Hi everyone, I'd just like some advice and an international perspective on how to move forward with my law career.
I am about to get my BA LLB degree from a top 6 law school in India with First Class Honors. I am also an upcoming Masters student at QMUL to pursue my interests in International Dispute Resolution. I am pursuing this LLM mostly due to my interests and I also partially had hopes for working in the UK.
Please do not judge me when I say that I had a very rude awakening a few days ago when I realized that firms in the UK need you to apply 2 YEARS in advance for training contracts and the 2026 cycle is nearing its end. Most applications have closed for 2026 save a very few and I read several stories about how competitive TCs can get and with my 0 prep I don't stand a chance for 2026. It isn’t this way in India and I did not foresee this at all. I just wanted to somehow get qualified in the UK, with my SQE costs covered as I cannot ask my parents to bear more costs for my education, and perhaps return to the UAE, where I hold a residence visa with my family. I would have loved to return to the UAE right after my LLM however nobody in the UAE really wants to hire a law grad with no qualifications. They prefer lawyers with a few years of PQE under their belt (and I sadly did not take Arabic seriously enough in school, I can read and write but lack basic conversational skills).
Now I feel very lost and not to mention extremely stressed about my future. I have done about 4-5 online internships with Indian firms during COVID and 3 in-office construction disputes internships with UK-based companies in the UAE, including at Dentons (not under Vacation Schemes), and yet I was stupid enough not to look into how training contracts work. I’ll complete my LLM in June 2025 and I have no idea what to do with regard to my job prospects. I would like to qualify in the UK as that leads to better employment chances anywhere in but I don’t know what I’ll do till 2027. That is assuming I get a TC in my first round of applications which I’ve heard is difficult. The TC process is just crazy with several rounds of interviews and I have just started to familiarize myself with them. Not to mention, many of them require me to come down to the UK for Assessment (assuming i even get there lol); however, that will not be possible until I join QMUL in September. I don't know if I should put an effort into Vacation Schemes because I would have to go for a Graduate UK visa at my own expense, not knowing whether it's going to pay off. I would love to work in-house too but I have been told they prefer lawyers with Big Law experience. I know beggars can’t be choosers, but I did not think I would have to consider being a paralegal after having done an LLB and LLM.
Another option I was thinking of is to return to India after my LLM, get qualified there and work for at least 2 years to exempt myself from SQE 2 and try for UK/UAE firms while I work. I don't know how successful I will be with this, and it will kinda mean that my LLM money was partially wasted and my parents will be disappointed because they want me to work "abroad" and I would too, but I would like to know from some experienced professionals if this would be a better option.
To anyone that can help me get some clarity of mind please do. I feel like I am at a dead end for some reason. I wish to start working immediately and I would love to in the UK. Please suggest practical routes I can take. I will try for TCs this year although it’s very overwhelming and I feel aimless given the distant joining dates and my prep. If you made it till here thank you! I would also love to get in touch with anyone who's in a similar position as me.
I am about to get my BA LLB degree from a top 6 law school in India with First Class Honors. I am also an upcoming Masters student at QMUL to pursue my interests in International Dispute Resolution. I am pursuing this LLM mostly due to my interests and I also partially had hopes for working in the UK.
Please do not judge me when I say that I had a very rude awakening a few days ago when I realized that firms in the UK need you to apply 2 YEARS in advance for training contracts and the 2026 cycle is nearing its end. Most applications have closed for 2026 save a very few and I read several stories about how competitive TCs can get and with my 0 prep I don't stand a chance for 2026. It isn’t this way in India and I did not foresee this at all. I just wanted to somehow get qualified in the UK, with my SQE costs covered as I cannot ask my parents to bear more costs for my education, and perhaps return to the UAE, where I hold a residence visa with my family. I would have loved to return to the UAE right after my LLM however nobody in the UAE really wants to hire a law grad with no qualifications. They prefer lawyers with a few years of PQE under their belt (and I sadly did not take Arabic seriously enough in school, I can read and write but lack basic conversational skills).
Now I feel very lost and not to mention extremely stressed about my future. I have done about 4-5 online internships with Indian firms during COVID and 3 in-office construction disputes internships with UK-based companies in the UAE, including at Dentons (not under Vacation Schemes), and yet I was stupid enough not to look into how training contracts work. I’ll complete my LLM in June 2025 and I have no idea what to do with regard to my job prospects. I would like to qualify in the UK as that leads to better employment chances anywhere in but I don’t know what I’ll do till 2027. That is assuming I get a TC in my first round of applications which I’ve heard is difficult. The TC process is just crazy with several rounds of interviews and I have just started to familiarize myself with them. Not to mention, many of them require me to come down to the UK for Assessment (assuming i even get there lol); however, that will not be possible until I join QMUL in September. I don't know if I should put an effort into Vacation Schemes because I would have to go for a Graduate UK visa at my own expense, not knowing whether it's going to pay off. I would love to work in-house too but I have been told they prefer lawyers with Big Law experience. I know beggars can’t be choosers, but I did not think I would have to consider being a paralegal after having done an LLB and LLM.
Another option I was thinking of is to return to India after my LLM, get qualified there and work for at least 2 years to exempt myself from SQE 2 and try for UK/UAE firms while I work. I don't know how successful I will be with this, and it will kinda mean that my LLM money was partially wasted and my parents will be disappointed because they want me to work "abroad" and I would too, but I would like to know from some experienced professionals if this would be a better option.
To anyone that can help me get some clarity of mind please do. I feel like I am at a dead end for some reason. I wish to start working immediately and I would love to in the UK. Please suggest practical routes I can take. I will try for TCs this year although it’s very overwhelming and I feel aimless given the distant joining dates and my prep. If you made it till here thank you! I would also love to get in touch with anyone who's in a similar position as me.
