Applying for direct TCs with only mini pupillage legal experience?

[awatling1]

Hi,

So I’ve only applied to one direct TC so far (Clifford Chance) and got rejected, the rest of my applications have been for vacation schemes. My only legal experience is five mini-pupillages, mix of commercial and civil, one family. I was wondering if it is worth making direct training contract applications with this? It does look like I have strongly swayed to the Bar, I have gone to a lot of open/insight days but obviously this is not the same as having concrete VS experience. Would firms be turned off by this?

 

[Amma Usman]

Hi,

So I’ve only applied to one direct TC so far (Clifford Chance) and got rejected, the rest of my applications have been for vacation schemes. My only legal experience is five mini-pupillages, mix of commercial and civil, one family. I was wondering if it is worth making direct training contract applications with this? It does look like I have strongly swayed to the Bar, I have gone to a lot of open/insight days but obviously this is not the same as having concrete VS experience. Would firms be turned off by this?

To the contrary, I would say firms would love that you have done up to 5 MPs! You could pick out similarities in the work you have done, considering it’s also legal, and link to specific legal practice areas in a solicitors firm. There is also strength in referencing that you have tried X, liked this about it, but then you attended an open day at Y, and found you liked A,B,C because of Q, and this is why you want to become a solicitor. Juxtapose both fields and draw the similarities.

Please remember this - five mini-pupillages is excellent experience. Showcase this well in your applications, be specific about what you learnt and your motivations. Use the STAR technique if the question presents itself in that way - specificity yet again. The barristers and solicitors route are different but not so far off in terms of early on, you get legal exposure. I know people who have also started off as barristers and later became solicitors. It is worth reaching out to someone on LinkedIn to get their views on the switch/any differences, etc. Knowing both fields well will enable you to confidently convey why you want to become a solicitor since you have previously committed to the bar (this is a question which I reckon will come up often).

Best of luck! Really rooting for you!