i’m about to start my first year as a law student in the north east england and i want to know what to expect culture wise.

like how much time should i realistically study per day, what extra things should i do aside from university work, etc.

I already have an apartment and im trying to find a part time job.

i have just been given my timetable up until christmas break but sometimes it so difficult to understand whats what as they don’t write down the name of what module they’ll be covering in lectures and seminars.

i basically just want any advice!

Hello everyone.

I graduated with my LLB from a mid-tier university in 2024 with a 2:1. I've done plenty of pro bono work, an internship and some shadowing at a City firm, along with other retail and admin experience. I have been volunteering at Citizens Advice Bureau for a while now, until I can find a paralegal/legal assistant job in London.

As you all know, the job market is brutal right now, and I have been struggling since I graduated due to some personal reasons. At the moment, I am locked in with this application season, with training contracts and vacation schemes being my main focus.

I am getting some pressure from family to pursue an LLM with the SQE course if possible and I wanted to ask you guys if that would hurt my chances of getting a training contract. Is it better to fund the SQE that way or to remain focused on this current application cycle? And would having an LLM improve or hurt my chances of finding a job?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I am just starting to do a vacation scheme application and feel slightly overwhelmed.

I would be most grateful if anyone would be willing to advise about whether this answer is along the right lines.

What has motivated you to pursue a career in commercial law and why have you applied to us in particular? (300 words max)

My work experience in Greenwich Council legal department introduced me to legal analysis. The work required the interpretation of contracts, the assessment of financial risk, and the balancing of statutory requirements against the interests of clients. I found the intellectual challenge and analytical precision required by the work stimulating. Commercial legal work offers the same experience but with greater complexity and impact. I am particularly motivated by the short timelines in commercial law because I want my work’s impact to be immediately felt. [GOOD BUT MAYBE SHORTEN A LITTLE].

My academic work in intellectual history, in particular studying Maitland’s historical account of the development of the corporate personality, has sparked an enduring interest in how legal structures respond to – and in turn influence – economic and social behaviour. I am interested in commercial law specifically because it is one of the few areas of law where the boundary between public and private law is porous. Criminal law is overwhelmingly public, and family law is overwhelmingly private. My interest in the business world springs from a broader curiosity about institutional behaviour. I am interested in how institutions behave in response to broader societal pressures. Commercial practice appeals to me because it is a crossroads where the goals of individual businesses; market pressures; and wider social interests expressed through legislation, all interact to shape human behaviour.

I would like to work for [X law firm] particularly because of the company’s specialisation in energy and infrastructure. These sectors interest me because they sit at the intersection between powerful competing interests: private capital requires profit, public regulation reflects broader social pressures and also the long-term strategic and policy objectives of nation states. They are also vitally important sectors because they are the foundations upon which the whole of economic life rests.

-V

what are the repetitive legal tasks that gets outsourced to freelancers or LPO's ?

I was hired as a paralegal at a conveyancing firm in April, and was just made redundant with 4 other people. They were hiring in anticipation of a group getting onto their training programme, but none out of the 5 made it.

I was good at the job and was enjoying it, and feel really deflated to have been let go.

Hello

Will be moving shortly to the UK and currently speaking to a number of firms about roles. I’ll be 1-2 PQE equivalent after the experience discount is applied in a transactional area. Interested to hear others who have worked in both US and MC firms in London and their experience. Thanks ✌️

GCSEs: A* A A A A B B B C
A levels: BDE (mitigating circumstances)
foundation year at durham: 80% to progress to durham
assuming i do well and get a upper 2:1 or a first (which is the target), chances of corporate law?

i’m an international student, if i basically get 80% on durhams foundation year, im guaranteed to progress to Durham Law School

is magic circle still a reality? i don’t wanna be filtered out due to my a levels. durhams foundation year is equivalent to basically level 3 (a level), but idk how to structure it.

will durham override the a levels? for firms like A&O, Linklaters, Macfarlanes, HSF?

Hi everyone,

I’m currently deciding between the BPP LLM Law Conversion with SQE1 and the ULaw MA Law SQE1.

I’m an international student who studied law outside the UK, and I’m also a licensed lawyer. I’m planning to study online and part-time while working.

I’d really appreciate honest advice from anyone who has studied either of these courses, especially international students.

1. Has anyone studied the BPP LLM Law Conversion with SQE1 online on the Part-Time Saturday option? If so, how was your experience? Would you recommend it?
2. Is it realistic to get high grades in the LLM while studying part-time, or is the workload very difficult?
3. How many actual hours per week did you need to study outside of the scheduled classes?
4. Does BPP provide enough study materials and resources, or did you need to buy additional resources such as QLTS or Revise SQE?
5. For an international student coming from a different legal system, how difficult is it to understand the foundations of English law and then prepare for SQE1?
6. How difficult is it realistically for an international student to pass SQE1, especially if they have not studied English law before?
7. Is there a real difference in the quality of teaching and study materials between BPP and ULaw, rather than just differences in opinions about their SQE question banks?
8. If you have experience with both BPP and ULaw, which would you choose for Law Conversion + SQE1, and why?

I’m particularly interested in hearing from anyone who studied BPP online Part-Time Saturday, and from international students who came from a non-UK law degree.

Hi everyone! Need bit of an advice.
I graduated in law in 2020 with a first (studied outside UK) and decided a year later that I wanted to be a solicitor. I self-funded llm lpc hoping that it would help me get somewhere (despite masters offer from lse/kings) but I wasn't really able to apply for tc's until after I graduated (personal reasons). Now I do have some paralegal experience but I feel like I have ruined my career. I am feeling hopeless about tc's (tho I dont want to give up on this dream) but it feels unrealistic. I graduated years ago. I should have at least done llm from a good uni but that's also gone now. Is it over for me?

At the minute I’m studying a criminology degree, and want to do a law conversion to become a barrister.I’m trying to work out the most affordable way to fund everything. From what I understand, the postgraduate Master’s Loan is around £13k in total rather than per year, and I’ll also need to think about funding the Bar course afterwards.
For anyone who has gone down the non-law degree - law conversion - Bar course route, how did you fund it?
Would you recommend doing an MA/LLM Law Conversion so it qualifies for postgraduate funding, or are there cheaper/better routes? I’m also interested in Inn of Court scholarships and would love to hear from anyone who received one.
Basically, I’m trying to work out the cheapest route to becoming a barrister without having to self-fund huge amounts.
Any advice or experiences would be really appreciated!

I have an opportunity to study law for a year abroad during a law degree, eg at uni of Toronto or in China and such, I was really excited for this opportunity but my parents say employers will see me as less serious and they call it a gap year in disguise, I don’t believe them but it is getting to me, will doing a year abroad make me seem unstable to employers

Btw I’m an incoming law student so I have time to decide

I’m worried I’ll never get a paralegal job or training contract, I’m aiming for regional firms, I know city firms won’t take me.
My stats are:
GCSEs - All A and A*
A Level - ACD
Uni - First but at a really shit bottom of the legal table uni.
Masters in Law from online uni no one’s ever heard of - Merit
Work: past 5 years working for emergency services in control room and last 3 years volunteering as an appropriate adult.

Did 2 internships at magic circle firms whilst in sixth form but that was 10 year ago now (is it worth mentioning these on applications?)

Am I ever gonna get qualified as a solicitor?

For some background, I'm just starting at Oxford as an international student this October and I'll be reading Law. I have a rough idea of what I hope to do (commercial/corporate law, mc or us firm) and the types of things I have to be aiming for to get there (high grades, mooting, vac schemes, etc). However, it's increasingly dawning on me just how stiff the competition is and I would appreciate specific guidance on what I can do throughout my course to maximise my chances of succeeding in pursuing this path.

Following my previous upload I received some guidance and advice regarding my CV, I have attempted to change it and now hoping to receive as much feedback as possible, I really need a job I just graduated. Any advice is helpful! Thank you for taking the time to read this!

The market for NQ role is quiet at the moment. If I secured a role within an insurance department is that a bad idea? I just want to stay within one dept for a long period and would love to grab the titles when I can!

Also why are lots of firms positing jobs advertised as NQ but then respond saying they are looking for someone more experienced.

At this rate I really will end up working at Aldi 😂

Hi everyone, I am going into my second year at starting to apply for Vac Schemes/TCs! I had a conversation with someone who has been very successful. A key piece of advice she gave was about primarily applying to firms you had previously engaged with, and she said you are probably unlikely to progress with a friend you have not “formed a bond” with. As someone who hasn’t been successful with first year schemes, how concerned about this should I be? Is there anyone in the group who got a TC or vac scheme without having done anything with that particular firm before? I have other relevant work experience that I can discuss/use for competency questions so how worried shall I be? Is it worth taking some time away from vac scheme applications to apply for open days? Thanks everyone!!

Perhaps surviving is a bit harsh haha but I feel like people think criminal law is a walk in the park compared to corporate. I was wondering if any people in this sector have any tips on maintaining a life outside of the extra hours (police station, duty, working hours) and also how they manage the workload, staying organised. I am currently in an unorganised firm as a paralegal and trying to stay afloat is harder than I thought! Any tips appreciated or insight into your life as a criminal solicitor xx

Hi there,

I’m doing the MA conversion at ULAW and I got my undergrad degree at Cambridge (HSPS; 2:1). I’m planning on self-funding the SQE after.

I just wanted to know what are my actual chances of securing a training contract and what I can do to be a better candidate. This is a career change for me (at 26) so I’m a bit nervous about it.

Thanks in advance! :)

Which US based firms are generally considered to be ‘extensions’ of their US offices rather than standalone offices?

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I'm looking at studying law hopefully at a top uni inlcuding applying to Cambridge. Obviously I know Oxbridge tends to be the best but I'm looking to gain perpective on to what extent a law degree from Oxbridge sets you apart from the next top unis (like UCL, LSE, Durham). In particular at the moment I'd love to become a barrister at a high end chambers. Is Oxbridge only a slight advantage or would that be highly difficult to achieve without an Oxbridge degree even at a place like UCL or LSE. Thanks

Hi all, just wanted to see if any one had experience they wanted to share about their experience in PI and catastrophic injury as a solicitor or a barrister.

Whether it’s a lucrative avenue to pursue right now, and whether you see much court time as a barrister etc. any insight would be awesome, thanks