[roh]

(Original post by Valerie Tsekhanska)
Do u think my chances to be employed as a barrister and as a special advisor are equal? It seems to me as more of a problem.
MAths is not a problem since I m doing Russian, Maths, English Literature, History, Chemistry and Business studies as my A2s.
I will apply for European LAw with studies in the Netherlands if I chose Law, but the chances are SO LOW. 4 places gotta be a joke

No idea about political advisor to be honest, guess it would depend partly on making the right contacts in your party's Oxford group (OUCA and equivalents).

The Bar is very competitive, if not insurmountable, though the CVs can get ridiculous at the very top end. A great parody by a partner at a law firm on an online lawyers' forum (who may also post on here...) was this:

Chlamydia Smythe-Buttocks obtained a double first in Jurisprudence at Oxford while simultaneously reading for a J.D at Harvard where she graduated top of her class. While working as a special adviser to Barack Obama, she obtained a doctorate in International Relations from Cambridge. When her workload allows she tutors in advanced comparative law at the Sorbonne. Outside her professional and academic life, Chlamydia looks and laughs like a horse and takes it up the...

It could be worse, my friend does Law with Spanish which is just 2! I think you can apply for that and still get a place for just straight law, as the law place is decided by the college (Brasenose, ChCh, Corpus, Balliol etc.) whereas the European part is the faculty's decision. Check this out with Oxford though.

[GraceyMitchLambie]

does anyone know any chambers for barrister accept 2:2 for pupillage?

[Valerie Tsekhanska]

This October I'm applying for Law at Oxford. What would you recommend to read for the interview to stand out?

[Madigam]

Formal requirements to become a lawyer usually include a 4-year bachelor’s degree, 3 years of law school, and passing a written bar examination. However, some requirements vary by state.

[h-g-1]

(Original post by GraceyMitchLambie)
does anyone know any chambers for barrister accept 2:2 for pupillage?

http://www.legalcheek.com/2012/03/go...-got-a-chance/

With the amount of 2:1s and 1sts, I don't think you'll get a confirmed answer on here at least what chambers will accept 2:2s. From just a glance of that article, it suggests that chambers will "accept" in terms of hiring an individual but since the 1st stage will be looking at your academics, it'll be a hard fight to get past that.

[jiperis]

Hi all,

Got a few months before uni. Thinking of taking a part time course, pondering between the diploma in accounting by the ACCA fundamental qualification and a diploma in paralegal studies. Any advice? Thanks. Planning to study the LL.B degree.

[B-recipe]

i will probably study law.Thing is that i'm not english.how about career perspectives for non-uk citizens?also,if you're not from rich family,is it possible to get into law system?i mean to become a solicitor or a barrister?thanks

[zaliack]

(Original post by B-recipe)
i will probably study law.Thing is that i'm not english.how about career perspectives for non-uk citizens?also,if you're not from rich family,is it possible to get into law system?i mean to become a solicitor or a barrister?thanks

As long as you can speak & write in strong English, you'll be fine.

You don't need to be rich to become a solicitor (although it does help) since a lot of medium-large firms will pay for the LPC, however, the same can't be said for the BPTC to become a barrister. Only the highest of pupillage awards can be drawn down to cover the BPTC, so unless you've got £14k lying around, you would need either a) the Bar loan from HSBC, b) Scholarship from an Inn, c) Professional Development Loan (Government backed high street loan) d) A normal high street loan, or e) Combination of above.

[The-lawyer]

What are the chances of becoming a lawyer, in a London firm, having graduated with a 1st class degree from Birmingham City university? Thank you in advance.

[roh]

(Original post by The-lawyer)
What are the chances of becoming a lawyer, in a London firm, having graduated with a 1st class degree from Birmingham City university? Thank you in advance.

Define a London firm, really.

Given BCU's entrance requirements and knowing most larger firms require at least ABB or AAB at A Level probably not great.

[The-lawyer]

I haven't got A-levels, as I completed an access to HE course, to get into uni. Would I get in to a decent London Chamber?

[roh]

(Original post by The-lawyer)
I haven't got A-levels, as I completed an access to HE course, to get into uni. Would I get in to a decent London Chamber?

For firms you'd have to email, they would then judge whether your results were equivalent or not for them.

Chambers? Now we're into some seriously rareified air. If you wanted to to do commercial frankly it would be nigh on impossible.

This is the CV of someone at a good, but not the best either, commercial London chambers. http://www.serlecourt.co.uk/PDF.aspx...MemberTypeID=1

That's the competition in commercial and chancery.

For other areas it would depend upon extra curriculars and stuff, but I think it may be advisable if you did get a First to maybe prove you could compete with the best by doing postgrad at Oxbridge or somewhere.

Have you though about applying to more 'elite' universities?

This is a good summary of what the Bar classes as a 'good' uni by a practising QC. http://pupillageandhowtogetit.wordpr...od-university/

[The-lawyer]

I'm going to apply to go to Warwick, as it has a much better reputation that University of Birmingham. Do you think a L.L.M would make a difference?

[roh]

(Original post by The-lawyer)
I'm going to apply to go to Warwick, as it has a much better reputation that University of Birmingham. Do you think a L.L.M would make a difference?

Marginally, not sure it's much better, particularly for Law.

An LLM at Cam or Harvard (or Yale, Columbia etc. it's just easier to get a scholarship to Harvard) or the BCL at Oxford would. Not sure about elsewhere unless it's for the area you specifically wish to work in.

[The-lawyer]

What university did you study at? What are you doing with your degree?

[roh]

(Original post by The-lawyer)
What university did you study at? What are you doing with your degree?

Leicester. I'm becoming a (commercial) solicitor.

[The-lawyer]

But you told me I had no chance of entering the commercial sector. One of my lecturer's- who is a barrister, studied at Leicester and told me NOT to even think of apply for LLM there, due to not very good reputation.

[roh]

(Original post by The-lawyer)
But you told me I had no chance of entering the commercial sector. One of my lecturer's- who is a barrister, studied at Leicester and told me NOT to even think of apply for LLM there, due to not very good reputation.

I told you the commercial Bar was not really on from somewhere like Leicester. Commercial Law firms are a totally different level of competition, they are competitive but compared to the commercial Bar a complete breeze.

I think there are around 100 commercial pupillages across the whole Bar every year, by contrast there are some commercial law firms that offer more than 100 training contracts on their own!

No, I wouldn't even think of applying for an LLM here either. Postgrad is a lot less competitive than undergrad at most unis (generally it's 'show us the money') and is largely tailored to internationals, so you have to be looking at maybe the top 5 or 6 (ideally Oxbridge) to find some competition whom beating proves something.

In terms of its undergrad rep I do Law with French, which Leicester has a particularly strong reputation here, so it was a slightly different situation for me. (In terms of my UCAS I got rejected by Durham and offers from Warwick, Leicester, UEA and Hull. I don't know if I'd have turned down Warwick for straight LLB not my course.)

[B-recipe]

(Original post by zaliack)
As long as you can speak & write in strong English, you'll be fine.

You don't need to be rich to become a solicitor (although it does help) since a lot of medium-large firms will pay for the LPC, however, the same can't be said for the BPTC to become a barrister. Only the highest of pupillage awards can be drawn down to cover the BPTC, so unless you've got £14k lying around, you would need either a) the Bar loan from HSBC, b) Scholarship from an Inn, c) Professional Development Loan (Government backed high street loan) d) A normal high street loan, or e) Combination of above.

so i should be able to handle it? i will surely work part-time during my study,because i will not get any money from my parents.the point is that i will not have A levels,because i'm from another EU country.Will LLB be enough for it?Is it harder to get into Bar?I will not go to top universities,because of mentioned factor about A levels,so would it be ok for the Bar?

[AbsurdBanana]

As an aspiring 16 year old lawyer and a (big) fan of Niall Ferguson, I'm very grateful to the OP.