how can i increase my chances at a magic circle firm?

i am currently a first year studying a non law degree (english lit and lang) at the university of manchester but am hoping to complete a law conversion after my degree. i have been accepted onto the bsn grassroots programme (linklaters) but am wondering what else i can do to strengthen my application with the best hopes of securing a training contract at a magic circle / us firm. are there anymore mentoring schemes like bsn grassroots / work experience schemes i should look out for and what extracurricular activities are highly sought after? for context i have aab at a level, attended a state school a am from a mixed black minority background (for any widening participation mentorship schemes). any help would be really appreciated as i am trying to get ahead and be proactive!!

Reply 1

sublime-baths

13

Look into Rare Recruitment and sign up for GROW mentoring.

Original post by ottilly

i am currently a first year studying a non law degree (english lit and lang) at the university of manchester but am hoping to complete a law conversion after my degree. i have been accepted onto the bsn grassroots programme (linklaters) but am wondering what else i can do to strengthen my application with the best hopes of securing a training contract at a magic circle / us firm. are there anymore mentoring schemes like bsn grassroots / work experience schemes i should look out for and what extracurricular activities are highly sought after? for context i have aab at a level, attended a state school a am from a mixed black minority background (for any widening participation mentorship schemes). any help would be really appreciated as i am trying to get ahead and be proactive!!

Hi @ottilly!

It looks like you are already doing the right things and are very much ahead of the game! I would say the best thing to do is get involved in as many opportunities as you can to broaden and deepen your CV. Their are lots of probono schemes such as the School Consent Project, National Centre for Domestic Violence, Advocate etc. (these are just some examples and I would recommend searching for other charities to fit your interests more). By getting involved with hands on work, you will be able to show experience and ability that other students may not have. I would also recommend contacting different firms (even if not Magic Circle) and looking for Vacation schemes or whether they offer any workshops or work experience that you can get.

Saying all this, it is important to remember that without top grades you will find it harder (although not impossible) to reach the firms you are interested in. Therefore, do not do so much extra curricular stuff that your studies begin to faulter as a result. At the end of the day, it is a balancing act of obtaining the best academics you can and then on top of that showing skills and experience that separate you from other top students.

I hope this has helped a bit and good luck :smile:

Sophie

Reply 3

Kb00

6

Original post by ottilly

i am currently a first year studying a non law degree (english lit and lang) at the university of manchester but am hoping to complete a law conversion after my degree. i have been accepted onto the bsn grassroots programme (linklaters) but am wondering what else i can do to strengthen my application with the best hopes of securing a training contract at a magic circle / us firm. are there anymore mentoring schemes like bsn grassroots / work experience schemes i should look out for and what extracurricular activities are highly sought after? for context i have aab at a level, attended a state school a am from a mixed black minority background (for any widening participation mentorship schemes). any help would be really appreciated as i am trying to get ahead and be proactive!!

Hi!

What you could do is to try to attend as many events possible with that specific law firm and get a better understanding of how it is to work there. You should ask about the culture of the firm, and find out more about the practice areas and deals that interest you. As a first-year, you could try to attend open days and insight days which are specifically held for aspiring solicitors to know more about the firm. What you will need to do is to craft a great law firm application so that you are accepted to an open day or insight day. From there you could build rapport with the law firm and help you when apply for a vacation scheme or training contract in the next year. I know that the Commercial Law Academy has a great course on writing successful law firm applications as well as law firm profiles.

Reply 4

mctec

4

Look into upreach if your eligible - they work with lots of magic circle firms and work with WP students

how can i increase my chances at a magic circle firm?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you