Alternatives for when a TC isn’t secured.

you will need a TC because no one at a City firm will be willing to take a paralegal as an Associate
i think that firms recruit from their own pool first but that may be someting that varies by firm idk
paralegalling is still a good shout because it helps get a TC. it gives tonnes of relevant skills, knowledge, can even help with references & networking

Thanks!

But what if I work as a paralegal and in the meantime keep applying to TC’s, let’s say I secure a TC A year into being a paralegal, im technically a solicitor a year into my TC then right?

Since it adds up to two years. I’m just worried it’s all going to be a struggle and a mess when the sqe comes along.

technically yes
realistically no one is going to treat you as such. it's ultimately about perception & what the firm thinks. the regulation just sets the minimum. you will probably have to do trainee-equivalent tasks for longer than that. it sucks. i was a paralegal too.

Thank you!

Sorry for all the questions by the way!

Presuming I don’t secure a TC at a city firm by the time I graduate in 2022, and instead work at a local high street firm as a paralegal, does this mean I’d be stuck with this job for years as the earliest TC contracts won’t be starting till 2025 by then 😢

So I guess I’d suck it up and be a paralegal and gain experience that way, right? Following the SQE I’d already be a solicitor in their eyes as I’ve had over two years experience by that time.

Do you reckon city firms will still have me go through a TC anyway? Or will I not be eligible for those anymore.

I’m just stressed out about having to have a TC by the time I graduate, and if I don’t it feels like the entire plan changes 😢

you don't have to work as a paralegal in a high street firm? lots of big city firms hire them. though the market's getting intense

the answer is basically yes - if you can't get a Tc in time, you need to find an atlernative. paralegalling is an alternative. there are other ones out there. they don't have to be law-related.

yes, you will have to go through a TC. city firms are still sticking with the two year training programme (or at least the firms i know of/had spoken to as of last cycle). it may not be called a tc but frankly who cares. the structure will largely be the same.

you're right. i was in a similar position to you. had to find a temp job to fill in the months after graduation because i had no offer towards the end of my final year. self-funding the LPC is one option because it seems to opens up more job opportunities, especially in this climate. paralegal vacancy i saw on linkedin at linklaters the other day disappeared within few hours after they got like 500 applications for it! pretty crazy

(sorry for the typos, been a long day aha)

Oh my bad! I must’ve misunderstood what you said earlier about city firms not hiring their paralegals as associates, I guess they will hire their paralegals as associates after a TC is completed.

thanks for giving me some more insight on what city firms are planning to do, I suppose they don’t value the new SQE qualification route as much and are sticking with the old structure.

self funding the LPC is off the table for me, so I suppose I’ll be trying my hardest to secure a TC before graduation, and if not, try find paralegal work at a city firm that may then offer me a TC down the road.

thanks again for all your insight, I appreciate a huge amount. Do you mind if I Pm you from time to time if there’s anything related on my mind? You seem like you’ve been through it and are quite knowledgeable.

Hello, I’m currently about to start my second year at uni studying law. I’ve had a 2:2 in my first year so I don’t think I’ll have an easy time securing a VC (currently trying), and I’ll be applying for TC’s at the end of my second year (hopefully getting a 2:1 or higher)

My question is: What if I don’t secure a TC either and I graduate without a TC in 2022.

Should I find a job as a paralegal in a city firm, and in the mean time keep applying for TC’s?

Two years of paralegal work qualifies you as a solicitor alongside the SQE exams, right? So I won’t even need a TC in that case.

can I then still apply to city firms as a fresh qualified solicitor or will they only largely accept trainee solicitors from their own firm?

Pretty much: If I don’t secure a TC between now and after graduation, will taking the SQE + paralegal route still be good for trying to find a job in a city firm.

Dont think about it. Give up all your time and get a 2:1 or try 100% to do so.

There will be plenty of candidates with 2:1 and SQE who still cnat get a TC or the experience needed to qualify. Take heed now whilst you can do soemthing about it. Having a 2:1 is 50 times better than having less, even without a TC.

You suggest my entire focus should be on getting a 2:1 at the end of my degree and even then I may get nothing stable at the end of it? 😭