt to consider my status as an international student and my qualification? Thank you!
    O my! As an international student also in my final year, these are the exacts questions and fear I have. I struggle finding resources that have international students in mind. So consider my shock and delight to find this thread. I am curious to see what others say and think.
    As we have a lot of thinking to do.
    Best wishes,
    Fellow international student
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Trooper007

    Jerome22

    New Member
    May 20, 2023
    1
    2
    O my! As an international student also in my final year, these are the exacts questions and fear I have. I struggle finding resources that have international students in mind. So consider my shock and delight to find this thread. I am curious to see what others say and think.
    As we have a lot of thinking to do.
    Best wishes,
    Fellow international student
    Hey! I was struggling with some of these issues myself and can barely find anything online that supports international students. I managed to come across this page that addresses such issues, I think they focus on mentoring and consolidating international student issues regarding TCs. Don't know much about them, think they just started but could be of use.

    https://www.instagram.com/global.access.npo/
     

    elainehua

    Standard Member
    Premium Member
    Jan 23, 2023
    7
    4
    The LLM is only going to buy you another year of applying. It won’t improve your CV for most U.K. law firms - the exception generally is if you are applying for a niche/specialist role and your LLM aligns with that discipline (eg Shipping Law / IP).

    Sitting the SQE is more productive but still doesn’t necessary dramatically improve your chances of securing VS or TCs. It’s not to say you shouldn’t do it but I think you just have to weigh it up

    As mentioned in another post, getting a visa for the vast majority of paralegal roles is difficult mainly because they don’t meet the visa’s requirements. So it’s not necessarily that law firms don’t want to apply for them, it’s that they can’t (although many would not pay for visas for such a role even if it was easy). Therefore working as a paralegal is really going to need you applying and paying for a graduate visa to cover you to work for up to two years.

    The non legal graduate programme may be an option but there are things to consider. Doing vacation schemes when you are already working can be difficult to 1) get the time of work; 2) get the approval to go and work for another organisation; 3) pass conflict checks (especially if it is a government organisation). Plenty of people secure TCs while pursuing a different career route and some manage to do VS, but VS will come with additional obstacles. For instance, if you are working on a skilled persons visa for your graduate programme, working for another company is near on impossible. You can only really do this if you are in a graduate visa which is tied to you rather than your employer (skilled persons visas are tied to your employer who is sponsoring you).
    Thank you so much, Jessica! These devices are super useful and I am sorry I didn't reply earlier.

    An update on my situation is that I have chosen the graduate visa + paralegal route. I am currently applying to as many paralegal roles as I can and hopefully, I can get a TC with this route. I saw on Glassdoor that some big firms (e.g. Slaughter & May), do not provide paralegals a chance to secure a TC (i.e. no internal TC). However, I also heard that some smaller & medium firms do. I am wondering if you know if there is any way to find out whether a firm recruits TCs from paralegals. If you can name-drop a few firms which do, that will be immensely helpful as well. Thank you!
     

    nbpp48

    Star Member
  • Oct 20, 2021
    25
    78
    I did an LLM and was able to secure a TC. Whilst others have mentioned that the LLM won’t make your education more impressive, I disagree with the assertion that all it does is buy an extra year.

    During my LLM, I was fortunate enough to go to a top 5 law school. Using this, I joined many committees and even started my own society. These were experiences that I used to exemplify why I would make a good trainee, something that was perhaps missing before.

    I also networked a lot with alumni and was able to secure a personal mentor who is currently a senior partner at a huge firm. Not only that, but because of how serious the university is, I was also able to gain exposure to other careers and was fortunate enough to meet a Managing Director at Bank of America. This experience really allowed me to understand why I wanted to be a solicitor rather than a banker.

    Meeting like-minded people has also helped a huge amount too. Being driven by the excellence around was extremely useful for me to realise my potential. Growing my personal network with these people has been great, and a lot of the people I met on my course are now trainees too. There’s even one person who also managed to secure a TC with my firm. Even though I hadn’t met them at uni, we’ve been able to connect over a shared experience.

    I did also go to a RG uni for my UG but I felt that the step up from a top 20 uni to a top 5 uni was massive. The LLM will also help you understand topics that you may not have covered in your UG, allowing you to talk more expressively about the law. This is something I found incredibly useful during interviews. Having the knowledge that I was reading for an LLM made me trust my own legal knowledge.

    For anyone reading this and trying to decide: go for the LLM. Just remember you get out what you put in. Uni is so much more than a degree. Best of luck.
     
    Last edited:

    Jbosta123

    New Member
    Dec 13, 2023
    1
    0
    I did an LLM and was able to secure a TC. Whilst others have mentioned that the LLM won’t make your education more impressive, I disagree with the assertion that all it does is buy an extra year.

    During my LLM, I was fortunate enough to go to a top 5 law school. Using this, I joined many committees and even started my own society. These were experiences that I used to exemplify why I would make a good trainee, something that was perhaps missing before.

    I also networked a lot with alumni and was able to secure a personal mentor who is currently a senior partner at a huge firm. Not only that, but because of how serious the university is, I was also able to gain exposure to other careers and was fortunate enough to meet a Managing Director at Bank of America. This experience really allowed me to understand why I wanted to be a solicitor rather than a banker.

    Meeting like-minded people has also helped a huge amount too. Being driven by the excellence around was extremely useful for me to realise my potential. Growing my personal network with these people has been great, and a lot of the people I met on my course are now trainees too. There’s even one person who also managed to secure a TC with my firm. Even though I hadn’t met them at uni, we’ve been able to connect over a shared experience.

    I did also go to a RG uni for my UG but I felt that the step up from a top 20 uni to a top 5 uni was massive. The LLM will also help you understand topics that you may not have covered in your UG, allowing you to talk more expressively about the law. This is something I found incredibly useful during interviews. Having the knowledge that I was reading for an LLM made me trust my own legal knowledge.

    For anyone reading this and trying to decide: go for the LLM. Just remember you get out what you put in. Uni is so much more than a degree. Best of luck.
    Thank you for this. I am really moving towards doing an LLM after my LLB but everywhere I read, people say it’s a waste of time.

    I am wondering during your time doing an LLM, what career options are there?

    Thanks
     

    Jessica Booker

    Legendary Member
    TCLA Moderator
    Gold Member
    Graduate Recruitment
    Premium Member
    Forum Team
    Aug 1, 2019
    13,339
    19,152
    Thank you for this. I am really moving towards doing an LLM after my LLB but everywhere I read, people say it’s a waste of time.

    I am wondering during your time doing an LLM, what career options are there?

    Thanks
    You career options will not be much different to those coming out of the LLB. You may just be a stronger candidate because of completing it, but that does depend on your profile before your LLM and how active you are during your LLM too.

    Specialist LLMs particularly in subjects like shipping law or human rights can often be beneficial for niche area of law though.
     

    About Us

    The Corporate Law Academy (TCLA) was founded in 2018 because we wanted to improve the legal journey. We wanted more transparency and better training. We wanted to form a community of aspiring lawyers who care about becoming the best version of themselves.

    Newsletter

    Discover the most relevant business news, access our law firm analysis, and receive our best advice for aspiring lawyers.