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Hey Guest, do you have a question for graduate recruitment? Gemma Baker from Willkie is live to answer your questions!
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Hi, I am an international student studying law in the UK. I am still on a valid Tier 4 visa as I am in my final year of uni until June 2022. However, this will be expiring very soon and once that happens, I won't be able to do any VS as I will no longer have the right to work.
I do not know the answer to all of your questions. However, if it helps, I will be applying for a Skilled Worker Visa after my graduation if I don't get any TC offers in this cycle. I have three reasons for doing so
Edit: Hi, sorry, I didn't mean the Skilled Worker Visa. I meant the Graduate Visa! I got the names mixed up and this is such a big difference, so sorry for this mistake!
I do not know the answer to all of your questions. However, if it helps, I will be applying for a Skilled Worker Visa after my graduation if I don't get any TC offers in this cycle. I have three reasons for doing so
- This will allow me to remain in the UK and apply for paralegal roles without any immigration issues.
- I can also apply for VS and this can increase my chances of securing a TC because I can apply to both VS and direct TC. Additionally, the Skilled Worker Visa would allow me to finally apply for Winter VS. I couldn't apply to any Winter VS because they clashed with my term time dates and that is not allowed under my Tier 4 visa.
- I am interested in firms like HSF, CMS and Shearman that recruit their trainees exclusively from VS.
Edit: Hi, sorry, I didn't mean the Skilled Worker Visa. I meant the Graduate Visa! I got the names mixed up and this is such a big difference, so sorry for this mistake!
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Hey! thanks for your reply! I had considered applying for the 2 years visa extension for international students to remain in the UK but ultimately did not because I was unable to afford the fees along with having to look and pay for housing this year. I'm unable to go back and apply now which is a bummer, since you must be in the UK to extend the visa before it expires. Do you (or anyone else) know any alternative routes for a smoother process from this point onwards?
Visa - Without a valid visa, you may not be able to undertake paid work in the United Kingdom and therefore you may not be eligible for vacation schemes.
Experience - Most firms do not have a set amount of required legal / non-legal work experience. What's important is your ability to communicate your soft skills, your motivations to pursue commercial law, your motivations to be based in the UK (over other countries), your reasons for that firm, etc. Experience (both legal and non-legal) help you do this, both with respect to the application form (or cover letter) and the interview(s). You should just apply accordingly when the opportunity arises. I have friends who were unable to get training contracts during their time in university but secured training contracts after. They were international like yourself.
Vacation Schemes / Training Contracts - Just because you're unable to do a vacation scheme doesn't mean you're necessarily precluded from a career in commercial law, in the UK. You can still apply for direct training contracts. There are many international students (in all differing circumstances) that have successfully obtained training contracts in the UK, whether via VS or Direct TCs.
Paying for your own Skilled Worker Visa - This won't matter. The firms that could sponsor you in any case would need to have a business case to pick you over others, and therefore it's unlikely you'd be applying to a firm that felt that the £2000-£3000 cost would be material to your case. That's usually an afterthought.
If you're set on paying for the Skilled Worker Visa, then there's nothing that can be said and it must surely be the right choice for you - but I would say it's quite an excessively expensive route to only increase your 'chance' to get a Training Contract in the UK. There are a plethora of firms that offer healthy amounts of direct training contracts.
Jessica Booker
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You can’t pay for your own skilled worker visa. It has to be paid for by the employer.
You could apply for your post-graduate visa that would give you two years to work in the U.K. though. It won’t necessarily help for a TC, but would help for VS applications, which then may convert to a TC. Will also help with paralegal work in the U.K. too.
You could allow apply for a ballot to the Youth Mobility visa: https://www.gov.uk/youth-mobility
Jessica Booker
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Ah ok - look at the Youth Mobility visa I linked above as an alternative.
Thank you Jessica!
Side question, if i'm in X firm, do you know if it's easy to apply for the same position in X firm but in another location? Would I apply externally through regular application process or do they have relocations? E.g if I get a TC offer in a HK firm, would it be possible to have a permanent secondment to the UK at some point...?
Jessica Booker
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It is easy to apply (anyone can apply for a role) but how easy it is to secure such a transger is a different matter. It is really going to depend on your experience within your home jurisdiction and how in demand that experience is within the new country. Transfers typically happen because they need a lawyer qualified in X jurisdiction to help on matters that cross into Y jurisdiction, In most instances, you cannot just work on matters in countries you are not qualified to give advice on which means your experience needs to outweigh the domestic market or bring something to the table that the domestic market cannot offer.
Permanent secondments are only likely once qualified and for something like HK to UK is more likely to happen at around 3+ years PQE rather than as a NQ.
Hi, I made a mistake in my earlier statement because I mixed up the names of the Skilled Worker and the Graduate Visa. I was actually referring to the grad visa (which is still expensive imo). Yes, I also considered the direct TC route but I wanted to try looking for paralegal jobs after graduation to gain some legal work experience here in the UK in addition to what I already have in my home country. I can't do that unless I have a valid right to work!
Hi, no unfortunately I don't, because I read on the gov website that international students have to apply for the grad visa from within the UK itself. I was actually referring to the graduate visa and not the skilled worker visa in my earlier statement. Sorry for the confusion.
https://www.gov.uk/graduate-visa
Who are the biggest players and what can they offer?
The most common law firm types in HK are local/regional firms, American firms, UK firms, Australian firms, Mainland Chinese firms and Canadian firms.
The biggest players in HK are the following:
Local/regional firms: King & Wood Mallesons, Wong Tze & Lo, Eugene Thuraisingam, Wong Partnership, Tan Kok Quan Partnership, Rajah & Tann, Wong Partnership, TSMP Law Corporation, Drew & Napier, Rodyk & Davidson, Wong Partnership, Lewis Silkin, Wong Partnership, Wong Partnership, Wong Partnership, Wong Partnership, Wong Partnership, Wong Partnership.
American firms: Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Latham & Watkins, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, White & Case, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Davis Polk & Wardwell.
UK firms: pinciples, Clyde & Co, Bird & Bird, Reed Smith Richards Butler, Simmons & Simmons
Australian firms: Allens Arthur Robinson, Blake Dawson, Clayton Utz, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Freehills, Henry Davis York, Holding Redlich.
What are the salary expectations?
Salary expectations will vary based on the type of law firm that you are looking to join, your seniority and your jurisdiction of qualification.
For example, a newly qualified lawyer in HK can expect to earn between HK$1m - HK$1.5m per year. Whereas a senior lawyer with over 10 years PQE can expect to earn in excess of HK$5m per year.
The average salary for a newly qualified lawyer in HK is HK$1,200,000 per year.
What are the biggest challenges for lawyers moving to Hong Kong?
The biggest challenges for lawyers moving to HK are:
1. The language barrier - as English is not the first language in HK, there can be a language barrier which can make it difficult to communicate with clients and other lawyers.
2. The work culture - the work culture in HK can be quite different to other jurisdictions, with long hours and a lot of pressure to perform.
3. The cost of living - the cost of living in HK is quite high, so it can be difficult to save money.
4. The competition - there is a lot of competition for jobs in HK, so it can be difficult to find work.
5. The visa requirements - the visa requirements for HK can be quite strict, so it is important to make sure that you have the right visa before you travel.
May be you need fingerprinting and authentication services, you may need to look into international providers. Many countries have their own specific requirements for these services, so it is important to find a provider that can meet your needs. There are a few things to keep in mind when searching for an international provider of fingerprinting and authentication services. First, you will need to make sure that the provider can meet the specific requirements of the country or countries you are dealing with. Each country has its own set of requirements for these services, so you need to find a provider that is familiar with the requirements of the country or countries you are dealing with. Second, you need to make sure that the provider has the necessary experience and expertise. These services can be complex, so you need to find a provider that has a good understanding of the process and the necessary expertise to provide the services you need. Third, you need to make sure that the provider is reliable and can be trusted. This is important because you are trusting the provider with sensitive information. You need to make sure that the provider is reliable and can be trusted to keep your information safe. Fourth, you need to make sure that the provider offers good customer service. This is important because you will likely have questions or need assistance at some point during the process. You need to make sure that the provider you choose offers good customer service so that you can get the help you need when you need it. When you are looking for an international provider of fingerprinting and authentication services, keep these things in mind. Finding a provider that can meet your specific needs, has the necessary experience and expertise, is reliable and can be trusted, and offers good customer service is important. With a little bit of research, you should be able to find a provider that meets all of these criteria.
The most common law firm types in HK are local/regional firms, American firms, UK firms, Australian firms, Mainland Chinese firms and Canadian firms.
The biggest players in HK are the following:
Local/regional firms: King & Wood Mallesons, Wong Tze & Lo, Eugene Thuraisingam, Wong Partnership, Tan Kok Quan Partnership, Rajah & Tann, Wong Partnership, TSMP Law Corporation, Drew & Napier, Rodyk & Davidson, Wong Partnership, Lewis Silkin, Wong Partnership, Wong Partnership, Wong Partnership, Wong Partnership, Wong Partnership, Wong Partnership.
American firms: Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Latham & Watkins, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, White & Case, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Davis Polk & Wardwell.
UK firms: pinciples, Clyde & Co, Bird & Bird, Reed Smith Richards Butler, Simmons & Simmons
Australian firms: Allens Arthur Robinson, Blake Dawson, Clayton Utz, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Freehills, Henry Davis York, Holding Redlich.
What are the salary expectations?
Salary expectations will vary based on the type of law firm that you are looking to join, your seniority and your jurisdiction of qualification.
For example, a newly qualified lawyer in HK can expect to earn between HK$1m - HK$1.5m per year. Whereas a senior lawyer with over 10 years PQE can expect to earn in excess of HK$5m per year.
The average salary for a newly qualified lawyer in HK is HK$1,200,000 per year.
What are the biggest challenges for lawyers moving to Hong Kong?
The biggest challenges for lawyers moving to HK are:
1. The language barrier - as English is not the first language in HK, there can be a language barrier which can make it difficult to communicate with clients and other lawyers.
2. The work culture - the work culture in HK can be quite different to other jurisdictions, with long hours and a lot of pressure to perform.
3. The cost of living - the cost of living in HK is quite high, so it can be difficult to save money.
4. The competition - there is a lot of competition for jobs in HK, so it can be difficult to find work.
5. The visa requirements - the visa requirements for HK can be quite strict, so it is important to make sure that you have the right visa before you travel.
May be you need fingerprinting and authentication services, you may need to look into international providers. Many countries have their own specific requirements for these services, so it is important to find a provider that can meet your needs. There are a few things to keep in mind when searching for an international provider of fingerprinting and authentication services. First, you will need to make sure that the provider can meet the specific requirements of the country or countries you are dealing with. Each country has its own set of requirements for these services, so you need to find a provider that is familiar with the requirements of the country or countries you are dealing with. Second, you need to make sure that the provider has the necessary experience and expertise. These services can be complex, so you need to find a provider that has a good understanding of the process and the necessary expertise to provide the services you need. Third, you need to make sure that the provider is reliable and can be trusted. This is important because you are trusting the provider with sensitive information. You need to make sure that the provider is reliable and can be trusted to keep your information safe. Fourth, you need to make sure that the provider offers good customer service. This is important because you will likely have questions or need assistance at some point during the process. You need to make sure that the provider you choose offers good customer service so that you can get the help you need when you need it. When you are looking for an international provider of fingerprinting and authentication services, keep these things in mind. Finding a provider that can meet your specific needs, has the necessary experience and expertise, is reliable and can be trusted, and offers good customer service is important. With a little bit of research, you should be able to find a provider that meets all of these criteria.
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