VC / TC applications with SQE completed

[deardreams]

Hi, I am a business undergraduate who is now completing the PGDL with ULaw. I have recently changed to the MA Law (SQE1) due to funding and so I am due to start the course for the SQE September 2025. I have been advised by my employability team that some firms do not take trainees if they have already completed the SQEs as they want all their trainees to have completed their SQEs at the same time (as well as due to their relationships and contracts with certain course providers).

I'm now worried that my opportunities to get a vacation scheme and training contract for next year are seriously hindered. Do you know if there are any firms specifically that follow this policy of not having completed the SQEs yet? I'm not totally sure about my future course of action if this happens to be the case for most large commercial law firms.

Thanks for your help and any advice is appreciated!

 

[Amma Usman]

Hi there. I have tagged @Jessica Booker here as I’m sure she’ll have more thoughts on how to approach this. Wishing you a lovely weekend.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi, I am a business undergraduate who is now completing the PGDL with ULaw. I have recently changed to the MA Law (SQE1) due to funding and so I am due to start the course for the SQE September 2025. I have been advised by my employability team that some firms do not take trainees if they have already completed the SQEs as they want all their trainees to have completed their SQEs at the same time (as well as due to their relationships and contracts with certain course providers).

I'm now worried that my opportunities to get a vacation scheme and training contract for next year are seriously hindered. Do you know if there are any firms specifically that follow this policy of not having completed the SQEs yet? I'm not totally sure about my future course of action if this happens to be the case for most large commercial law firms.

Thanks for your help and any advice is appreciated!

I don't think this is going to be the issue your employability team claim it to be. Many people self-fund the SQE and secure training contracts.

Yes, many larger firms have agreements with preferred suppliers, but this is really for a cost perspective where they get preferential rates - I haven't seen this stop them hiring people who have self-funded their GDL or SQE.

 

[CareerChanger24]

I can't think of a single logical reason why a firm would care about that so I'd question why you'd want to be somewhere that had those priorities. I've just finished the MA Law (SQE1). My firm has a different preferred provider, but I was already taking the course. They paid for my exam and I saved them money on the prep course.

 

[andrecsaa]

I can't think of a single logical reason why a firm would care about that so I'd question why you'd want to be somewhere that had those priorities. I've just finished the MA Law (SQE1). My firm has a different preferred provider, but I was already taking the course. They paid for my exam and I saved them money on the prep course.

Did you attend the MA Law program in person or online? Was your firm okay with you attending online (if that was the case)?

I heard that firms require future trainees to have a minimum level of in-person attendance during the SQE course.

If I self-fund my studies, I would choose Barbri online. However, most firms prefer/partner with UoL and BPP.

 

[CareerChanger24]

Did you attend the MA Law program in person or online? Was your firm okay with you attending online (if that was the case)?

I heard that firms require future trainees to have a minimum level of in-person attendance during the SQE course.

If I self-fund my studies, I would choose Barbri online. However, most firms prefer/partner with UoL and BPP.

I did it online. The firm's preferred provider is completely online, but others are doing in-person studies with alternative providers for e.g. LPC. The firm aren't bothered.

 

[andrecsaa]

I did it online. The firm's preferred provider is completely online, but others are doing in-person studies with alternative providers for e.g. LPC. The firm aren't bothered.

Thanks, that was really informative. I thought firms had pretty strict rules about future trainees attending in-person (especially for the PGDL), so it’s good to know there’s some flexibility.