TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[summersun]

Hi everyone,

I was hoping to get some advice.

I'm an international student currently working as an in-house paralegal at a medium-sized company. The work is mostly commercial contracts. The company has offered me a training contract and would be willing to sponsor me.

The problem is that my long-term goal has always been to work private practice, ideally in London. I've been applying for training contracts at law firms but haven't had any success so far. This was my first application cycle.

My visa expires in around 7 months, so there is some time pressure. The in-house TC would give me a route to qualification and allow me to stay in the UK, but I'm concerned that qualifying in-house may make it harder to move into private practice later, particularly into corporate or banking teams which has always been my interest. .

If you were in my position, would you:

• Take the in-house TC and qualify through that route; or
• Continue applying for law firm TCs and take the risk that nothing comes through before my visa expires?

Would appreciate any thoughts on this. Thank you.

Hi
I don't really have an opinion as I think it also depends on whether you like what you do at this company.
It is worth asking whether you would have the opportunity to do a secondement at a law firm the company works with.
I know a lawyer who qualified in house but chose to go to private practice right after in the firm he had done one of his seats with.
In any case I hope you will be able to do what you prefer and congrats on the offer which clearly shows you are doing some great work!

 

[nicoledm]

for anyone waiting to hear back from king and spalding i called and they said we’ll find out friday

 

[Vee77]

Hi everyone,

I was hoping to get some advice.

I'm an international student currently working as an in-house paralegal at a medium-sized company. The work is mostly commercial contracts. The company has offered me a training contract and would be willing to sponsor me.

The problem is that my long-term goal has always been to work private practice, ideally in London. I've been applying for training contracts at law firms but haven't had any success so far. This was my first application cycle.

My visa expires in around 7 months, so there is some time pressure. The in-house TC would give me a route to qualification and allow me to stay in the UK, but I'm concerned that qualifying in-house may make it harder to move into private practice later, particularly into corporate or banking teams which has always been my interest. .

If you were in my position, would you:

• Take the in-house TC and qualify through that route; or
• Continue applying for law firm TCs and take the risk that nothing comes through before my visa expires?

Would appreciate any thoughts on this. Thank you

 

[HasRez]

Eversheds DTC Middle East WG test

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi @Abbie Whitlock, hope you’re doing well. I recently attended an AC, and the firm offered to cover my travel costs. When is a good time to sent in my claim for costs- should I send it before results are out or wait for them to provide the outcome then send in my claim for costs?

Hey!

I am doing well, thank you - I hope you are too!

My instinct has always been to send the claim for costs in as soon as you can (assuming you already have everything you need to submit it). This is mainly because (a) it is easy to forget once time passes and you're focused on waiting for the outcome, and (b) I imagine graduate recruitment probably prefers dealing with expense forms as they come in rather than having lots of them submitted later down the line.

This sort of thing won't be linked to or influence the outcome at all - if they've offered to cover travel costs, I would generally just submit in line with whatever process or timeline they have given, rather than waiting for results.

I hope the AC went well, and fingers crossed for the outcome!