Hey! Just out of curiousity - would you mind sharing a bit about your background? Have you taken the SQE already? Are you non-law? I submitted on the day of the deadline too, and I think my app was pretty strong
- still waiting to hear back!-
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TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
- still waiting to hear back!No, in fact it says they will sponsor visa. You can check it on Q&A. Once you clicked the app, it will show you the priority for Mandarin, Korean or Bahasa Indonesia speakers. I'm assuming they welcome Thai and Vietnamese speakers too as we all emerging markets and not using English in daily basis. Also, typically they're not allowing multiple app in one cycle. You can clarify to them on the legal cheek law fair tonight.
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Good evening everyone,
Wanted to ask you all, or whoever would like to assist, for some advice. Basically, I'm a final year law student in London, and I did not manage to secure a TC yet (did a vac scheme but couldn't convert). I obviously applied this year for vac schemes and direct TCs but I feel less hopeful about securing a TC.
Accordingly, I am really wondering whether I should pursue the LLM SQE myself next year ; or whether I should go to a national/local firm in the GCC (where my father is a partner) and just work two years there to convert that into QWE and then in Sep 2029 (so with two years of experience) do my LLM SQE and pass the SQE... Is the wait better, in terms of chances of transferring back to the UK, or would me leaving the UK be sort of an impossible way to return for grad recs in London?
I ask this because applications this year are for 2028, so if I do my LLM, I would technically be unemployed from June 2027 until Jan/March/Sep 2028 (although I could work in the local firm in the meantime)...
Also, assuming I choose the working two years abroad option, after returning and doing my LLM SQE (technically at this point I would become a solicitor), how would I even enter the UK legal market? would they want another training contract, or as an associate? would it be more difficult than me currently trying to secure a TC or slightly more relaxed? Would I need to work a few extra years abroad so I gain even more experience, so say PQ1+ or it would work without? because I really want to work in London but it's just so competitive...
Idk who to @ but I guess whoever could help that would be truly appreciated. Many thanks.
Wanted to ask you all, or whoever would like to assist, for some advice. Basically, I'm a final year law student in London, and I did not manage to secure a TC yet (did a vac scheme but couldn't convert). I obviously applied this year for vac schemes and direct TCs but I feel less hopeful about securing a TC.
Accordingly, I am really wondering whether I should pursue the LLM SQE myself next year ; or whether I should go to a national/local firm in the GCC (where my father is a partner) and just work two years there to convert that into QWE and then in Sep 2029 (so with two years of experience) do my LLM SQE and pass the SQE... Is the wait better, in terms of chances of transferring back to the UK, or would me leaving the UK be sort of an impossible way to return for grad recs in London?
I ask this because applications this year are for 2028, so if I do my LLM, I would technically be unemployed from June 2027 until Jan/March/Sep 2028 (although I could work in the local firm in the meantime)...
Also, assuming I choose the working two years abroad option, after returning and doing my LLM SQE (technically at this point I would become a solicitor), how would I even enter the UK legal market? would they want another training contract, or as an associate? would it be more difficult than me currently trying to secure a TC or slightly more relaxed? Would I need to work a few extra years abroad so I gain even more experience, so say PQ1+ or it would work without? because I really want to work in London but it's just so competitive...
Idk who to @ but I guess whoever could help that would be truly appreciated. Many thanks.
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