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'Easiest' options for a career in law?

I've hear every day how hard it is to get a job in law (solicitor etc) and how only a hand full of people get training contracts let alone actual jobs at the end of it and its starting to scare me a little!

Except for good a-levels, degree class (and/or university), work experience, extra curriculum etc what else would set you apart?

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Reply 1
Many universities have good contacts with local law firms to help their Law graduates gain training contracts

However, if you are considering applying for the GDL from a non - Law degree, note that this IS extremely competitive to get a place on the GDL, as there are so many people applying for the GDL and only a limited number of places and limited number of institutions offering the GDL
(edited 8 years ago)
Oh get off.

It's easy to get a place on the GDL and law schools will be falling over themselves to get you in!! Where do you get the impression it's competitive to get on the GDL Zigglr?

GDL providers are businesses - they basically want as many students as they can run with = more money innit.


Original post by zigglr
Many universities have good contacts with local law firms to help their Law graduates gain training contracts

However, if you are considering applying for the GDL from a non - Law degree, note that this IS extremely competitive to get a place on the GDL, as there are so many people applying for the GDL and only a limited number of places and limited number of institutions offering the GDL
don't go into law - it's not interesting in the slightest
people who go into law at university usually do it without having the slightest clue about what kind of subject it is
Don't worry about it too much - different law firms look for different attributes and 'what sets you apart' is one thing; 'what makes you look like a good fit' is another.

If you are presentable, have common sense, can work hard, look like you might be possibly allowably allowed to be left alone with a client at some point in the future, are a team player, can spell, can write, have some sort of demonstratable interest in law, have a passion for elements of law, have tenacity and don't give up then I don't see why you can't get one.

Dont get too freaked by the numbers - the way to look at it is, get onto the short lists, then get to the Assessment centres, get the interviews and each time you do it, you will get better, each app you write, you will get better at it. once you are in that kind of space, you should be able to bag one if you are a decent candidate.

Start the app process as early as possible and basically, keep going, dont give up, learn from experience, tailor your apps to where you want to go, recognise it really is a two way process, apply for those who would want you, ask everyone for advice = training contract.

Fortune favours the brave.


Original post by Tolaaa
I've hear every day how hard it is to get a job in law (solicitor etc) and how only a hand full of people get training contracts let alone actual jobs at the end of it and its starting to scare me a little!

Except for good a-levels, degree class (and/or university), work experience, extra curriculum etc what else would set you apart?


Original post by Tolaaa
I've hear every day how hard it is to get a job in law (solicitor etc) and how only a hand full of people get training contracts let alone actual jobs at the end of it and its starting to scare me a little!

Except for good a-levels, degree class (and/or university), work experience, extra curriculum etc what else would set you apart?
Reply 5
Original post by happyinthehaze
Oh get off.

more money innit.


How is it businesses offering it, it is universities that offer it, and to get a GDL from a reputable insititution is extremely competitive to get on
http://www.sra.org.uk/students/courses/cpe-gdl-course-providers.page
And even if there are a few business providing GDL, they can't facilitate the thousands of people applying.. Therefore it's competitive to get on

Just go look at the GDL thread there are loads of people saying they didn't get in. It is probably more competitive to get in than getting in to undergrad Law
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 6
Original post by J-SP
They are not competitive at all. I've heard people securing places after the courses have started, sometimes up to 6 weeks after the official start date. That wouldn't happen if they were so difficult to get into.


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Of course they are there are thousands of people applying but only limited number of spaces if you apply for it at a decent Uni. I would assume the good ones would require a 1st in a reasonably difficult degree at a top Uni and very good A levels for the GDL
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by zippity.doodah
don't go into law - it's not interesting in the slightest
people who go into law at university usually do it without having the slightest clue about what kind of subject it is


A lot of people do enter into it at degree level and they didn't know what the degree would be like when it started, or more accurately they didn't appreciate what it would be like. In my first year seminar group of about twelve people, three people dropped out in the first year. I wouldn't say that because 3/12 found it too challenging or not sufficiently stimulating that it's true for everyone. Many people love the Law and its study.
(edited 8 years ago)
Sleep with the boss at the highest firm?? How has no one mentioned that already
Original post by zigglr
Of course they are there are thousands of people applying but only limited number of spaces if you apply for it at a decent Uni. I would assume the good ones would require a 1st in a reasonably difficult degree at a top Uni and very good A levels for the GDL


If you look at the list of providers, CPE/GDL providers are delivering professional training and none of them are particularly prestigious. BPP, Uni of Law, Kaplan. Getting a good grade in the GDL/CPE is more important than the provider.
Reply 10
Original post by callum_law
If you look at the list of providers, CPE/GDL providers are delivering professional training and none of them are particularly prestigious. BPP, Uni of Law, Kaplan. Getting a good grade in the GDL/CPE is more important than the provider.


Umm http://www.sra.org.uk/students/courses/cpe-gdl-course-providers.page

More prestigious provider = more difficult to get into = more likely to get a training contract
Original post by zigglr
Of course they are there are thousands of people applying but only limited number of spaces if you apply for it at a decent Uni. I would assume the good ones would require a 1st in a reasonably difficult degree at a top Uni and very good A levels for the GDL


I personally have never heard of getting on the GDL being difficult but i'll never know until I get to that hurdle I guess. I'm studying Philosophy at King's College with all A's in my a-levels so lets hope I don't muck up my degree classification!
Original post by zigglr
Umm http://www.sra.org.uk/students/courses/cpe-gdl-course-providers.page

More prestigious provider = more difficult to get into = more likely to get a training contract


"Umm"? That's your only response to my saying prestige doesn't come into it when you're looking at CPE/GDL providers? Saying "umm" and then continuing with the line of logic I just told you was false.
Reply 13
Original post by callum_law
"Umm"? That's your only response to my saying prestige doesn't come into it when you're looking at CPE/GDL providers? Saying "umm" and then continuing with the line of logic I just told you was false.


You are saying none of the GDL providers aren't more prestigious than others, yet I just showed you the list of universities, so some are more prestigious than others... Most prestigious on there are probably BPP and Uni of Law but they would be ridiculously competitive

I don't understand you
Original post by zigglr
You are saying none of the GDL providers aren't more prestigious than others, yet I just showed you the list of universities, so some are more prestigious than others... I don't understand you


Not true. The only prestigious uni in the list is Cardiff and the only people who study at Cardiff are the ones who are from Wales. The people who study at Northumbria are from the North East. The people who study at a BPP institute in London are from London. There is no prestige; no one is moving to Wales just to get into Cardiff.

If you are seriously looking to become a solicitor, I'd recommend at looking at the 'Our people' of any decent-sized firm. Especially look at their educational background. You have some who have a BA in Philosophy at Cambridge, an MA at Yale, and then go to Kaplan for their GDL. No one is considering your GDL provider, trust me.
Original post by zigglr
Many universities have good contacts with local law firms to help their Law graduates gain training contracts

However, if you are considering applying for the GDL from a non - Law degree, note that this IS extremely competitive to get a place on the GDL, as there are so many people applying for the GDL and only a limited number of places and limited number of institutions offering the GDL


Please stop spouting rubbish, some people will actually believe you.

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Reply 16
Original post by callum_law
Not true. The only prestigious uni in the list is Cardiff and the only people who study at Cardiff are the ones who are from Wales. The people who study at Northumbria are from the North East. The people who study at a BPP institute in London are from London. There is no prestige; no one is moving to Wales just to get into Cardiff.

If you are seriously looking to become a solicitor, I'd recommend at looking at the 'Our people' of any decent-sized firm. Especially look at their educational background. You have some who have a BA in Philosophy at Cambridge, an MA at Yale, and then go to Kaplan for their GDL. No one is considering your GDL provider, trust me.


Uni of Law and Cardiff probably would be most prestigious, and they would be competitive to get in, but probably offer the highest chance of getting a training contract
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by zigglr
BPP, Uni of Law and Cardiff probably would be most prestigious, and they would be extremely competitive to get in, but probably offer the highest chance of getting a training contract


Stop guessing, man. People are telling you what the facts are and you're arguing with them with stuff you've rationalised.
Reply 18
Original post by J-SP
There are no requirements like that at all - some might say rightly so. Unfortunately academic achievement has little to do with the selection process to get on the course, although some will state you need a 2.1 or above.

But you definitely don't need a first nor attended a "top" prestigious university, no matter which institution you go for. Prestige for the GDL (if there is such a thing) is limited to UoL and BPP and both sell their GDL courses with little to no consideration of the individual beyond who can pay the course fees.


Posted from TSR Mobile


Please read the forums you will see many people saying that they didn't get on the GDL. You have to apply for the GDL, and then they select the most competitive, do you really think they can take on thousands of people who apply in one year?
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 19
Original post by J-SP
Which forum would you recommend trying to find this information?

There were 3690 applications for the GDL last year. UoL alone has 2280 places for the GDL and has roughly a third of the market. That doesn't make it sound very competitive to me.


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Please link to these statistics?

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