Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[CL20]

Also, on vacation schemes, I was wondering how often (if at all) you should aim to reach out to people for virtual coffees?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Also, on vacation schemes, I was wondering how often (if at all) you should aim to reach out to people for virtual coffees?

This is going to depend on your workload. Even with face to face internships, my advice would only be to reach out for coffees if you have the time to do so - you have to explore whether you have any other work to do first, whether you could help others do any work second, and if there is anything you can prepare for third. Only after those three things should you explore coffees/virtual catch ups - ultimately these could be done at any time (particularly virtual) even after the scheme has completed. They are not a necessity - they are just a nice thing to do if you have spare time.

 

[IntrepidL]

Hi @Jessica Booker! I hope you are well. Out of curiosity, I was wondering whether firms care whether you get a distinction or a commendation on your LPC? Or, would more weight be given to grades in your undergraduate degree?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker! I hope you are well. Out of curiosity, I was wondering whether firms care whether you get a distinction or a commendation on your LPC? Or, would more weight be given to grades in your undergraduate degree?

Some firm who sponsor their LPC students have a clause that they need to obtain a commendation or above. For those firms, they will obviously want to mirror that performance in the people who self-fund.

I think it is important to get solid grades in the LPC for most firms. They will take it as an indication of how knowledgable you will be as a trainee. If a firm cares about academics they will care about the LPC and your degree results, not just one or the other.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you, @Jessica Booker! I was wondering how can one find out the LPC benchmark for the firms? I understand that some firms have a benchmark of 65 and above, whereas other firms have a benchmark of 60. However, I am not able to find this on most firm's sites.

I doubt any firm has a benchmark that isn’t a classification.

You’d need to ask them via email/social media but I suspect they will tell you it is a classification not a percentage.

 

[IntrepidL]

Thank you so much, @Jessica Booker!

 

[Alice G]

It is my 1 year TCLA anniversary! It’s been fantastic to be involved over the last year and I am looking forward to many more years to come!

Happy 1 year @Jessica Booker! I have been exceptionally grateful for your support and guidance this past year and look forward to working with you for the next one!! ☺️☺️☺️

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Ma'am @Jessica Booker , why do students who get in via Indian Based programmes, do not do LPC GDL? I have gone through so many of their profiles on LinkedIn and I have not seen even one student do it.

 

[IntrepidL]

Hi @Jessica Booker! I signed up for a free 8-week coding course to keep myself busy during lockdown. The coding course requires us to split into teams to work on a project and present them, after which there will be a coding competition. I was wondering if it will be appropriate to include this in the 'work experience' section? Thank you so much!

 

[Daniel Boden]

It is my 1 year TCLA anniversary! It’s been fantastic to be involved over the last year and I am looking forward to many more years to come!

Very happy anniversary Jess! It's been great to have you as a part of the forum over this past year and I'm excited to work with you and see the fantastic work you'll continue to do in the coming year

 

[Adam Gilchrist]

Ma'am @Jessica Booker , why do students who get in via Indian Based programmes, do not do LPC GDL? I have gone through so many of their profiles on LinkedIn and I have not seen even one student do it.

Always worth remembering that a lot of lawyers don't put their GDL/LPC provider on their Linkedin - just where they did their BA and/or MA. A quick flick through the lawyers I know on Linkedin shows most of them didn't bother entering their LPC/GDL on their profile.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Ma'am @Jessica Booker , why do students who get in via Indian Based programmes, do not do LPC GDL? I have gone through so many of their profiles on LinkedIn and I have not seen even one student do it.

If they are not doing the GDL/LPC they must qualify in India and then do the QLTS (will be replaced by the SQE) if they are people who work in London.

But I bet Adam is right and that they are just not putting it on their LinkedIn profile. Good way to work that out is if there is a 18-24 month gap in their profile.

 

[Jessica Booker]

I'd broadly agree, but it does depend on the specific firm and what they seem to want. On the recent Linklaters vac scheme, it was made very clear to everyone on the scheme that although not obligatory, it was highly advisable go for virtual coffees/networking. Especially with the virtual element of the scheme, virtual coffee was one of the only serious ways you could demonstrate your active interest in the firm, the seat and the company culture.

That said, it depends on the firm and the workload - and indeed what happens in your seat. Other people got a lot of extra work from their principals on top of the obligatory tasks we all had to complete, whereas both of my principals were too busy to give me anything, so coffees were a good way of demonstrating interest/commercial awareness.

Completely agree - if you have capacity then people should be doing them. I have just seen too many vac schemers let their work slide because of too much networking and that is the worst thing you can do.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

If they are not doing the GDL/LPC they must qualify in India and then do the QLTS (will be replaced by the SQE) if they are people who work in London.

But I bet Adam is right and that they are just not putting it on their LinkedIn profile. Good way to work that out is if there is a 18-24 month gap in their profile.

Ma'am, qualifying as in graduating from University or getting enrolled at the Bar ?@Jessica Booker

 

[Shane]

Hi Jessica,

Clifford Chance have just opened their training contract applications. However they state that they are primarily targeting penultimate year law students and final year non-law. I’ve never come across this before. Does this mean that those of who us who just graduated will be disadvantaged when applying? Is this a trend that you believe other firms will also be adopting?

“The Training Contract is targeted at penultimate year law students and final year non-law students (undergraduate degree). If you are an applicant who does not fall into these target groups, you can still apply but your application will not be priortised at this stage and, as such, you will not be sent a Watson Glaser test at the moment. If your application is going to be considered, you will find out no later than 14 th December 2020.“

 

[Jessica Booker]

Ma'am, qualifying as in graduating from University or getting enrolled at the Bar ?@Jessica Booker

If you are a qualified lawyer in another jurisdiction, you can take the QLTS rather than the GDL/LPC. This will all change with the SQE though. I am not up to date I’m with what the qualification process is in India, but if you are qualified there, that is the quicker route you could take to become qualified in England and Wales too

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

Clifford Chance have just opened their training contract applications. However they state that they are primarily targeting penultimate year law students and final year non-law. I’ve never come across this before. Does this mean that those of who us who just graduated will be disadvantaged when applying? Is this a trend that you believe other firms will also be adopting?

“The Training Contract is targeted at penultimate year law students and final year non-law students (undergraduate degree). If you are an applicant who does not fall into these target groups, you can still apply but your application will not be priortised at this stage and, as such, you will not be sent a Watson Glaser test at the moment. If your application is going to be considered, you will find out no later than 14 th December 2020.“

It could be a way to limit applications this cycle. It could be something to do with a transition to the SQE. It’s hard to know why they are doing this without directly asking them - it sounds very unlike CC though who are typically really inclusive.

 

[Shane]

Thank you Jessica. Yeah, I was just very disappointed to read it. I was quite happy with my final results and looking forward to applying. Really hope that this won’t be a theme across other firms.

 

[flyingavocado]

It could be a way to limit applications this cycle. It could be something to do with a transition to the SQE. It’s hard to know why they are doing this without directly asking them - it sounds very unlike CC though who are typically really inclusive.

Hi Jessica, thanks for the insight! I am a penultimate year law student now, but by the time CC closes this TC application in December I will be a final year law student. Does that mean I can still apply as a penultimate year law student? Or must I choose final year law student? Hope to hear your advice, thanks!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica, thanks for the insight! I am a penultimate year law student now, but by the time CC closes this TC application in December I will be a final year law student. Does that mean I can still apply as a penultimate year law student? Or must I choose final year law student? Hope to hear your advice, thanks!

you are a final year student.