Hi all
As we all know, the legal industry is very competitive, with some law firms openly stating that they only accept applications from newly qualified solicitors who graduated with a first class honours degree, preferably from Oxbridge, or who have completed their training contract at a Magic Circle firm.
With that in mind, I'm at a loss how the below list of individuals (not exhaustive in any event) managed to get TCs and/or NQ jobs at top law firms:
- Candidate A: obtained a 2:1 law degree from Twickenham University (great, university, right?), with no prior legal experience (must be a significant bonus not having any prior legal experience), and is currently a trainee solicitor at Dechert LLP, a top firm.
- Candidate B: on course for obtaining a 2:1 law degree from London South Bank University (another great university), with no prior legal experience, and is a future trainee solicitor at Allen & Overy.
- Candidate C: obtained a 2:1 law degree from the University of Kent, and is now a trainee at Squire Patton Boggs. This candidate has no legal experience prior to joining SPB, and her father happens to be the Managing Partner of the firm's Brussels office. This candidate was the first ever paralegal in the London office to be offered a TC, what a coincidence.
- Candidate D: obtained a 2:2 law degree from Newcastle University, trained at a crappy regional high street firm, and is now co-head of Skadden's private equity group.
- Candidate E: obtained a 2:1 from the University of Manchester, obtained a TC offer from Mishcon de Reya with no prior legal experience (now an associate at the firm), and happens to be the daughter of the firm's COO.
- Candidate F: complained openly on Legal Cheek and Roll on Friday about a variety of law firms he worked at, yet somehow managed to secure a TC offer from Dentons (how did they fail to do their due diligence on him?).
- Candidate G: secured a TC offer from Gowling WLG with a low 2:2.
- Candidate H: an associate at Crowell & Moring with a pass on the LPC and a 2:2 from Northumbria University.
The reason I have listed the above examples is to illustrate that there is hypocrisy in the legal market. I find it upsetting that, having applied to some of the above firms for NQ positions, that their HR have stated, in some instances, that they have a preference for candidates who achieved a 1st class honours degree from Oxbridge. For example, Dechert requested these high academic requirements, yet go on to recruit someone from Twickenham University with no prior legal experience? Also, London South Bank University isn't a great university, and plenty of people who went to Russell group universities will have applied to A&O but got rejected.
To me, it seems like the above people have got connections within those firms. I mean, how did candidate D end up as a senior partner at Skadden with not only crap academics but also having trained at a crap firm? If you apply nowadays to Skadden with that background, you would get immediately rejected.