Poor contract module grade, but 2:1 average.

[henryc1271]

Hi,

I'm currently going into my second year at Exeter university and received a 2:1 average for my first year. However, I struggled with contract law. I had poor mental health in term 2, and I found it very difficult to work as a result. Needless to say, I sorted myself out a month and a bit before my end of year exams, and worked non stop. Despite this, I didn't manage to salvage contract law, and I ended up with a 54% (2:2) as my final module grade for it.

Will this 2:2 effect my chance of getting a training contract at a magic circle firm, or any London firm in the future?

First year results
Criminal law (64%)
Legal foundations (64%)
Constitutional and Administrative law (62%)
Contract Law (54%)

 

[M777]

I got a 47% in contract and still got interviews at US firms. You'll be fine.

 

[Daniel Boden]

Hi,

I'm currently going into my second year at Exeter university and received a 2:1 average for my first year. However, I struggled with contract law. I had poor mental health in term 2, and I found it very difficult to work as a result. Needless to say, I sorted myself out a month and a bit before my end of year exams, and worked non stop. Despite this, I didn't manage to salvage contract law, and I ended up with a 54% (2:2) as my final module grade for it.

Will this 2:2 effect my chance of getting a training contract at a magic circle firm, or any London firm in the future?

First year results
Criminal law (64%)
Legal foundations (64%)
Constitutional and Administrative law (62%)
Contract Law (54%)

The short answer is no, not at all since you got a 2.1 overall and normally first year results don't count towards your final degree anyway

 

[Kola]

Will this 2:2 in contract BAR you from being considered? No. Will the 2:2 affect your chances? Possibly. There are firms like Slaughter & May, Cleary Gottlieb and Sullivan & Cromwell, amongst others, who are rather stingy when it comes to this stuff. They could pass you up for a candidate with a better mark, hereby reducing your chances, so it is something to think about when considering which firms to apply to.

 

[Jacob Miller]

I would echo most of the advice here in saying that it's highly unlikely to negatively impact your chances broadly speaking. There are some first who are an exception to this - Slaughters definitely being one in my experience - but broadly speaking I really don't foresee this being a particular issue for you in the long run.

Good luck!

 

[Katie_H_22]

I got a 47% in contract and still got interviews at US firms. You'll be fine.

Really? Which firms, if you don't mind my asking? I just posted a thread about module mark worries; in short, although I secured solid 2:1 averages from Oxford in my second and final years, I did get a few 2:2 marks in my breakdown as well. (It was a non-law degree)