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Age you will start your TC.....

What age will you be when you start your TC?

Provided I receive my requested time slot (there is a February start date and a September start date each year), I will be 25 when I begin my TC with a Magic Circle firm in February 2018. I should therefore qualify in 2020 when I am 27. If I receive the later slot (which I hope will not be the case), I'll be 26 when starting my TC and 28 by the time I qualify.

I was a little late to the law firm applications 'gig' after graduating, hence my age. I believe that most trainees are roughly 21-23? Not that age matters a whit, I am merely curious :wink:
(edited 7 years ago)

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Reply 1
Original post by J-SP
Although a fair amount of trainees will be 22-23 by the time they start their TC (doubt many would be 21!), you'd be surprised how many come to it later. Add in those who take gap years (pre or post uni), those on four year courses, those who did LLMs or other postgrad courses, career changers etc, I suspect the average age is probably much closer to your age than it is 22-23.




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Hi J, thanks for the reply!

That's an interesting perspective i.e. those who've taken gap years, further study or career changers.

I did read that the average age of a qualifying solicitor in England was about 29, which struck me as relatively 'older' than I had anticipated. I'll be in the age range of 27-28, so perhaps your onto something there.

The reason I asked is because I noticed when I was down for my interview that the handful of trainees I encountered were (by and large) about 23, the age I am right now.
Reply 2
I'm a trainee up in Manchester (doubt the location makes any difference) and I'd say that the average age of people starting TCs is 24.
Reply 3
I would put the average age at about 23/24. Consider that 50% of recruits are non-law, and if you do the GDL + LPC, you'd be at least 22, probably 23 or above, before starting your TC.

I took a gap year before university, and will be taking one after university. I'll be 24, which still seems like a fairly young trainee.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 4
According to the records of the SRA....

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/Law-careers/Becoming-a-solicitor/Entry-trends/

"Admission to the roll [of solicitors]

Once the qualifying law degree, the Legal Practice Course and the training period have been completed successfully, application can be made to the roll of solicitors of England and Wales, which entitles the applicant to practise as a solicitor. 6,345 individuals were admitted to the roll in the year that ended 31 July 2014. 60.0 per cent of these were women. 1,335 solicitors admitted were from minority ethnic groups. 59.5 per cent of those admitted from minority ethnic groups were female. The average age of those entered onto the roll in 2013-14 was 30.2 years. The average age of males was slightly higher than that of females."

That's certainly later than I expected for an NQ. They must have been trainees at 28 then.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 5
Original post by Smurf67
According to the records of the SRA....

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/Law-careers/Becoming-a-solicitor/Entry-trends/

"Admission to the roll [of solicitors]

Once the qualifying law degree, the Legal Practice Course and the training period have been completed successfully, application can be made to the roll of solicitors of England and Wales, which entitles the applicant to practise as a solicitor. 6,345 individuals were admitted to the roll in the year that ended 31 July 2014. 60.0 per cent of these were women. 1,335 solicitors admitted were from minority ethnic groups. 59.5 per cent of those admitted from minority ethnic groups were female. The average age of those entered onto the roll in 2013-14 was 30.2 years. The average age of males was slightly higher than that of females."

That's certainly later than I expected for an NQ. They must have been trainees at 28 then.


It really depends on the kind of firm that you're looking at. The average age at high street firms will be higher than MC/SC firms, for various reasons.

The average age at the MC firms won't be 30, I'd have put it at 25/26.
Reply 6
Original post by mike1994
It really depends on the kind of firm that you're looking at. The average age at high street firms will be higher than MC/SC firms, for various reasons.

The average age at the MC firms won't be 30, I'd have put it at 25/26.


Agreed, I just thought it was an interesting stastic for the profession more widely.
Reply 7
Original post by Smurf67
What age will you be when you start your TC?

Provided I receive my requested time slot (there is a February start date and a September start date each year), I will be 25 when I begin my TC with a Magic Circle firm in February 2018. I should therefore qualify in 2020 when I am 27. If I receive the later slot (which I hope will not be the case), I'll be 26 when starting my TC and 28 by the time I qualify.

I was a little late to the law firm applications 'gig' after graduating, hence my age. I believe that most trainees are roughly 21-23? Not that age matters a whit, I am merely curious :wink:


If I get a TC this year for September 2018, I'll be a few weeks off 26 when I start and 28 when I qualify so same boat as you! (Even older if I have to have another year applying). Most current trainees I've met are around the 25 mark so I don't think being 26 will be "old" by any means
Reply 8
Original post by dinolove
If I get a TC this year for September 2018, I'll be a few weeks off 26 when I start and 28 when I qualify so same boat as you! (Even older if I have to have another year applying). Most current trainees I've met are around the 25 mark so I don't think being 26 will be "old" by any means


Yay!! A fellow mid-late-twentier future trainee (made-up language I know :smile:). Of course we'll still be young'uns and plus, I'm sure we'll have a 'leg-up' in terms of life/extra-curricular experience compared with those 'fresh-out of uni' folks :tongue:

I wish you the very best of luck with your applications. I'm sure you'll get a TC by the end of this round. Trust me, if I can get a TC from the MC - you'll be fine. If you would like any advice based on what I can recall from my own interview, please don't hesitate to drop me a PM. I'd be more than happy to assist, if I can.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 9
Starting my 2-year law degree at 27. No interest in corporate law, though
Reply 10
Original post by Assan
Starting my 2-year law degree at 27. No interest in corporate law, though


Good for you! In my course at uni, I knew many people in their thirties and forties +. Your still a baby by comparison. Its never too late.
I'm going to be 24 and feel young. One of my best friends is 39 and a first year trainee
Reply 12
Original post by trickyone
I'm going to be 24 and feel young. One of my best friends is 39 and a first year trainee


Just out of curiosity but is your friend at a 'city firm' or a regional one?
Reply 13
Same situation as you OP, starting my TC when I am 25/26 and will qualify at 27/28 depending on when whether I am allocated to the March/Sep intake. I always felt worried that I will be much older than my peers but this thread is easing up much of my worries :biggrin:
Reply 14
I'm in my early 30s and have just started applying for a TC. If I'm lucky, I'll qualify at 36. Tell me more stories about mid-30s /early 40s trainees :colondollar:
Original post by Assan
Starting my 2-year law degree at 27. No interest in corporate law, though


They say that now.
Reply 16
[QUOTE=Nameless Ghoul;64086079]They say that now.

I've never been them.
Provided all goes according to plan I'll be 24 by the time I start :smile:
Reply 18
i started my law degree (3 years) when i was 26 - so ill qualify at a 32 :s-smilie:

Original post by Assan
Starting my 2-year law degree at 27. No interest in corporate law, though
Reply 19
Original post by kaye88
i started my law degree (3 years) when i was 26 - so ill qualify at a 32 :s-smilie:


Where are you in the process now?

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