@Jessica Booker I would love your advice! I have worked at a big 4 company in consulting for 2 years but I always wanted to pursue law, do you think applying to direct TC is an option (by that I mean a realistic one)? I am nearly a senior consultant and have gained great experience that is transferable for law as well as the fact my client has been an international law firm for the past year and I have done law work experience in the past (a week in first year uni and some first year schemes), I am reluctant to do a VS as I cannot really take that much time off work at once but was wondering if 2 years at the big 4 was good enough?
Taking the time off work may also be very difficult due to conflict checks.
Yes - I would recommend applying to direct TCs in your situation. It would only be if a firm recruits exclusively from vacation schemes that this would not be appropriate route for you.
I would potentially look at trying to engage with firms via insight days, virtual programmes or careers events to build your network back into law given it’s been a while since your last legal experience.
Ultimately two years at a Big 4 firm will show a lot of great evidence and should be enough work experience for the vast majority of firms (a small number of firms say you need a certain level of legal work experience to apply), and if that is combined with a strong written application with clear motivations for a legal career, then this is likely to be good enough for some firms.
You may want to look out for career changer events too - the Law Society usually runs one each year which can be a good way to reconnect with law firms interested in hiring career changers.