SQE & Training Contract Timeline

[sj20]

Hi all,

I'm a penultimate year, non-law (STEM) student, with a single Vacation Scheme at a Magic Circle firm this summer. I will complete my studies in June 2021, but if I did not have a training contract secured by then would likely carry on for a fourth year and do a MSci rather than BSc (a decision I need to make by March next year).

Under the old GDL/LPC format, I understand that I would be applying for September 2023 training contracts, but just curious if under the new SQE I could apply for direct training contracts for March 2023 in this round of recruitment? That would solve my predicament of not being able to apply to most direct training contracts until after I would have to commit to finishing my degree and only doing a BSc... and then potentially being both out of education with no training contract secured.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi all,

I'm a penultimate year, non-law (STEM) student, with a single Vacation Scheme at a Magic Circle firm this summer. I will complete my studies in June 2021, but if I did not have a training contract secured by then would likely carry on for a fourth year and do a MSci rather than BSc (a decision I need to make by March next year).

Under the old GDL/LPC format, I understand that I would be applying for September 2023 training contracts, but just curious if under the new SQE I could apply for direct training contracts for March 2023 in this round of recruitment? That would solve my predicament of not being able to apply to most direct training contracts until after I would have to commit to finishing my degree and only doing a BSc... and then potentially being both out of education with no training contract secured.

Thanks in advance!

depends on this firms you are applying to. I would check their websites as to what they are recruiting for. I think some would say to wait and apply the next cycle though.

 

[Nat000]

depends on this firms you are applying to. I would check their websites as to what they are recruiting for. I think some would say to wait and apply the next cycle though.

Hi Jessica! I was wondering - even with the SQE, should I be applying to the September 2023 intake if I'm graduating in June 2021?

(I'm non-law too)

 

[sj20]

depends on this firms you are applying to. I would check their websites as to what they are recruiting for. I think some would say to wait and apply the next cycle though.

Thanks for the response. Most firms don't seem to have updated it with the SQE timeline yet, from what I can see?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks for the response. Most firms don't seem to have updated it with the SQE timeline yet, from what I can see?

Think it’s because most are still recruiting for 2022. The SQE recruitment will start from this autumn for most firms.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Most non law students don’t apply for TCs until their final year, so I wouldn’t expect you would need to apply until this Autumn at the earliest.

 

[amb98]

Think it’s because most are still recruiting for 2022. The SQE recruitment will start from this autumn for most firms.

Do you think firms will also run the traditional TC alongside this for those candidates who have already done GDL and LPC to save them from having to sit the SQE?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Do you think firms will also run the traditional TC alongside this for those candidates who have already done GDL and LPC to save them from having to sit the SQE?

I am not convinced they will.

It will make much more sense to convert everyone to the new system - the requirements from an employers perspective are very different (far less requirements from a firm’s perspective), and there is a huge advantage of moving people to the new system.

They may make exceptions but I think they will take the view that they will want people to qualify in the same manner as a matter of fairness.

The exception might be the 2022 intakes which are far more likely to have a hybrid approach where the first non-law grads graduating in 2021 won’t have any option but to take the SQE.

 

[D681]

I am not convinced they will.

It will make much more sense to convert everyone to the new system - the requirements from an employers perspective are very different (far less requirements from a firm’s perspective), and there is a huge advantage of moving people to the new system.

They may make exceptions but I think they will take the view that they will want people to qualify in the same manner as a matter of fairness.

The exception might be the 2022 intakes which are far more likely to have a hybrid approach where the first non-law grads graduating in 2021 won’t have any option but to take the SQE.

Hi Jessica,

Is the general feeling therefore that from next cycle, most firms will be recruiting for sqe route only?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

Is the general feeling therefore that from next cycle, most firms will be recruiting for sqe route only?

I haven’t spoke to enough recruiters to have complete clarity on this. But it seems there isn’t a “general feeling” - firms aren’t very much taking their own approach to this given the flexibility it provides.

From what I have heard, as many firms will have to move to SQE process for final year non-law graduates from this Autumn’s recruitment process, many are looking to move across to a more consistent process from 2022/23 onwards.

Some are happy to have a mix of traditional TC and new SQE models, but the whole structure is very different and there are some concerns around how to manage two pools of candidates who have very different rights/requirements.

I think it depends on how the firm is approaching when someone will start though (eg pre SQE 1, post SQE 1, some even post SQE2) and whether non law grads are still being put through a GDL equivalent.

 

[D681]

I haven’t spoke to enough recruiters to have complete clarity on this. But it seems there isn’t a “general feeling” - firms aren’t very much taking their own approach to this given the flexibility it provides.

From what I have heard, as many firms will have to move to SQE process for final year non-law graduates from this Autumn’s recruitment process, many are looking to move across to a more consistent process from 2022/23 onwards.

Some are happy to have a mix of traditional TC and new SQE models, but the whole structure is very different and there are some concerns around how to manage two pools of candidates who have very different rights/requirements.

I think it depends on how the firm is approaching when someone will start though (eg pre SQE 1, post SQE 1, some even post SQE2) and whether non law grads are still being put through a GDL equivalent.

Thank you, interesting to hear your perspective... didn’t realise there were so many factors at play!