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American bachelor + French nationality, how hard to get a training contract?

Hi everyone,

I am French and I study in the US for 2 years now in Social Science. I still have 1 year (this Fall + Spring 2018) and a summer exchange in Chile to complete my degree. I will graduate in August 2018 (after 3 years in the US). I plan on doing a GDL and an LPC in England next. however, I do not want to start before september 2019, because I feel I need to prepare for my applications, paperworks, vacations schemes, interviews...

I have some catering work, office work in inssurance, and volunteering experience (Kenya and Peru). I'm fluent in French, English and I have a strong Spanish. I can also have strong recommendation letters (is uselful?) from a professor at the INSEAD who also teaches at Chicago University and a researcher/lawyer at FSU.

I have 3.7 GPA.

This is an overall idea of how my resume would look like. I am quite worried about how competitive as a candidate for a sponsorship and training contract would I be? Or how can I become competitive enough to be able to secure a training contract?

1) How the fact that I would have to do 2 years (GDL + LPC) instead of only 1 for law student would impact my chances?

2) What about the fact that I am French with an American degree and no English nationality?

I know for sure that law is what I want to study and I would love to be in a firm that deals with Europeen laws, International laws (I know it is a wide field). I also have some interests in Human, social,...rights.

Thank you in advance!
Reply 1
Avatar for montyr
montyr
18
Hi,

Most of the international/city firms in London recruit 2 years in advance, so applying when you need to do the GDL and LPC isn't a problem.

I'm not sure in terms of sponsorship, but if you're French then as we are still currently part of the EU you wouldn't need sponsorship, but obviously whether this remains the case depends on the outcome of brexit...

Your languages will certainly be attractive in an international law firm. In the meantime could you get some legal work experience?

Why law and why in the UK in particular would be the question I'd ask if I were a recruiter. You'd need to demonstrate a commitment to both law and remaining in the UK longer term...

In terms of your grades, 3.7 GPA is equivalent to a high 2.1, so that meets the minimum requirements. Did you do the equivalent of A-levels? Possibly the IB? Most TCs have requirements of ABB/AAB or higher...

Also if you do go the route of human rights law a lot of those firms won't fund the GDL.
(edited 6 years ago)

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