• Get Everything You Need to Secure a Training Contract
    Now half the price. Join TCLA Premium for £30/month and get step-by-step application support, daily commercial awareness practice, and 700+ successful examples of past applications and interview experiences. Plus so much more.
    Join Premium →
  • Ace Your Vacation Scheme Applications with Reed Smith
    10 Nov 2025 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm (UK) Zoom (registration required)
    Join Reed Smith for this practical session on how to write a strong vacation scheme application ahead of key deadlines. Understand what recruiters look for and how to get past the application review stage.
    Register on Zoom →
  • Write Winning Vacation Scheme Applications with Osborne Clarke
    11 Nov 2025 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm (UK) Zoom (registration required)
    Hear from Recruitment Advisor Patrick Fermin Ryan at Osborne Clarke on how to write a successful vacation scheme application. Gain expert advice on what makes applications stand out and how to approach yours with confidence.
    Register on Zoom →

In this case would an LLM really contribute much to my application

Theyoungone

Active Member
Mar 28, 2021
12
5
Going UCL in september. If i was to get a first, would an LLM from Oxford make me much more of a competitive applicant? I'm not doing this solely for job prospects, rather an academic/personal endeavour, but if firms would favour it, then that would be a very nice plus.
 

TCLA Community Assistant

Legendary Member
TCLA Moderator
Gold Member
Graduate Recruitment
Premium Member
Forum Team
Aug 1, 2019
15,526
21,762
Going UCL in september. If i was to get a first, would an LLM from Oxford make me much more of a competitive applicant? I'm not doing this solely for job prospects, rather an academic/personal endeavour, but if firms would favour it, then that would be a very nice plus.
I wouldn’t worry about this right now. You don’t even know whether you will enjoy your degree at this stage, let alone whether you will want to spend another year studying it

An LLM at Oxford is also pretty competitive in itself. So much so, that you’d most likely already be a good applicant for the vast majority of firms before you had even secured your LLM, because the traits Oxford look for in their applicants in many respects will be the same as law firms. So it’s unlikely to make you a more competitive applicant, because you’d already be one.

It’s obviously a good thing to have on your CV, and for some particularly competitive chambers (if you want to be a barrister rather than a solicitor) then it might help. But it wouldn’t be necessary for law firms.
 

Badawy

Star Member
Future Trainee
Junior Lawyer 19
  • Apr 4, 2020
    28
    65
    Because you referred to firms, I’m assuming your ambition is to join a commercial law firm.

    It is a bit of an odd question because MANY people from UCL go on to secure training contracts - you are already in a competitive position by being there. You will, within your first few months there, meet many future trainees in the academic years above you.

    With that being said if you wish to pursue studying at Oxford, it’s definitely not going to hurt your prospects. But you are already well positioned to do well if you work hard and make the most of your opportunities at UCL.
     

    Law200

    Standard Member
    Apr 19, 2019
    8
    45
    Going UCL in september. If i was to get a first, would an LLM from Oxford make me much more of a competitive applicant? I'm not doing this solely for job prospects, rather an academic/personal endeavour, but if firms would favour it, then that would be a very nice plus.
    Hi! I did the BCL at Oxford. I think firms were mostly just interested in why I wanted to do it and what I got out of it personally. My advice would be only do it if you really want to rather than for any other reason. Hope that helps a bit!
     

    About Us

    The Corporate Law Academy (TCLA) was founded in 2018 because we wanted to improve the legal journey. We wanted more transparency and better training. We wanted to form a community of aspiring lawyers who care about becoming the best version of themselves.

    Newsletter

    Discover the most relevant business news, access our law firm analysis, and receive our best advice for aspiring lawyers.