Gap year before GDL?

Hi! I’ve just completed my second year studying History at Cambridge, predicted a 2.1, and I’m wanting to go into law. I don’t have any legal work experience but I am doing a couple of virtual internships this summer for experience. I don’t want to go straight into a GDL after university, mainly because I want to travel, volunteer a bit, get a bit of more law experience and earn some money to fund my GDL. I was wondering whether doing a gap before my GDL would be looked down upon by the top law firms? I’ve been told it’s looked upon as a waste of year, and that I’ll be at a disadvantage seeing as I’ll be 2 years older than people I’ll be applying against (a year for the conversion and then the gap year). A law conversation is expensive, and I do want a year to be absolutely sure this is the route I want to go down before committing to the process.

For context, I’m not wanting to apply for magic circle firms, but possibly silver circle. Also, I was planning to apply for vacation schemes during my gap year.

Hi,

My advice to you would be to take a year out if this is something that you want to do, and something which you feel you need to do financially. In terms of being older than people when you are applying, this really doesn't matter. People come to a career in law at different stages in their lives. Some applicants will do a 3 year law degree followed by the LPC straight away, but this is not the case for everyone. I applied for vacation schemes during my final year of a 5 year degree. I secured a training contract, and then spent 2 years studying the GDL and then the LPC... So I will be 25 by the time I start my training contract in September! I remember being at assessment days with applicants who were older than myself, who were changing to a career in law after having worked for years in a totally different profession.

In terms of being 'looked down upon', again this is not something to be worried about. In a way, I would view your year out as an opportunity to develop skills and experience, and ultimately add to your CV. You could be in a much better position when applying for training contracts following a year out, provided you use your time sensibly which seems to be your intention!

I would say it is preferable to take a year out whenever you can before starting full time work, especially if you intend to do some travelling for weeks or months, because this just will not be possible once you start full time work.

I hope this was helpful! Please let me know if you have any more questions

Jess
Student Ambassador at ULaw (Leeds campus)