Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Thank you so much for these answers, it is just unbelievable for us at TCLA to get your advice considering you yourself have served as a Grad Rec at top firms- just a follow up question Ma'am- mitigating circumstances which are true but their effect can't be analysed because of absence of proof - A risk worth taking or not?

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Thanks Daniel. Will keep this is mind.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you so much for these answers, it is just unbelievable for us at TCLA to get your advice considering you yourself have served as a Grad Rec at top firms- just a follow up question Ma'am- mitigating circumstances which are true but their effect can't be analysed because of absence of proof - A risk worth taking or not?

As Daniel says above, it depends on your individual circumstances.

For instance, is it obvious the circumstances are just a blip and that blip is seen in your academic results, then there is less need for your circumstances to be verified.

If your circumstances are lengthy (eg drawn out over a long period of time or impact lots of different grades), then some form of evidence to back them up is probably required more.

Put it this way, what have you got to lose by either:

1) contacting the firm to ask them
2) applying anyway

The only thing you lose is time.

 

[Jessica Booker]

If you received a test invite on Wednesday at 5.40pm that stated a deadline of "Within FIVE DAYS of this invite", would you assume the deadline is Sunday 11.59pm or Monday 5.40pm?

Most likely neither - I would expect it to be 23.59 on the Monday - the system is unlikely to be that sophisticated to record time and it also doesn’t take into account the time you received the email/invite either.

Id advise leaving it that late anyway though. You are not going to have a fresh mind taking a test late in the evening.

 

[dosblancos7]

Hi @Jessica Booker

First of all, thanks for your posts! I've been a lurker and its really helpful.

I wanted to ask 2 questions.

1) I had an internship secured at a US firm in April, but it was cancelled due to Covid-19, with no replacement options(like virtual modes). This was a more smaller US firm. Would it be wise to put this in my application form? Do I put it in work experience(even though I couldn't complete the internship due to its cancellation) , or elsewhere?

2) I wanted to ask about references. I'm going in my third year, and will apply for TC's and VS's depending on how much interaction I've had with the firm. I had around 4 first year schemes in my first year of uni. I also had a 1 week placement with a local law firm(non-commercial) in 2018. How would firms usually obtain references regarding this, as its not employment? Most of my first year schemes were 2-3 days long, with one being 1 week.

Thanks!

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hi @Jessica Booker , I guess we can definitely be asked why we didn't go down the barrister route but do we need to prepare an answer for why we didn't go the Chartered Legal Executive route ( is that the same thing as In-house? We don't have any such term here in India )

 

[KS94]

Most likely neither - I would expect it to be 23.59 on the Monday - the system is unlikely to be that sophisticated to record time and it also doesn’t take into account the time you received the email/invite either.

Id advise leaving it that late anyway though. You are not going to have a fresh mind taking a test late in the evening.

Thanks for responding so quickly Jessica. The issue I have is we've had a bereavement and

Most likely neither - I would expect it to be 23.59 on the Monday - the system is unlikely to be that sophisticated to record time and it also doesn’t take into account the time you received the email/invite either.

Id advise leaving it that late anyway though. You are not going to have a fresh mind taking a test late in the evening.

Thanks Jessica.

I wasn't planning on taking the test late but we've had some unexpected family news over the weekend which means the earliest I'll be able to do it will be tomorrow.

I have now checked and saw that last year the deadline was within 3 days. I received the invite on the Monday at 11am and did the test on Thursday around 11 and it was fine.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker

First of all, thanks for your posts! I've been a lurker and its really helpful.

I wanted to ask 2 questions.

1) I had an internship secured at a US firm in April, but it was cancelled due to Covid-19, with no replacement options(like virtual modes). This was a more smaller US firm. Would it be wise to put this in my application form? Do I put it in work experience(even though I couldn't complete the internship due to its cancellation) , or elsewhere?

2) I wanted to ask about references. I'm going in my third year, and will apply for TC's and VS's depending on how much interaction I've had with the firm. I had around 4 first year schemes in my first year of uni. I also had a 1 week placement with a local law firm(non-commercial) in 2018. How would firms usually obtain references regarding this, as its not employment? Most of my first year schemes were 2-3 days long, with one being 1 week.

Thanks!

you can’t put it in your work experience section. at best it would be appropriate to mention it in any additional information.

if you have been paid for a placement, it will be employment and a reference can be obtained from the firm. They wouldn’t ask for references for something like an open day/short term placement that you are not paid for.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker , I guess we can definitely be asked why we didn't go down the barrister route but do we need to prepare an answer for why we didn't go the Chartered Legal Executive route ( is that the same thing as In-house? We don't have any such term here in India )

It’s not that you definitely will be asked - but you might be. Just as you might be asked why you didn’t go into investment banking or into consultancy. It depends what could be drawn out from your application.

CILEX isn’t really a route many people take, particularly for the type of law firms you are interested in so it’s very unlikely you will get a question about that. CILEX is typically a route for local firms doing more basic legal work.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks for responding so quickly Jessica. The issue I have is we've had a bereavement and


Thanks Jessica.

I wasn't planning on taking the test late but we've had some unexpected family news over the weekend which means the earliest I'll be able to do it will be tomorrow.

I have now checked and saw that last year the deadline was within 3 days. I received the invite on the Monday at 11am and did the test on Thursday around 11 and it was fine.

you should ask for an extension if you need one.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Thank you ma'am, follow up question- apprenticeship is for the citizens of UK right? this was question 1
question 2-paralegal- although it is a route to law- but can we be asked why we didn't become a solicitor via the paralegal route. I'm guessing paralegal roles are for people who haven't had enough law firm working experience- but in my home country- till the time I will be applying for TCs , I would've easily managed 9 months of law firm internships alone. So can I say that I have had enough exposure so I didn't want to take up paralegal roles?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you ma'am, follow up question- apprenticeship is for the citizens of UK right? this was question 1
question 2-paralegal- although it is a route to law- but can we be asked why we didn't become a solicitor via the paralegal route. I'm guessing paralegal roles are for people who haven't had enough law firm working experience- but in my home country- till the time I will be applying for TCs , I would've easily managed 9 months of law firm internships alone. So can I say that I have had enough exposure so I didn't want to take up paralegal roles?

no - an apprenticeship would technically be for anyone but is highly unlikely to meet visa requirements given the starting salary.

very few Solicitors qualify via the paralegal route, especially at the firms you are looking at so you wouldn’t have to explain that unless you had significant paralegal experience. Equivalent means qualification is also about to become redundant due to the implementation of the SQE.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

so now with the SQE coming in, the only way to become a solicitor in UK would be to crack the SQE exams- so should I stop worrying about them asking me about why I didn't come via different routes - and just focus on my answer to why not consultancy and IB?

 

[Tcapplicant]

Hi Jess, I was hoping for your advice on something. I interviewed and was subsequently told I was the preferred candidate for a paralegal role, however due to Corona the role was out on hold. This was over two months ago. Whilst I know nothing has changed I wanted to send a quick email to reiterate my interest in the role so they do not think I have forgotten about it. Would you suggest this as a good idea? I do not want to appear as though I am pressing them for a answer or twisting their hand into a rejection. Thanks!

 

[D681]

Hi Jessica,

Is it acceptable to note a vacation scheme offer on my cv, having accepted a TC elsewhere?

I had an offer for a scheme in the summer, now put on hold because of covid, but in the meantime have accepted a TC. I can no longer do the VS and would let go of the VS to give other candidates the opportunity to be assessed for a TC, but can I nonetheless include the fact that I received an offer following a competitive process?

 

[Daniel Boden]

Hi Jessica,

Is it acceptable to note a vacation scheme offer on my cv, having accepted a TC elsewhere?

I had an offer for a scheme in the summer, now put on hold because of covid, but in the meantime have accepted a TC. I can no longer do the VS and would let go of the VS to give other candidates the opportunity to be assessed for a TC, but can I nonetheless include the fact that I received an offer following a competitive process?

Given you have already accepted a TC offer, I don’t see the need to include it? You don’t see trainees note that they received offers from other firms on their CV - I think that’s just a LinkedIn thing tbh

 

[Jessica Booker]

so now with the SQE coming in, the only way to become a solicitor in UK would be to crack the SQE exams- so should I stop worrying about them asking me about why I didn't come via different routes - and just focus on my answer to why not consultancy and IB?

pretty much, yes. Your answer for why not a paralegal role is pretty straight forward anyway. You’d struggle to get a work permit for it - the only real routes for someone in your situation is a training contract or to qualify in you home country and then come over as an experienced associate (although this Isn’t Straight forward either).

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

Is it acceptable to note a vacation scheme offer on my cv, having accepted a TC elsewhere?

I had an offer for a scheme in the summer, now put on hold because of covid, but in the meantime have accepted a TC. I can no longer do the VS and would let go of the VS to give other candidates the opportunity to be assessed for a TC, but can I nonetheless include the fact that I received an offer following a competitive process?

why would you need to do this if you have accepted the TC?

 

[D681]

why would you need to do this if you have accepted the TC?

My thinking was that it may help secure a position now before starting TC?

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

"qualify in you home country and then come over as an experienced associate" this was possible via the QLTS before but now even this method is going to come under the SQE right? @Jessica Booker