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Law Applicants 2012

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Reply 3840
What's everyone doing over the summer, other than waiting for results? :smile:
Reply 3841
Mostly being turned down for any job imaginable.

That includes McDonalds u.u
Reply 3842
Working! Luckily I work in Events and this is the season for festivals etc! Should earn me a good chunk of money ready for uni.

I also have a pile of books relating to law to get through, I'd like to think I could have the basics memorised ready for the first term, I know they say that it's not necessary to have prior knowledge, but I'd like to have at least a base knowledge so that I don't feel overwhelmed to begin with.
Original post by sasha165
What's everyone doing over the summer, other than waiting for results? :smile:


Interning at a bank for 10 weeks, going to be so fun! (not) and will be going abroad for a while before I start + regular dreams of being in clearing on results day. Have you got anything planned?
Original post by tabshiftspace
In my experience you have hit the nail on the head with this comment. However, you are guaranteed not to have the same in-depth knowledge of the law; and additionally, you will not be able to study optional subjects that might lead to your particular legal niche (if you have one). I know two people so far who have dropped out of the GDL. Both went to top universities. Both found it too much. And of course, no one should be under the illusion that a GDL is anywhere near as thorough as an LLB. It's physically impossible to study 3 years worth in 9 months. However, another option, which a friend did, was a degree at a top uni, then a graduate LLB (or LLM QLD) which is two years and only covers the core subjects. This allows one the time to spend learning the subject in more depth. Just an alternative option for you.


I hope you do not mind me replying :smile:

However the current intake for for TC and Pupillage is 50/50 GDL and Law Graduates. This information was given by the lawyers themselves.

In fact I've met trainees and qualified solicitors who have come from GDL route. One told me that yes GDL is hard but no different from school years you have 30hrs of classes a week and exams at the end of each term.

However I do get your point of it not being in debt in one year but most people have gone on vac schemes or work experience, during their degree so if you actively get involved i.e. Law Society during uni you will automatically build up depth and understanding. My point is the fact you get extra training following the degree proves doing one does not make you ready to practice it is a foundation for the career.

I plan to do GDL and am encouraged that I will not drop out because it is what I want to do I will just apply the good old transferable skills from the History degree I intend to study. Lastly I've met current trainees which have study Philosophy, Psychology, History & English to name a few and are practising law as their profession obviously if you 100% on law go for it but it is not the guarantees route to a career in it. In fact a Law degree is seen as valuable degree for a lot of graduate schemes as it well respected by many employers.

I know this was long I just thought I would share my own experience and what I've been told.
Original post by hannah60000
I hope you do not mind me replying :smile:

However the current intake for for TC and Pupillage is 50/50 GDL and Law Graduates. This information was given by the lawyers themselves.

In fact I've met trainees and qualified solicitors who have come from GDL route. One told me that yes GDL is hard but no different from school years you have 30hrs of classes a week and exams at the end of each term.

However I do get your point of it not being in debt in one year but most people have gone on vac schemes or work experience, during their degree so if you actively get involved i.e. Law Society during uni you will automatically build up depth and understanding. My point is the fact you get extra training following the degree proves doing one does not make you ready to practice it is a foundation for the career.

I plan to do GDL and am encouraged that I will not drop out because it is what I want to do I will just apply the good old transferable skills from the History degree I intend to study. Lastly I've met current trainees which have study Philosophy, Psychology, History & English to name a few and are practising law as their profession obviously if you 100% on law go for it but it is not the guarantees route to a career in it. In fact a Law degree is seen as valuable degree for a lot of graduate schemes as it well respected by many employers.

I know this was long I just thought I would share my own experience and what I've been told.


That figure you quoted is only for a very small number of firms i.e the MC/SC firms, slightly less prestigious firms will probably have a higher intake of law graduates. IN MY OPINION, I do think some people have been slightly blinded by those figures, and now believe that a law degree is pointless or have some belief that they will just walk into a TC at a city firm as they plan to do a law conversion after university which I hear very often. The reason why you don't need a law degree is because half the stuff isn't relevant to the practise, If you're in a commercial firm, then I doubt you'd need much knowledge of criminal law in your day to day work.

Out of interest, if you're already set on being a lawyer, what made you not decide to do Law at undergrad..a GDL is just a pointless and needless addition, if you've always wanted to be a lawyer. I find it easier to understand someone doing sciences/languages/Economics with the aim of converting since these subjects provide skills which are not present within law and are highly sought after, but I'm sure History will share many of the dull traits present in a law degree such as masses of reading.
Original post by hannah60000

However the current intake for for TC and Pupillage is 50/50 GDL and Law Graduates. This information was given by the lawyers themselves.



I cannot find any stats for pupillages but for training contracts in 2008/9 (the last year where stats are available free of charge) 72.7% of solicitors admitted after a training contract had a law degree.

http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/secure/file/183555/e:/teamsite-deployed/documents/templatedata/Publications/Research%20Publications/Documents/asr2009report.pdf
Original post by Tsunami2011
That figure you quoted is only for a very small number of firms i.e the MC/SC firms, slightly less prestigious firms will probably have a higher intake of law graduates. IN MY OPINION, I do think some people have been slightly blinded by those figures, and now believe that a law degree is pointless or have some belief that they will just walk into a TC at a city firm as they plan to do a law conversion after university which I hear very often. The reason why you don't need a law degree is because half the stuff isn't relevant to the practise, If you're in a commercial firm, then I doubt you'd need much knowledge of criminal law in your day to day work.

Out of interest, if you're already set on being a lawyer, what made you not decide to do Law at undergrad..a GDL is just a pointless and needless addition, if you've always wanted to be a lawyer. I find it easier to understand someone doing sciences/languages/Economics with the aim of converting since these subjects provide skills which are not present within law and are highly sought after, but I'm sure History will share many of the dull traits present in a law degree such as masses of reading.



Really???

An Inner Temple Barrister told this (he himself original studied Philosophy then did conversion like 30 odd years ago and he is a Criminal Lawyer) to my pathways to law course I'm on also during my work experience at Eversheds (I know it is commercial firm - where I would like to end up personally as a solicitor if I purse my current goal) are they not prestigious :dontknow:

Oh I have other interest and really love History and what a boarder scope so their I'm going to pursue this to be honest my mind is made up on my degree, however just like with many law students during the course of your degree minds do change but I would like that flexibility not saying a Law degree doesn't just more enthusiastic about History (PS it can be long but I like it :tongue:), I also rather enjoy Chemistry but I'm not pursing further education in it.

I hope this answers you question :h:
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by nulli tertius
I cannot find any stats for pupillages but for training contracts in 2008/9 (the last year where stats are available free of charge) 72.7% of solicitors admitted after a training contract had a law degree.

http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/secure/file/183555/e:/teamsite-deployed/documents/templatedata/Publications/Research%20Publications/Documents/asr2009report.pdf


Well I went to the Inner Temple early this year, and the barrister himself said this and he had been there for 30yrs so I really do not know what to say to you sorry :redface:
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by hannah60000
Well I went to the Inner Temple early this year, and the barrister himself said this and he had been there for 30yrs so I really do not know what to say to you sorry :redface:


You don't have to apologise. You relied on the best information you had.
Original post by hannah60000
Really???

An Inner Temple Barrister told this (he himself original studied Philosophy then did conversion like 30 odd years ago and he is a Criminal Lawyer) to my pathways to law course I'm on also during my work experience at Eversheds (I know it is commercial firm - where I would like to end up personally as a solicitor if I purse my current goal) are they not prestigious :dontknow:

Oh I have other interest and really love History and what a boarder scope so their I'm going to pursue this to be honest my mind is made up on my degree, however just like with many law students during the course of your degree minds do change but I would like that flexibility not saying a Law degree doesn't just more enthusiastic about History (PS it can be long but I like it :tongue:), I also rather enjoy Chemistry but I'm not pursing further education in it.

I hope this answers you question :h:


I bet he studied Philosophy at Oxbridge:tongue: Those are both very prestigious firms/chambers, I'm also sure Eversheds is SC (?) I meant just mid-sized city firms where the cost of funding the GDL is taken into consideration.

Yeah, that answers my question :smile: I'm just glad that it's not because Law is too competitive which seems to often be the reason since most top law schools asking for A*AA-AAA.
Original post by Tsunami2011
I bet he studied Philosophy at Oxbridge:tongue: Those are both very prestigious firms/chambers, I'm also sure Eversheds is SC (?) I meant just mid-sized city firms where the cost of funding the GDL is taken into consideration.

Yeah, that answers my question :smile: I'm just glad that it's not because Law is too competitive which seems to often be the reason since most top law schools asking for A*AA-AAA.


Oh cool I do not think he went to Oxford but yeah it was a good university and Philosophy graduates quite employable for their skill I've heard.

Yeah competition is everywhere (especially with tuition fee at £9000), so I've learned you better start facing it head on than running away from it, I hope to get good AS grades this summer and will be applying for courses in History from A*AA-AAA and one or two slightly lower ones, but I do notice people want to do law because of the prospects of the career rather than actual interest in some cases, I have a genuine interest in the subject, but more of History at the moment for me :smile:
Original post by Tsunami2011
I bet he studied Philosophy at Oxbridge:tongue: Those are both very prestigious firms/chambers, I'm also sure Eversheds is SC (?) I meant just mid-sized city firms where the cost of funding the GDL is taken into consideration.

Yeah, that answers my question :smile: I'm just glad that it's not because Law is too competitive which seems to often be the reason since most top law schools asking for A*AA-AAA.


Good luck to both of you regardless of which route you are taking. I think my point was less about whether you get into law, but more about whether you have had sufficient longevity with regards to time, to entertain, absorb and retain the information rather than just being bombarded. Perhaps I'm wrong but is the GDL not a 9 month "cramming" session? In my experience the information is less likely to be retained when studied in such a way. Perhaps that's just me. Also I wanted to suggest the idea that if you choose to follow a specific path which is offered as an option, in my opinion it would be worth electing to study this to arm you with some additional info and give you an idea of whether the subject (not law but, for example, maritime law) is actually for you. These are not available on the GDL as far as I am aware - although perhaps commercial law is, being all the fashion these days.
Original post by Zedd
Mostly being turned down for any job imaginable.

That includes McDonalds u.u


Puts paid to that old joke about what do you say to a philosophy graduate!
Reply 3854
Original post by Norton1
Puts paid to that old joke about what do you say to a philosophy graduate!

As we speak I'm trying to hunt down a joke which appeared somewhere in Chinese news about a philosophy graduate that can't get normal work so he decides to dress up as a bear at a zoo for money. Then one day the zoo keepers put another bear into the cage with our philosophy graduate. Afraid for his own life he cowers when suddenly a voice comes from the other bear saying "Don't be afraid, I'm a philosophy graduate too".
Reply 3856
Original post by Tsunami2011
Interning at a bank for 10 weeks, going to be so fun! (not) and will be going abroad for a while before I start + regular dreams of being in clearing on results day. Have you got anything planned?


I've done the work experience, and don't know what to do now!! Interning at a bank actually sounds interesting, do you know what sort of work you'll be doing?
Oh yeah, clearing here i come!!! :biggrin:
Original post by sasha165
What's everyone doing over the summer, other than waiting for results? :smile:

Working on the graphics for my college yearbook and editing photos for someone (I really should be paid for this! :tongue:). Other than that, I'm trying to self-learn Latin.
Original post by Akiraryuu
I'm trying to self-learn Latin.


Haha, good luck. Worthwhile activity though, but really, good luck. You'll need it!

I'm working at the Olympics, Paralympics and carrying the Olympic torch.. :smile: and even better I don't have to wiat for results because I've been there and done that, as it were.
Original post by Zedd
As we speak I'm trying to hunt down a joke which appeared somewhere in Chinese news about a philosophy graduate that can't get normal work so he decides to dress up as a bear at a zoo for money. Then one day the zoo keepers put another bear into the cage with our philosophy graduate. Afraid for his own life he cowers when suddenly a voice comes from the other bear saying "Don't be afraid, I'm a philosophy graduate too".


Making philosophy grads dress as bears for our amusement seems to me something we should bring in in this country.

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