Frustrated and lost LLB graduate

Hi everyone. I am an international student and an LLB holder. I graduated with a high 2:2 last year, which I know it is not competitive enough to get a training contract, not to mention I need a visa to work here. The reason I got a 2:2 was that I failed two exams and one coursework in my second year, I was younger and I didn't pay enough attention to my studies, and then I got a 3rd for my second year. I worked very hard after that and achieved high 2:1 overall in the final year exams however it wasn't good enough to put my entire grade up.

I am currently doing an LPC + LLM programme at BPP but every day I feel really unmotivated, I think I am wasting my parents' money and what I am studying is pointless - with a 2:2 law degree I won't be able to pursue a career in law anyway, why am I even studying the LPC? While I look back to my LLB notes, the LLB modules seem so much easier and I feel so stupid because I have screwed up my undergrad degree just because I was being lazy.

I've considered taking the GDL after graduating from LLB but I thought it would be a waste of time and energy I took the LLM/LPC course instead because it seemed more reasonable and it felt like a form of progression (rather than repeating). But I realised the grade of my first degree seems to be more important and I can't stop thinking about this recently... should I redo the LLB or do a GDL after I graduate from LLM/LPC? I know I sound ridiculous but I am really lost in life...

Thank you so much for your time.

Reply 1

Trinculo

I honestly think you should give up on the idea of practising and try for something else. As they say in economics, don't throw good money after bad.

What are you realistically hoping to achieve? Your law degree isn't the best, and now you're spending a lot of time and money on an LPC which is basically going to qualify you to be a paralegal and work for some random firm on very low pay on the promise of training at some point in the future. What is the kind of money being advertised for entry level paralegals at the moment? £18,000? £20,000? If you're on nothing more than a promise - that's not clever.

Forget the LLM. It's worthless. Everyone knows it, it's not a real LLM, it's just UoL / BPP marketing nonsense.

Even if you do get offered training - be realistic about where it's likely to be, what you are likely to be paid - post qualification and during training - and ask yourself if it's worth it. Some very good people are struggling in this field at the moment. You don't have the best quals and don't look like a great candidate on paper. Is this really worth your time and effort for something that is by no means guaranteed?

Were I in your position, I would start looking at other things and applying for different jobs and taking anything I could get. You might as well finish the LPC since you've paid for it. If you can't find any other job, might as well take a paralegal job just so you have work experience, then actively look to do something else.

I have a mate who went to an excellent school, had excellent grades, went to a top university, got a 1st, and then like everyone else struggled to find training. In the end, it took family contacts pulling strings, and even then she worked like a dog for 3 years as a paralegal before being offered a TC - and then she had to pay her own LPC. She's NQ now - but not exactly loving life.

Reply 2

Notoriety

I doubt you'd do any better on a proper LLB/GDL or LLM. I think the only way you're going to succeed is by having lots and lots of experience, and you're probably going to end up in a shoddy practice area. It is possible, if you work at some shoddy small firm to work your way up and eventually get a TC offer. Your 2:2 is a huge hurdle for general grad work and you're going to have to do a lot of hard work to get experience which will rebut your poor academics. Might as well choose an industry where you have something of a head start.

A significant issue for you is that visa, which general paralegal work might not satisfy. Might be that if you return home with an LPC, they don't understand what a 2:2 means and you might have something of a successful professional life there.

Frustrated and lost LLB graduate

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