TCLA General Discussion Thread 2022-23

[Aga123+]

I am copying in @Jaysen who will be able to advise on this.

Thank you

 

[Jaysen]

I'm about to renew my TCLA membership but I just wanted to find out whether the application review covers CV reviews. If not, what options are there if I would like my work experience reviewed? -

Hey there! We don’t review CVs right now, but we absolutely review the work experience section (this would just count as a normal application review)

 

[Aga123+]

Hey there! We don’t review CVs right now, but we absolutely review the work experience section (this would just count as a normal application review)

Thanks for letting me know

 

[rayemuse]

Hi, I have a gap year between now and my SQE and I was wondering if TCLA is still hiring? I noticed there are a few positions open but since it’s been posted over a month ago I am unsure if it is still going on. If it is I would love to apply, thanks!

 

[laurabeaumont]

Hi, I have a gap year between now and my SQE and I was wondering if TCLA is still hiring? I noticed there are a few positions open but since it’s been posted over a month ago I am unsure if it is still going on. If it is I would love to apply, thanks!

@Jaysen I defer to your knowledge in regards to TCLA hires

 

[Pallatablelawyer]

Has anyone with a TC offer which needed commendations in each module ever had their tc revoked because maybe they just passed up to 3 modules and got distinctions plus commendations and probably averaging 68 overall. There were mitig circumstances in my case which my firm is aware of but just wanted to know.

 

[Jake Rickman]

Has anyone with a TC offer which needed commendations in each module ever had their tc revoked because maybe they just passed up to 3 modules and got distinctions plus commendations and probably averaging 68 overall. There were mitig circumstances in my case which my firm is aware of but just wanted to know.

I know of this happening on a couple of occasions and the TC was definitely not revoked. I believe the firms assess this on a case by case basis.

 

[Pallatablelawyer]

I know of this happening on a couple of occasions and the TC was definitely not revoked. I believe the firms assess this on a case by case basis.

Thank you ! Do you think it’s worth asking for remark? Was only off by 3 or two marks. The other one was a pass in wills.

 

[Jake Rickman]

Thank you ! Do you think it’s worth asking for remark? Was only off by 3 or two marks. The other one was a pass in wills.

I am not sure what right you have request a remark but it is always worth trying. I will say that in my experience, both BPP and ULaw are quite intransigent about reevaluating academic marks and academic appeals. But it won't hurt to try!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Has anyone with a TC offer which needed commendations in each module ever had their tc revoked because maybe they just passed up to 3 modules and got distinctions plus commendations and probably averaging 68 overall. There were mitig circumstances in my case which my firm is aware of but just wanted to know.

Given there were mitigating circumstances, I suspect that even a firm that is strict on this would look at this different, especially if you did well in other modules not impacted by the circumstances.

I’d speak to your firm ASAP about this though.

 

[Pallatablelawyer]

🙏 Thank You!! @Jessica Booker

 

[Jaysen]

@Jaysen I defer to your knowledge in regards to TCLA hires

Hi, I have a gap year between now and my SQE and I was wondering if TCLA is still hiring? I noticed there are a few positions open but since it’s been posted over a month ago I am unsure if it is still going on. If it is I would love to apply, thanks!

Yes we are! We are recruiting for these roles on an ongoing basis

 

[NJS]

Got a fairly niche quesitons, but does anyone know of firms that work heavily within environmental law, say like shippping or energy?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Got a fairly niche quesitons, but does anyone know of firms that work heavily within environmental law, say like shippping or energy?

The Legal 500 or Chambers will be good sources for this depending on the location you are looking at.

 

[Jake Rickman]

Got a fairly niche quesitons, but does anyone know of firms that work heavily within environmental law, say like shippping or energy?

On the shipping side: HFW and Stephenson Harwood, as well as Reed Smith due to the legacy of Warner Cranston, which Reed Smith acquired in 2001. Clyde & Co is a legacy shipping/maritime firm but has moved more towards pure insurance work (there is a lot of overlap with shipping and insurance). Ince was also a big maritime firm traditionally, but it has had severe financial troubles and was recently acquired by a private company after going into insolvency, in a move that has many in the legal profession raising their eyebrows.

Watson Farley Williams is another firm with a history of maritime and shipping. Chambers has a list of the top shipping firms in the UK (and globally as well). You will see it is a pretty niche sector where many of the biggest players are comparatively small in terms of revenue (Reed Smith is the exception). Though on down towards the Bands 3-4 range, some heavy hitters like Norton Rose Fulbright emerge.

Many of the shipping firms do energy work as well (I know HFW does). Energy is a massive sector though. It might be helpful to distinguish between those that were traditionally advising oil & gas companies — Texas firms Vinson Elkins and Akin Gump as well as NY-HQ'd Weil Gotshal & Manages — and those that market themselves as renewables focused (Gowling WLG, Osborne Clarke, and CMS comes to mind). Though in practice any law firm that markets itself as an oil & gas specialist will also do renewables and vice versa.

Though having looked at Chambers UK, perhaps unsurprisingly, the three Band 1 firms for Energy & Natural Resources are Clifford Chance, Linklaters, and Allen & Overy. For renewables, it's Linklaters and Allen & Overy again along with Norton Rose Fulbright.

 

[WN20]

Hello, slightly unrelated but I’ve recently secured an Assistant Paralegal position at a law firm. However, I recently realised that the firm has a Paralegal position within the same team/practice– the requirements for this position and application process are exactly the same. Do you think it would be appropriate to ask to be considered for the Paralegal position despite having gone through the process for a different role. If so, how should I go about it without sounding ungrateful for the offer that I’ve received. Just want to check if there’s any wiggle room whatsoever

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello, slightly unrelated but I’ve recently secured an Assistant Paralegal position at a law firm. However, I recently realised that the firm has a Paralegal position within the same team/practice– the requirements for this position and application process are exactly the same. Do you think it would be appropriate to ask to be considered for the Paralegal position despite having gone through the process for a different role. If so, how should I go about it without sounding ungrateful for the offer that I’ve received. Just want to check if there’s any wiggle room whatsoever

You can ask, but you might find out that 1) they are ultimately the same position anyway or 2) there are slightly different requirements, such as more experience needed, for the paralegal role over the assistant paralegal role.

Give the recruiter a call and ask them to explain if there is a difference between the roles first or how the two roles may fit together, and then work out from there whether its worthwhile asking about whether you can be considered for the newest opportunity.

 

[WN20]

You can ask, but you might find out that 1) they are ultimately the same position anyway or 2) there are slightly different requirements, such as more experience needed, for the paralegal role over the assistant paralegal role.

Give the recruiter a call and ask them to explain if there is a difference between the roles first or how the two roles may fit together, and then work out from there whether its worthwhile asking about whether you can be considered for the newest opportunity.

This is great advice, thanks so much!

 

[OliverInce]

@Jessica Booker Hi,
So I have recently completed my law degree at the University of East Anglia, but I have not managed to obtain a training contract. I achieved a 2:1 in my degree, however my A levels are slightly under par at ACC (I did not actually sit them because of COVID). I have currently accepted an offer to study the SQE at the University of Law in September 2023 with a masters alongside it (LLM Legal Practice SQE1&2 course). Despite this, I am having second thoughts as to whether I should change to the LPC as this is a more tried and tested route and I have heard the SQE is very hard. This would obviously be a risk as I do not have a TC secured.

I was wondering if you had any advice for my situation as to whether I should continue on the SQE course or switch to the LPC for September?

Thank you

Also anyone else is free to reply, I just wanted to tag Jessica as she has been very helpful to others on this forum.

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker Hi,
So I have recently completed my law degree at the University of East Anglia, but I have not managed to obtain a training contract. I achieved a 2:1 in my degree, however my A levels are slightly under par at ACC (I did not actually sit them because of COVID). I have currently accepted an offer to study the SQE at the University of Law in September 2023 with a masters alongside it (LLM Legal Practice SQE1&2 course). Despite this, I am having second thoughts as to whether I should change to the LPC as this is a more tried and tested route and I have heard the SQE is very hard. This would obviously be a risk as I do not have a TC secured.

I was wondering if you had any advice for my situation as to whether I should continue on the SQE course or switch to the LPC for September?

Thank you

Also anyone else is free to reply, I just wanted to tag Jessica as she has been very helpful to others on this forum.

I think you have to be confident that you’ll secure a 2024 training contract to invest in the LPC now, or that you know you’ll work for a small firm/organisation that won’t have an intake of trainees.

Many firms will have moved to the SQE by 2025 and going into this recruitment cycle (mainly for 2026 roles), then it’s pretty much guaranteed to be a SQE intake by then, as the majority of law undergraduates who graduate after 2024 will have to do the SQE.

If you are wanting to join a firm with a larger trainee intake for 2025 or 2026 having done the LPC, you could find that you have to do SQE2 anyway