Training contract journey of an international student

[Soliha]

Dear all,
My name is Soliha. I am a final year international student reading law at the University of Law. I am not from the pool of students who always wanted to be a commercial lawyer. I have tried my way to many career paths: tutoring, human rights, charity, business, medicine, etc. In my final year at high school in my country, I was fortunate to join the mooting club to prepare for P.Jessup International Moot. I loved the process: extracting the relevant law from volumes of acts/regulations/cases, working on it and presenting it. This was the key experience for me to decide to be a lawyer.

I am from a developing country. The legal system in my country is quite different. I had no idea that the career routes are divided into Barrister and Solicitor routes in the UK and many other countries. In my first year, I did lots of research, read Chambers, attended events, became a finalist in intercollegiate mooting in London, represented international students at the Students Association. I was very late when I found out that there are many opportunities for first-year students: insight days, open days, organisations that offer networking opportunities, mainly because I had no acquaintance in the legal industry. It took me a while to understand the recruitment process and how the City works (I am still working on this bit). I did an internship at Amnesty International in the summer and understood that human rights/NGO work is not for me.

In my second year, I started my first cycle of applications. I attended more events (Legal Cheek events, insight evenings), participated in the Commercial Awareness Competition (made to Round 3), did some more mooting and talked to barristers. With the insight I got from them, I made sure that I did not want to be a barrister. I received support from Strive Consultants to improve my commercial awareness and my understanding of the city. My mentor helped me a lot to get where I am now. I made six vac scheme applications and failed at the application stage or online assessment stages. (I have confidence issues in my writing and application techniques)

Now here I am. Being offered TCLA scholarship, I feel much more confident than the previous year. I will be posting updates here. Good luck to everyone.

 

[Soliha]

#Update
I recently attended Jones Day question time. Graduate Recruitment member confirmed that they have two visa sponsorship allowance per year including lateral hires. So it is really tough for international students to get a TC with them, however, for vacation schemes, there is no such requirement.

Highlights of the event:
1. Non-rotational training:

• trainees can tailor TC to what they want
• TC can be as varied as trainee wants it to be
• trainees can oversee a case from start to finish (in rotational training there is no such opportunity due to the cut-off)
• a senior associate highlighted that this type of training is for independent/inquisitive people, however, it does not mean that trainees will be left without any help
• show proactivity/relate to the non-rotational TC to yourself/focus on 2 or 3 experiences to link to Jones Day in your app

2. One firm worldwide

• seamless service
• do research what it actually means for the firm

 

[Abstruser]

Graduate Recruitment member confirmed that they have two visa sponsorship allowance per year including lateral hires. So it is really tough for international students to get a TC with them, however, for vacation schemes, there is no such requirement.

This is such an important question to ask if you're an international student; I know a lot of people who spent ages applying to firms that didn't sponsor international visas, and ended up wasting their time tbh. It was also one of the reasons I ended up targeting my applications towards MC / large SC firms - if you look at previous trainee cohorts (on LinkedIn or at events) you can see they have much more generous international visa sponsorship allowances, which makes it relatively less competitive to get a TC as an international student.

 

[Lawbour]

Good Luck Soliha!!

 

[Soliha]

Yes, you are absolutely right. I will be using your strategy)

This is such an important question to ask if you're an international student; I know a lot of people who spent ages applying to firms that didn't sponsor international visas, and ended up wasting their time tbh. It was also one of the reasons I ended up targeting my applications towards MC / large SC firms - if you look at previous trainee cohorts (on LinkedIn or at events) you can see they have much more generous international visa sponsorship allowances, which makes it relatively less competitive to get a TC as an international student.

 

[Soliha]

Good Luck Soliha!!

Thank you Rabiya, good luck to you too
Ps. you have a nice name)

 

[Jessica Booker]

The visa point is an interesting one. I’m not convinced any firm would only have “2 visas a year” especially any large commercial firm.

The only thing limiting the number of visas they could offer is their own budgets (outside of meeting the requirements for said visa of course) and they are not that expensive to get - they don’t get an allowance of visa from the government, they either have a licence to get them or they don’t.

Their budget might be only two TC visas a year, but they really wouldn’t restrict it to laterals hires too - the considerations for that are widely different.

 

[Soliha]

That's interesting.

The visa point is an interesting one. I’m not convinced any firm would only have “2 visas a year” especially any large commercial firm.

The only thing limiting the number of visas they could offer is their own budgets (outside of meeting the requirements for said visa of course) and they are not that expensive to get - they don’t get an allowance of visa from the government, they either have a licence to get them or they don’t.

Their budget might be only two TC visas a year, but they really wouldn’t restrict it to laterals hires too - the considerations for that are widely different.

 

[Lawbour]

Thank you Rabiya, good luck to you too
Ps. you have a nice name)

Aw thank you, as do you

 

[Soliha]

#update
I was selected to attend Ashurst speed networking evening held on Tuesday. This is the first time that I passed application stage for an open day, thanks to the TCLA resources (saving application reviews offered by Jaysen for TC apps).
GradRec at Ashurst told me that the application and the test results will be looked holistically.

I also passed WG and application review stage for CC open day (again this is first time happening, was rejected for number of open days last year). I will be attending the open day next week.

Thank you all who are contributing to the TCLA.

 

[Jaysen]

#update
I was selected to attend Ashurst speed networking evening held on Tuesday. This is the first time that I passed application stage for an open day, thanks to the TCLA resources (saving application reviews offered by Jaysen for TC apps).
GradRec at Ashurst told me that the application and the test results will be looked holistically.

I also passed WG and application review stage for CC open day (again this is first time happening, was rejected for number of open days last year). I will be attending the open day next week.

Thank you all who are contributing to the TCLA.

This is so nice to hear Soliha, keep up the great work!

 

[Soliha]

This is so nice to hear Soliha, keep up the great work!

Thank you, Jaysen.

 

[Soliha]

Good morning, everyone. Hope you are doing well with your applications. I am having a hard time to motivate myself to keep going after receiving several rejections now. I cant find energy inside to write applications rather than focusing on my exams and courseworks due in January. How do you balance exam period and the looming deadlines of the law firms?

 

[Helena]

Good morning, everyone. Hope you are doing well with your applications. I am having a hard time to motivate myself to keep going after receiving several rejections now. I cant find energy inside to write applications rather than focusing on my exams and courseworks due in January. How do you balance exam period and the looming deadlines of the law firms?

This is tough Soliha as you are feeling pressured from all sides. My advice would be to focus on your exams and coursework which are of the utmost importance. I see you are in your final year of your degree.

Many of us on TCLA have been in your situation and have now graduated. Your degree and what you achieve in your degree have to be your priority now. If that means waiting for the next cycle to reapply to firms, so be it. You will feel less stressed and this will be reflected in your applications and your approach to them. Sometimes we need time to grow and reflect in this sector and putting too much undue pressure on yourself to get applications in before deadlines will not improve your application success rate and nor will it help you to concentrate on your studies.

Certainly if you have time to file a couple of applications, by all means do so but try not to feel you absolutely have to. It has to be right and you have to be in the right frame of mind, as these applications take a great deal of time and energy. You may be better placed waiting. Believe me I know how hard it is to balance everything. I have been there and I am still applying and not giving up. It is an arduous process, but we are all here to support you.

 

[Soliha]

This is tough Soliha as you are feeling pressured from all sides. My advice would be to focus on your exams and coursework which are of the utmost importance. I see you are in your final year of your degree.

Many of us on TCLA have been in your situation and have now graduated. Your degree and what you achieve in your degree have to be your priority now. If that means waiting for the next cycle to reapply to firms, so be it. You will feel less stressed and this will be reflected in your applications and your approach to them. Sometimes we need time to grow and reflect in this sector and putting too much undue pressure on yourself to get applications in before deadlines will not improve your application success rate and nor will it help you to concentrate on your studies.

Certainly if you have time to file a couple of applications, by all means do so but try not to feel you absolutely have to. It has to be right and you have to be in the right frame of mind, as these applications take a great deal of time and energy. You may be better placed waiting. Believe me I know how hard it is to balance everything. I have been there and I am still applying and not giving up. It is an arduous process, but we are all here to support you.

Dear Helena, thank you soooo much, and your support means a lot to me! I feel much more pressured not just because of the exams, but I have to get a TC offer if I am to stay in the UK or I need to continue my education doing masters which is really expensive. I felt relieved reading your message! You are absolutely the star! Thank you for your kindness! Hope you get that TC offer this cycle!

 

[Helena]

Dear Helena, thank you soooo much, and your support means a lot to me! I feel much more pressured not just because of the exams, but I have to get a TC offer if I am to stay in the UK or I need to continue my education doing masters which is really expensive. I felt relieved reading your message! You are absolutely the star! Thank you for your kindness! Hope you get that TC offer this cycle!

I feel for you and I understand completely. Regarding your predicament with visa status I believe
@Abstruser may be able to give some advice as she has been in your situation. Keep calm, things will work out I am sure of it.

 

[Soliha]

Finally coming back to TCLA after 2 months of exam season, being at the hospital and other personal issues...
I received my final rejection last week. Honestly, I don't feel devastated as I was not able to do my best. (I realised I secretly missed TCLA)
Now I am starting to give my final shots to direct training contracts: do you think that I still need to apply even if I do not have a vacation scheme experience? or would it be wise to focus on finding any other experience and find a way to prolong my visa?

Thank you very much all, hope your applications are going well.

 

[Lawbour]

Finally coming back to TCLA after 2 months of exam season, being at the hospital and other personal issues...
I received my final rejection last week. Honestly, I don't feel devastated as I was not able to do my best. (I realised I secretly missed TCLA)
Now I am starting to give my final shots to direct training contracts: do you think that I still need to apply even if I do not have a vacation scheme experience? or would it be wise to focus on finding any other experience and find a way to prolong my visa?

Thank you very much all, hope your applications are going well.

I'm not an expert by any means but I know some people who have managed to get TCs with no prior vacation schemes or any other legal work experience - I think it's about how you sell your reasons for being a lawyer and your understanding of the role (maybe you could use open days/ workshops etc to showcase this).

 

[VV]

#Update
I recently attended Jones Day question time. Graduate Recruitment member confirmed that they have two visa sponsorship allowance per year including lateral hires. So it is really tough for international students to get a TC with them, however, for vacation schemes, there is no such requirement.

Highlights of the event:
1. Non-rotational training:

• trainees can tailor TC to what they want
• TC can be as varied as trainee wants it to be
• trainees can oversee a case from start to finish (in rotational training there is no such opportunity due to the cut-off)
• a senior associate highlighted that this type of training is for independent/inquisitive people, however, it does not mean that trainees will be left without any help
• show proactivity/relate to the non-rotational TC to yourself/focus on 2 or 3 experiences to link to Jones Day in your app

2. One firm worldwide

• seamless service
• do research what it actually means for the firm

Hi Soliha, just to confirm - by “there is no such requirement for vacation schemes”, do you mean Jones Day do not sponsor any visas for vacation schemes?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Soliha, just to confirm - by “there is no such requirement for vacation schemes”, do you mean Jones Day do not sponsor any visas for vacation schemes?

I generally wouldn’t expect a firm to sponsor visas for a vacation scheme because of their expense. It will be as expensive (possibly even more) to apply for and get the visa than it will be to employ the student on the scheme.