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Law graduate courses that dont require RG unis?

Hi, as stated above I'm looking for advice on graduate courses in law that don't require me to have attended a RG university. I'm currently predicted AAB at A-level but all RG unis require AAA minimum. I know I'm not far off, but given the competitiveness of RG law courses I'm not going to get in. My top choice right now is Kent, which is a good uni to be fair, but I have been told its near impossible to get onto a graduate course or TC if you didn't go to a RG uni. Look, I'm not trying to get into a magic circle firm here but I do want to be a solicitor- which means sitting the SQE so I HAVE to get onto a TC. Ideally I also want to study in London (post uni ofc.) Any and all advice on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

Reply 1

University of Kent

Official Rep

Original post by emily.02

Hi there

It is good to hear that you are already considering your University and future career options. As you stated, Law is a competitive course whether this is the University entry requirements or the positions for TCs. I am a final year law student at Kent, hopefully I can give you some insights into studying here. :smile:

Whilst it is difficult to secure TCs and graduation schemes after university, it is not “impossible”. Given the recent introduction of the SQE qualifying pathway to enter law, you do not need a TC to become a solicitor. Whilst the reputation of a University may be important, employers will often look at many other aspects of your application, for example: work experiences, achievements, extra-curricular activities etc. There have been students from Kent that have gotten into silver and magic circle firms, so although it is difficult, it is possible. For other firms, there will be many opportunities available for graduates, and if you polish up your CV and application forms, you have good chances to secure TC or paralegal positions after graduation. An alternative option, which many students take if they struggle to secure any graduate schemes, is to first gain experience as a legal assistant, legal secretary etc. before applying to become a trainee or paralegal. Although this would take you longer to qualify, it would mean that you are familiar with the legal working environment and have good grasps on how law firms function.

At Kent, students are supported throughout their studies. In first year, I was assigned a student mentor, an academic advisor, and I had access to the Kent Law School specific support—these have helped me develop essential skills that are required to achieve highly at University. The seminar leaders, lecturers and modules convenors are really friendly and approachable, I always feel comfortable asking any questions I have. Achieving high grade at University is really important, as it will be something that employers consider quite heavily. Therefore, Kent is a good option given the levels of support available to students throughout the course. The University also has excellent careers support, this is a service that provides tailored careers advice and guidance to students. This means that we always have access to help when applying for jobs and practicing for interviews. Furthermore, Kent has an employability points scheme, where we can log our extracurricular experiences in exchange for a range of work opportunities each year. More information on this can be found here: Employability Points - University of Kent.

I hope this helps.
If you have any specific questions on studying at Kent, I will be happy to answer them.
Chloe
University of Kent Student Rep