Please assist a potential convert to the law!

Hello everyone,

As you correctly deduced from the title , i'm considering doing the CPE upon graduation from my first degree, but I have a few questions.

A bit of background information, I am currently in the second year of my Business Studies degree which I am reading for at Liverpool John Moores University. I attained a first class average for my year 1 in my degree and I am determined to graduate with first class honours. Unfortunately, I only achieved the following A level results: French - C, History - C and Stats (AS) - E. I got 11 A* and A grades at GCSE.

I would dearly love the opportunity to become a practicing solicitor and i'm fully aware of the process that this involves (CPE, LPC, Training contract etc) but I really need your help to tell me what my chances would be of achieving my goals considering my poor A level grades. I would be grateful of an honest appraisal of my chances. I let myself down in the second year of my A level studies, largely through a complacent attitude towards my studies and I possess the neccessary determination and drive to succeed.

I just don't want to chase an unreachable dream.

Thank you very much

Phil

the way i c it is that if u get 1st honours at degree level then your a-levels are irrelevent because you are clearly capable a degree level. Put it this way, the worst ou can do is apply and get rejected, even though i don't think this will happen will 1st degree. u only live once, so go for it and u might end up as a solicitor in a few years. good luck x

No, that's not how it works. The majority of firms I've dealt with will not care about your degree (even if it is 1st class) because of your A-Levels and degree university.

I may be wrong, but I don't fancy your chances simply because firms place so much emphasis on A-Level grades.

Sorry. I hope others here have better responses.

No youre talking crap. i go to APU (anglia poly) and am 1st yr LLB. the ave offer here is expected to be CDD for LLB law, and most people have DDE etc, and as apu is a poly, no bright people ever go here. yet there are so many, nearly half who go on the LPC and find jobs with solicitor firm locally.

i say come to APU and do CPE. don worry bout alevel res

Hello everyone,

As you correctly deduced from the title , i'm considering doing the CPE upon graduation from my first degree, but I have a few questions.

A bit of background information, I am currently in the second year of my Business Studies degree which I am reading for at Liverpool John Moores University. I attained a first class average for my year 1 in my degree and I am determined to graduate with first class honours. Unfortunately, I only achieved the following A level results: French - C, History - C and Stats (AS) - E. I got 11 A* and A grades at GCSE.

I would dearly love the opportunity to become a practicing solicitor and i'm fully aware of the process that this involves (CPE, LPC, Training contract etc) but I really need your help to tell me what my chances would be of achieving my goals considering my poor A level grades. I would be grateful of an honest appraisal of my chances. I let myself down in the second year of my A level studies, largely through a complacent attitude towards my studies and I possess the neccessary determination and drive to succeed.

I just don't want to chase an unreachable dream.

Thank you very much

Phil

CPE = £4,000 min
LPC = £6,500 min

Total = £10,500 sans living expenses. Even if you were to obtain a training contract with a local firm, they will not sponsor your CPE and LPC leaving you with a mountain of debt in addition to the regular student loans. If the original poster is happy with a high street firm, then he/ she has a good chance. I just wouldn't hold my breath for the biggest regional, national and City firms.

Also, say for example I decided to postpone my CPE studies until my late 20s or early 30s, in order to be on a sound financial footing, what are the prospects for a more mature applicant?

This is an excellent point, the issue of finances would have to be carefully considered before any decisions could be finalised. I don't have extensive knowledge of the various types of firm (except to say that I appreciate that City and Magic Circle firms would be way out my reach) so any information regarding the potential of employment, for somebody like myself within one of the smaller high street or local firms, would be greatly appreciated.

Do many people pass CPE and subsequently LPC, having graduated from an ex-poly, and still miss out on a training contract?

Also, say for example I decided to postpone my CPE studies until my late 20s or early 30s, in order to be on a sound financial footing, what are the prospects for a more mature applicant?

Cheers guys,

Phil

No youre talking crap. i go to APU (anglia poly) and am 1st yr LLB. the ave offer here is expected to be CDD for LLB law, and most people have DDE etc, and as apu is a poly, no bright people ever go here. yet there are so many, nearly half who go on the LPC and find jobs with solicitor firm locally.

i say come to APU and do CPE. don worry bout alevel res