Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

I recently completed an Access to HE Diploma, translating to 144 UCAS points.

My intention is to advance my education by enrolling in an LLB program at the University of Law, which offers a 2-year accelerated course. This option seems fitting, considering my age and situation. However, I am apprehensive that this choice may have long-term implications on my career prospects. Would it be more prudent for me to pursue a 3-year LLB program at a Russell Group university instead?

Many thanks for this.

The issue with a two year degree course is that it only speeds up your academics, not the recruitment process, as most firms would want to wait until they see your first year results when applying for vacation schemes or training contracts, which you’d only be able to do in your second and final year.

An intensive course is also going to give you less time to build up your CV, whether that be your extra curriculars and legal work experience (open day etc), so although you may do your degree quickly and save money, you may find you have more success in applications in once you have graduated.

 

[FutureLawyer99]

Hi Jessica,

This week I received the first batch of my LPC results and I found out that I received a ‘Not Yet Competent’ in one of my skills exams. However, I have passed all my core electives with a merit and the rest of my skills. As the skills are ungraded, my LPC result will not be capped at a pass. I am currently self-funding the LPC as I have no training contract in place. But, I do have two vacation schemes coming up in the summer. Could this one resit damage my chances of obtaining a training contract from my vacation schemes? @Jessica Booker

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

This week I received the first batch of my LPC results and I found out that I received a ‘Not Yet Competent’ in one of my skills exams. However, I have passed all my core electives with a merit and the rest of my skills. As the skills are ungraded, my LPC result will not be capped at a pass. I am currently self-funding the LPC as I have no training contract in place. But, I do have two vacation schemes coming up in the summer. Could this one resit damage my chances of obtaining a training contract from my vacation schemes? @Jessica Booker

Only if the firm(s) have a policy of not allowing resits for trainees it sponsors through the LPC.

 

[FutureLawyer99]

Only if the firm(s) have a policy of not allowing resits for trainees it sponsors through the LPC.

Hi Jessica, thank you for your response. I do have an explanation/mitigating circumstances for the resit. In a nutshell, I was undergoing some family problems within my household at the time. Would this be something that is taken into consideration on a case-by-case basis?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica, thank you for your response. I do have an explanation/mitigating circumstances for the resit. In a nutshell, I was undergoing some family problems within my household at the time. Would this be something that is taken into consideration on a case-by-case basis?

Typically only if the university were made aware of it or if you can provide some kind of proof (which is potentially difficult in situations like the one you have referenced).

This may not be an issue for many firms though.

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

I hope this message finds you well.

This scenario is not about TCs/VS, but legal jobs.

I have been offered a role at company A, but still in the process for company B. I prefer the opportunity for company B. What should I do?
For now, I told company A I am keen on the role but want to know how long I have to decide. Company B is in penultimate assessment stage atm.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

I hope this message finds you well.

This scenario is not about TCs/VS, but legal jobs.

I have been offered a role at company A, but still in the process for company B. I prefer the opportunity for company B. What should I do?
For now, I told company A I am keen on the role but want to know how long I have to decide. Company B is in penultimate assessment stage atm.

Call B and explain you have been offered a job and ask whether they can expedite the final stages of the recruitment process.

If you haven’t received it yet, wait for the formal offer to be received from firm A, you can typically drag out replying to another offer a few days to a week while you wait for the formal offer to arrive.

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Call B and explain you have been offered a job and ask whether they can expedite the final stages of the recruitment process.

If you haven’t received it yet, wait for the formal offer to be received from firm A, you can typically drag out replying to another offer a few days to a week while you wait for the formal offer to arrive.

Thank you for your reply, @Jessica Booker.

Can I please PM you about the specific details. There is a particular issue.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you for your reply, @Jessica Booker.

Can I please PM you about the specific details. There is a particular issue.

Sure

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Sure

Thanks a lot @Jessica Booker ! PMed you.

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Hi @Jessica Booker, why do you think Goodwin recruitment have phrased the below question with commercial / corporate?

What is your personal motivation for seeking a career in corporate/commercial law?

Commercial Law and Corporate Law are completely different although similar. Are they implicitly saying that we should go for one? Or do you think I am overreading into this?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker, why do you think Goodwin recruitment have phrased the below question with commercial / corporate?

What is your personal motivation for seeking a career in corporate/commercial law?

Commercial Law and Corporate Law are completely different although similar. Are they implicitly saying that we should go for one? Or do you think I am overreading into this?

I think you are over reading this.

I think they are using the terms interchangeably. If it was one or the other I would expect an or between the two words.

If there is one you feel you gravitate to more though then just use that term in your description.

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

I am curious whether law firms ever finance advanced study for their future trainees / trainees / qualified lawyers, two scenarios in mind:

1. future trainees: finance a masters degree?
2. lawyers: CFA, MBA?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

I am curious whether law firms ever finance advanced study for their future trainees / trainees / qualified lawyers, two scenarios in mind:

1. future trainees: finance a masters degree?
2. lawyers: CFA, MBA?

1) Exceptionally unlikely for future trainees - they are already being invested into at such a huge level for qualifications, there will be no reason for this.

2) CFA or MBA is less likely than a masters course in law. CFA might be ok for those in finance practices but effectively is mostly a redundant course for lawyers. Firms might support a MBA, but most lawyers I have been seen supported through a subsequent qualification have been on LLMs aligned to their practice area.

There are exceptions to this - at one point one firm put their future trainees on a combined LPC and MBA course (can’t for the life remember who it is now and therefore whether they even still do this). But these exceptions are rare.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello, @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me, for the question "To date, have you ever failed an exam and had to re-sit? If yes, please provide information on the exams and outcome." are we also expected to go into details regarding why we were not able to clear the exam in the first go or is this question only asking the name of the exam and how we much scored in the second attempt? (I had to resit an exam at university because I was preparing for another competitive entrance exam which fell on the following day to this particular exam, I was just not able to prepare thoroughly and hence I wasn't able to pass. The second time around I got 68/100. Should I mention this at all? It just looks like I am not able to manage competing deadlines which is a serious red flag)

Thanks.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello, @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me, for the question "To date, have you ever failed an exam and had to re-sit? If yes, please provide information on the exams and outcome." are we also expected to go into details regarding why we were not able to clear the exam in the first go or is this question only asking the name of the exam and how we much scored in the second attempt? (I had to resit an exam at university because I was preparing for another competitive entrance exam which fell on the following day to this particular exam, I was just not able to prepare thoroughly and hence I wasn't able to pass. The second time around I got 68/100. Should I mention this at all? It just looks like I am not able to manage competing deadlines which is a serious red flag)

Thanks.

I would just provide details of the module, the original grade and what you got on the resit. You could explain the competing exam, but it isn’t necessary to do so. It’s up to you whether you rant to or not.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello @Jessica Booker, could you please tell me, for the section "Please add any supplementary educational information including extra study and international qualifications", what all can we include? I have done the following things besides university so I was wondering if they can be included in this section:
(1)a 2 day Workshop on M&A and dealmaking
(2) Multiple Forage programs
(3) A distance learning year long diploma in Business laws
(4) a 2 month long Legal Research and Writing Course

Thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello @Jessica Booker, could you please tell me, for the section "Please add any supplementary educational information including extra study and international qualifications", what all can we include? I have done the following things besides university so I was wondering if they can be included in this section:
(1)a 2 day Workshop on M&A and dealmaking
(2) Multiple Forage programs
(3) A distance learning year long diploma in Business laws
(4) a 2 month long Legal Research and Writing Course

Thanks

If there is an additional section that would cover more work related training, then I would put the M&A workshop and Forage programmes elsewhere as they are technically not a qualification or education - they are really careers related training.

For this section I would include anything that has been a formal course that you have taken that has not been part of your formal educational choices (eg high school qualifications/degrees).

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

If there is an additional section that would cover more work related training, then I would put the M&A workshop and Forage programmes elsewhere as they are technically not a qualification or education - they are really careers related training.

For this section I would include anything that has been a formal course that you have taken that has not been part of your formal educational choices (eg high school qualifications/degrees).

There is no additional section that goes over work related training. Just to clarify, should I put all four points under this section then? Thanks.

 

[Jessica Booker]

There is no additional section that goes over work related training. Just to clarify, should I put all four points under this section then? Thanks.

In this instance, I think it is ok to unless you are referring to them elsewhere in the application, and then there isn’t the need to repeat it.