- Sep 7, 2024
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DLA Piper London Vac scheme offer!
Thanks so much to the entire TCLA team for your help, really appreciate everyone’s support![]()

DLA Piper London Vac scheme offer!
Thanks so much to the entire TCLA team for your help, really appreciate everyone’s support![]()
Solicitor apprentices, whether degree or graduate level, won’t have to pay back their fees. Employers cannot reclaim costs back from apprentices.I think this whole fiasco actually will create a much larger problem of killing off social mobility.
If someone can’t or won’t self-fund, having funding vs having funding IF you pass is one hell of a distinction especially if it could lead to serious financial problems.
Furthermore, getting a TC means having to study at BPP and live in London, both of which will add a lot of costs, especially as I have been told that the largest firms ban part time working while studying the SQE and even one of the smaller internationals (80k or so NQ) have told me that they would require approval.
I do wonder how it will work for the grad sol apprentices
I think this whole fiasco actually will create a much larger problem of killing off social mobility.
If someone can’t or won’t self-fund, having funding vs having funding IF you pass is one hell of a distinction especially if it could lead to serious financial problems.
Furthermore, getting a TC means having to study at BPP and live in London, both of which will add a lot of costs, especially as I have been told that the largest firms ban part time working while studying the SQE and even one of the smaller internationals (80k or so NQ) have told me that they would require approval.
I do wonder how it will work for the grad sol apprentices
was the second stage the video interview and questions or an ACHey did anyone apply to the summer legal internship for bbc and heard anything back after the second stage?
Interesting, I wonder if that puts off law firms from moving to GSAs or if the 95% is sorted regardlessSolicitor apprentices, whether degree or graduate level, won’t have to pay back their fees. Employers cannot reclaim costs back from apprentices.
I would say that the amount of time the firm has taken to respond to applicants despite having already organized ACs would be surprising if they did not have some type of waitlist or some further round of ACs - perhaps @Chris Brown or other forum members that have done PW ACs have more information on that. Thus, I would not necessarily infer you have already been rejected. Regardless, I do not think emailing them could have any negative impact on your progression chances. As such, if this is something that would give you more peace of mind, perhaps it is worth doing.Is it even worth emailing PW at this point, when you haven’t heard back yet post- app? (Summer)
The pass odds may be higher but it is not something that can be guaranteed, so it creates a risk.It’s pretty ironic considering the SQE was supposedly introduced to broaden access into the legal profession, yet it seems to be having the opposite effect lmao. I think the exam fees have gone up again recently as well! 🥲
Why would a firm need to approve a future trainee working whilst studying the SQE? How exactly do they expect (socially mobile) future trainees to afford the cost of living in London with a grant that is less than £20,000? 🥲
To be fair, I read somewhere that future trainees studying the SQE with their cohort(s) together in London have a higher chance of passing first time than people self-funding and studying the SQE independently. 🫤
I think in general firms give at least a one week notice prior to a scheduled interview. Unless you have other significant commitments, that should be more than enough time to ensure you are well-prepared. In my opinion, intense preparation for more than 4-5 days can actually have diminishing returns. As such, unless you have information to the effect that PH sometimes makes interview invites only a few days in advance, I believe investing lots of time in interview preparation may be premature. However, you could try to keep up with the news and generally work on your commercial awareness more in the coming days/weeks - that is a skill you can best improve a more extended period, as it can take quite a bit of time. This should also reduce your workload if you end up invited to interview with a shorter notice.Guys this might sound like a daft qs but should I be preparing for a potential PH interview even tho I have heard nothing from them since my initial app?
I don’t really know how long you have between the interview invite and the interview itself. I also don’t want to tire myself out by preparing in advance if I don’t have an interview to begin with 😭
Is it even worth emailing PW at this point, when you haven’t heard back yet post- app? (Summer)
Please can I remind people to keep things civil and avoid speculation, especially in conversations regarding a named individual.
Just as we wouldn’t expect judgement and negative comments within our community, it is not appropriate to direct the same behaviours to someone just because they are in the legal press.
What does the answer say?Quick WG Assumption Q:
For humankind to survive, it must colonise other planets.
Assumption - There will be a time when the Earth can no longer sustain human life.
Am I right in saying that an assumption has been made here?
The only thing I can think of against this is that Earth may very well sustain human life, but not be sufficient. Then again, that would mean that it technically cannot sustain human life, and therefore, the assumption is made.
Also, if I were to invert this: There will be a time when the Earth can sustain human life, then the proposed statement becomes redundant, which should logically indicate that there is an assumption, no?
3.30 am yk, I hate these damn tests.
I don't think this is the issue as effectively the GSAs are funded from the apprenticeship levy (which is why it cannot be paid back). The levy is effectively a tax on employers as they can only spend it on apprenticeship training, otherwise it goes to waste (well just goes to the government if not used).Interesting, I wonder if that puts off law firms from moving to GSAs or if the 95% is sorted regardless