TCLA General Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

[TCApp2021]

Does the accelerated LPC course only run from Jan, or can I start it in September? Also, does anyone have any experience on how difficult it is?

 

[Abii]

Does the accelerated LPC course only run from Jan, or can I start it in September? Also, does anyone have any experience on how difficult it is?

I believe they have a summer start date as well June or July but not September. Do you have a TC lined up already? If not I’d hold off on the LPC as most firms are moving over to the SQE - I’ve been told by a few they’d expect me to do SQE 2 even though I’m about to finish the LPC.

In terms of difficulty I haven’t found the content of the LPC hard, just the quantity of it. However I am doing it part time whilst working full time in the legal sector. I envy people doing the accelerated with no other responsibilities! However if you are planning on working alongside the accelerated you will struggle to find any time for yourself or to relax or do any TC applications if you still need to.

 

[TCApp2021]

I believe they have a summer start date as well June or July but not September. Do you have a TC lined up already? If not I’d hold off on the LPC as most firms are moving over to the SQE - I’ve been told by a few they’d expect me to do SQE 2 even though I’m about to finish the LPC.

In terms of difficulty I haven’t found the content of the LPC hard, just the quantity of it. However I am doing it part time whilst working full time in the legal sector. I envy people doing the accelerated with no other responsibilities! However if you are planning on working alongside the accelerated you will struggle to find any time for yourself or to relax or do any TC applications if you still need to.

Thank you! Yh will only be doing it if I get a TC.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Does the accelerated LPC course only run from Jan, or can I start it in September? Also, does anyone have any experience on how difficult it is?

It usually has two start dates - one in Jan/Feb and one in Aug/Sept - if anything I would expect the September course to be the more popular of the two and so if they got rid of one intake, I’d expect it to be the winter one over the summer/autumn one.

 

[SCN]

Hi everyone, I thought I'd try this forum to get some advice. I'm looking to apply and self-fund the PGDL at Ulaw to start wb 31 Jan (yup, I know I've left this too late but I've called the admissions team and they said it's a-okay). Anyways, my dilemma is whether I should do it online or in person. I work 6 days a week from 5pm-10:30pm. Door to door, the commute will take around 1.5 hours there, 1.5hours back so 3 hours in total and because of COVID, they're running a limited train service as I'm not from London. I'm also applying for law firms and have three ACs coming up between now and end of March. Is it feasible to commute/study/prep ACs all at the same time? on the other hand, will the experience be the same online? I'm paying the same amount of money whether it's online or in person and I just don't know what to choose

 

[TC fiend]

Hi everyone, I thought I'd try this forum to get some advice. I'm looking to apply and self-fund the PGDL at Ulaw to start wb 31 Jan (yup, I know I've left this too late but I've called the admissions team and they said it's a-okay). Anyways, my dilemma is whether I should do it online or in person. I work 6 days a week from 5pm-10:30pm. Door to door, the commute will take around 1.5 hours there, 1.5hours back so 3 hours in total and because of COVID, they're running a limited train service as I'm not from London. I'm also applying for law firms and have three ACs coming up between now and end of March. Is it feasible to commute/study/prep ACs all at the same time? on the other hand, will the experience be the same online? I'm paying the same amount of money whether it's online or in person and I just don't know what to choose

I did the GDL at ULaw from Jan to Sep last year when we were in lockdown and there was no in-person teaching. When in-person teaching returned I opted to stay online because it fit better around my work schedule. I’d do it again that way. IMO you’re not missing out on anything from the in-person classes.

 

[SLKEJRWOI97]

Hi, does anyone ever deal with Vero Screening for TC? Please PM me if you have!

I have!

 

[Strugglinglawstudent]

Does anyone have any advice for the AC for WFW? Would really appreciate it

 

[AnnieK]

Hi,

I recently saw that the pass rates for the SQE were just 53% and an even lower 44% for minority candidates. I'm not from the UK and am due to start a training contract with a UK firm in 2023 - and I have to mandatorily pass the SQE 1 before joining.

I wanted to know how tough the SQE really is and how much time I should take out to prepare for it? The firm said it would take care of getting us coaching for the exam from a provider. The pass rate has scared me a lot - especially because the firm documentation said they could make us pay the fees back if we fail - which, with my country's exchange rates, I really cannot afford.

I'm quite scared and am wondering if joining a London firm might be too much of a risk because of this.

Would love to know people's assessments of the SQE and some guidance on what to do.

Thank you.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi,

I recently saw that the pass rates for the SQE were just 53% and an even lower 44% for minority candidates. I'm not from the UK and am due to start a training contract with a UK firm in 2023 - and I have to mandatorily pass the SQE 1 before joining.

I wanted to know how tough the SQE really is and how much time I should take out to prepare for it? The firm said it would take care of getting us coaching for the exam from a provider. The pass rate has scared me a lot - especially because the firm documentation said they could make us pay the fees back if we fail - which, with my country's exchange rates, I really cannot afford.

I'm quite scared and am wondering if joining a London firm might be too much of a risk because of this.

Would love to know people's assessments of the SQE and some guidance on what to do.

Thank you.

The pass rate for the LPC was 58% so it’s technically not that different. What the failure rate won’t tell you:

1) People working full time while trying to study

2) The difference in pass rates between those who are financially supported through the assessment and those who are not (there is a big difference)

3) Difference in performance between training providers (there is a massive difference with LPC providers)

4) Fluency of English and the correlation of pass rates

Does your contract state you have to pass first time?

 

[AnnieK]

The pass rate for the LPC was 58% so it’s technically not that different. What the failure rate won’t tell you:

1) People working full time while trying to study

2) The difference in pass rates between those who are financially supported through the assessment and those who are not (there is a big difference)

3) Difference in performance between training providers (there is a massive difference with LPC providers)

4) Fluency of English and the correlation of pass rates

Does your contract state you have to pass first time?

Thanks for the response @Jessica Booker

Yes, my contract does state that I have to pass the first time.

On the other factors you mentioned, I will not be working full time when I study ( I might not even be working part time for most of it). I would have around 6 months completely dedicated to preparation and I would be getting funding for the SQE from the firm. The firm stated that the training provider is BARBRI.

I completed a law degree outside the UK in English and am fluent in it. I come from a common law jurisdiction and much of our law is principally the same as the UK or influenced by it - yet, I am concerned about the fact that I haven't studied UK law as such.

Do you think I should take more time out for studying? Is there anything I can do to boost my chances of clearing the SQE?

Thank you so much!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks for the response @Jessica Booker

Yes, my contract does state that I have to pass the first time.

On the other factors you mentioned, I will not be working full time when I study ( I might not even be working part time for most of it). I would have around 6 months completely dedicated to preparation and I would be getting funding for the SQE from the firm. The firm stated that the training provider is BARBRI.

I completed a law degree outside the UK in English and am fluent in it. I come from a common law jurisdiction and much of our law is principally the same as the UK or influenced by it - yet, I am concerned about the fact that I haven't studied UK law as such.

Do you think I should take more time out for studying? Is there anything I can do to boost my chances of clearing the SQE?

Thank you so much!

Unfortunately there isn’t anything to breakdown the SQE1 results by trainer provider yet, and even if there was I think the sample size would be a little deceptive/hard to analyse.

Based on the combination of what you have said though, I am less concerned. The firm and BARBRI will also provide as much support as they can - it’s in their interests that you pass. I don’t think you should underestimate how important that support is compared to self funding.

You could try to do some of the mock SQE1 exams. Some of these you have to pay for, but here is a free taster course that might help as a first step:

Registration - SQE Taster Course

taster-course.allaboutlaw.co.uk

 

[AnnieK]

Unfortunately there isn’t anything to breakdown the SQE1 results by trainer provider yet, and even if there was I think the sample size would be a little deceptive/hard to analyse.

Based on the combination of what you have said though, I am less concerned. The firm and BARBRI will also provide as much support as they can - it’s in their interests that you pass. I don’t think you should underestimate how important that support is compared to self funding.

You could try to do some of the mock SQE1 exams. Some of these you have to pay for, but here is a free taster course that might help as a first step:

Registration - SQE Taster Course

taster-course.allaboutlaw.co.uk

Thank you very much @Jessica Booker for your reply and for sharing the resource. I think gaining some early familiarity with the exam will allay my apprehension a bit.

I think I'm going to back myself to clear the exam and spend some quality time preparing in the 6 months I have - as I genuinely enjoyed my vacation scheme and do want to join the firm for the TC.

 

[AK105]

If BCLP has not gotten back after 9 days post-test, should I assume it is a PFO? Everyone else on this forum got their video interview invites within 5 days of doing the test.

 

[Kubed]

If BCLP has not gotten back after 9 days post-test, should I assume it is a PFO? Everyone else on this forum got their video interview invites within 5 days of doing the test.

I waited almost 3 months after my test for the interview at BCLP

 

[AK105]

I waited almost 3 months after my test for the interview at BCLP

Jheez, thanks!

 

[Asil Ahmad]

I waited almost 3 months after my test for the interview at BCLP

Yes they take ages to get back I remember last year someone applied in October and got an interview in February but they received like 2K applications last year.

 

[lawnoob]

Is an international firm the same as a global firm, or do these two terms mean something different?

 

[SLKEJRWOI97]

Is an international firm the same as a global firm, or do these two terms mean something different?

It's largely the same. The only time when there may be a difference in this type of language is when they refer to their partnership (in which case the text will allude to the partnership).

 

[Jessica Booker]

Is an international firm the same as a global firm, or do these two terms mean something different?

It’s the same thing - just a different synonym