Hi, guys!
I hope you’re all having a fantastic summer break.
I was looking for advice regarding whether firms would reject me straight away because of my poor first-year results (low 2:2), although I managed to get a First Class in my second year.
I know grades form only one part of the whole application, and although I have legal and non-legal work experience and have attended many open days with leading law firms, where they emphasize strong communication, teamwork, and resilience skills, no one seems to answer my question on whether I could be a strong candidate just because of one setback in my first year of law school.
Hiya
@Charles Leclerc
Just wanted to add to what
@legallady123 has already insightfully said in response to your question.
I don't think your grades will necessarily be an issue. Many firms understand that first year can be a difficult adjustment, and what matters is how you’ve responded since (great job on getting that First in your second year!).
That said, whether you’re ultimately seen as a strong candidate depends on a range of factors; not just your academics or experiences, but also how effectively you present your story, how competitive the cycle is, which firms you’re targeting, and whether you can convincingly demonstrate commercial awareness (this last point is where I see many candidates struggle, even when they have excellent grades and decent work experience).
At this stage, your focus should be on presenting your narrative in a compelling, reflective way on your application forms. To help with this, I’d strongly recommend getting a full application reviewed by someone who has experience reading or marking applications for the kinds of firms to which you're applying. Personally, I found TCLA's application review service really useful after my first cycle. It gave me clarity on both my written style and what needed strengthening in my profile. If your university has careers advisers with experience in legal recruitment, they can also be helpful, but it really depends on how well they understand the legal market.
You’ve already done a lot of the right things in terms of gaining experience and building skills, and I'd encourage you to now focus on sharpening how you communicate all of that to firms.
Good luck with applications!