Do law firms care what uni you go to?
3
I’m currently in year 12 and didn’t do well I’m my first mocks(D ands E) so I’m not expecting to get A’s which all top universities want so I’m lowering my expectations. So if I go to a lower uni will law firms care about this and restrict my chances of becoming a solicitor or barrister?
Reply 1
Original post
by SW10I’m currently in year 12 and didn’t do well I’m my first mocks(D ands E) so I’m not expecting to get A’s which all top universities want so I’m lowering my expectations. So if I go to a lower uni will law firms care about this and restrict my chances of becoming a solicitor or barrister?
Reply 2
20
Read - Law firms' preferred universities - Chambers Student Guide - but remember that this research is 5 years old, and its over focussed on LONDON.
Reply 3
Original post
by SW10I’m currently in year 12 and didn’t do well I’m my first mocks(D ands E) so I’m not expecting to get A’s which all top universities want so I’m lowering my expectations. So if I go to a lower uni will law firms care about this and restrict my chances of becoming a solicitor or barrister?
Only the UCAS exams count right? Other exams I do don’t matter as much?
Reply 4
Original post
by SW10I’m currently in year 12 and didn’t do well I’m my first mocks(D ands E) so I’m not expecting to get A’s which all top universities want so I’m lowering my expectations. So if I go to a lower uni will law firms care about this and restrict my chances of becoming a solicitor or barrister?
You have more than enough time to turn things around! Whilst I don’t know if your university affects prospects, law is quite an academic degree and getting your A level grades up will definitely make you more confident going into Y13 when you start uni applications. Don’t get yourself into the mindset of being fixed at low grades already, you’re only halfway into Y12! Find out what’s going wrong with your revision and ask for help. Experiment and find out what works for you.
Reply 5
Original post
by FutureDOCCOnly the UCAS exams count right? Other exams I do don’t matter as much?
Depends on the school. Some only count UCAS exams for predicted grades, some schools take an average of all the Y12 assessments and the UCAS exams.
Reply 6
Original post
by SW10I’m currently in year 12 and didn’t do well I’m my first mocks(D ands E) so I’m not expecting to get A’s which all top universities want so I’m lowering my expectations. So if I go to a lower uni will law firms care about this and restrict my chances of becoming a solicitor or barrister?
While they may not place heavy emphasis on your background, remember that you're competing against candidates who might have stronger academic records, attend a Russell Group university, or have completed the SQE or paralegalling experience. You need to consider: why would they choose you? If securing a place at a Russell Group university isn't possible, aim to achieve strong grades and gain diverse experiences. Seek opportunities to work with high street firms, participate in extracurricular activities, and join professional or interest-based groups to strengthen your CV for vacation scheme applications. That said, I strongly encourage you to aim high: strive for top grades (As) and build a solid foundation of work experience to maximise your chances of standing out.
Reply 7
Original post
by SW10I’m currently in year 12 and didn’t do well I’m my first mocks(D ands E) so I’m not expecting to get A’s which all top universities want so I’m lowering my expectations. So if I go to a lower uni will law firms care about this and restrict my chances of becoming a solicitor or barrister?
Many large law firms and barristers' chambers recruit university-blind. They care about candidate quality, not about the name of the university a candidate graduated from. Having said this, the most competitive universities quite often produce the most competitive candidates for jobs in the legal sector.
Reply 8
Original post
by … …not a professional here but applying to uni myself so this is more of an opinion than a fact to follow. I think it depends on where you want to go, for magic circle firms I think it would definitely matter ( you can check on legal cheek then ratio of unies they accept). However, you can always start off at a different firm, perform well there, and move on to more “high profile” ones if that’s what you wish throughout your career. I’m not sure to what extent this is true but apparently some firms also look at your A levels, so I would try to do well in those regardless of performance on mocks. Also if you do well in A levels you can always take a gap year and reapply or call unies up come results day. But regardless I think as long as you go to university and study law (or smth else + conversion course) you can probably get a job somewhere and then from there you can build experience etc. but still try your best ofc
It is difficult to obtain an intellectually and financially rewarding job in the legal profession. Competition for such jobs is intense. The more humdrum legal jobs are not well paid and can be tedious. The better paid jobs may impose relentless pressure on those who do them.
It appears from this forum that some people are being misled, or are misleading themselves, into thinking that they will be able to obtain a worthwhile position in the law without first attaining high academic standards.
I suggest that anyone thinking of becoming a lawyer should initially do as much as they can to find out what being a lawyer is like, disregarding all fictional portrayals of legal practice. If still resolved to become a lawyer, you need to work very hard to achieve the best possible academic qualifications.
If you succeed in the law, you can have a great career, fulfilling and rewarding in all sorts of ways, but there is no easy path to this.
Reply 9
Original post
by SW10I’m currently in year 12 and didn’t do well I’m my first mocks(D ands E) so I’m not expecting to get A’s which all top universities want so I’m lowering my expectations. So if I go to a lower uni will law firms care about this and restrict my chances of becoming a solicitor or barrister?
Hello,
Firstly, I would advise that rather focusing on going to a top university because of that university's name, choose a university where you will be happy. A university which you like and will be happy living in that location. The experience you get is more important than the institution.
Going to a lower university will not restrict your chances of becoming a solicitor or barrister and in some cases may even improve your chances. Many law firms don't look at the University you went to when you apply but rather just your grades. Also, some institutions like the University of Leicester have opportunities with law firms which are only available to Leicester students. Therefore, see what different institutions can offer. At the University of Leicester for instance, there is lots of employment support and it has been said that law firms often like Leicester graduates because of the skills developed. This could easily extend to other institutions which are not top universities.
Ultimately, it is great that you have a career in mind but be open to change and see where life takes you. Law is a deeply fascinating subject which is relevant in all areas of life and employers of all industries like a law graduate because of the transferable skills available.
I hope this helps, if you have any further questions please do let me know.
Charlie
Law LLB Student
Reply 10
I don't think that it's entirely accurate to say that "going to a lower university will not restrict your chances..." I suggest that it's not realistic to suggest that graduating from, for example, Bedfordshire, won't restrict a person's chances when compared to graduating from, for example, Cambridge, or UCL, or Manchester.
Even university-blind recruitment may cancel out the competitive difference between a candidate from a well-resourced university with demanding entrance requirements and academic standards and a university with small resources and relatively lower entrance requirement and academic standards.
I don't think that students should fixate on a small group of universities in the belief that, if they don't study at one of those universities, they will have no chance of career success, but at the same time students should have a realistic view about the probable qualitative difference between a more selective university and a less selective one.
Even university-blind recruitment may cancel out the competitive difference between a candidate from a well-resourced university with demanding entrance requirements and academic standards and a university with small resources and relatively lower entrance requirement and academic standards.
I don't think that students should fixate on a small group of universities in the belief that, if they don't study at one of those universities, they will have no chance of career success, but at the same time students should have a realistic view about the probable qualitative difference between a more selective university and a less selective one.
(edited 10 months ago)
Reply 11
Honestly, it really depends on where you want to end up. Top Corporate Law Firms do look at university background, but it’s not the only thing that matters — strong A-levels and a solid overall profile can still open doors. You’re only in Year 12, so there’s plenty of time to improve your grades before applying. Focus on getting your A-levels up, and you can still build a great path into law regardless of the uni.
Reply 12
Original post
by ankitae3Honestly, it really depends on where you want to end up. Top Corporate Law Firms do look at university background, but it’s not the only thing that matters — strong A-levels and a solid overall profile can still open doors. You’re only in Year 12, so there’s plenty of time to improve your grades before applying. Focus on getting your A-levels up, and you can still build a great path into law regardless of the uni.
What is your experience base for making those assertions? Many large law firms recruit university-blind.
Reply 13
It’s not impossible but a good grade at a good uni will help. Law is competitive so going to a good uni won’t harm your career prospects. Worst comes to worse you might have to settle for a job you don’t want for a few years before applying to a job you really want. Getting your dream job will be easier if you have a few years of experience in the industry (more desirable than 1:1 at Uo, for example)
Reply 14
On a side note, that "1.1" thing niggles me! The first class is not divided. There is no such thing as a 1.1 (or a 1.2, for that matter). Zillions of years ago, it was possible to obtain a fourth, at least at one university (which at that time did not divide the second class). Nowadays a Desmond is really a third, and a Richard is a fourth.
Reply 15
Original post
by SW10I’m currently in year 12 and didn’t do well I’m my first mocks(D ands E) so I’m not expecting to get A’s which all top universities want so I’m lowering my expectations. So if I go to a lower uni will law firms care about this and restrict my chances of becoming a solicitor or barrister?
Hello,
As others have said, attending a lower-ranked university will not, in and of itself, prevent you from having a career in law. I would recommend trying to improve your grades (which there is plenty of time for) at A-level and carrying that on to university. Law is a competitive field, so whilst there are no hard requirements about the institution you must attend, to have a good chance you (and every other candidate) will need to supplement your academics with extra-curriculars to build your skills and attend legal events and webinars to help demonstrate your interest in the field. Employers will look at you holistically. Any degree is not enough on its own to land you a job - it takes hard work!
Good luck!
Layla
SQE LLM student
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- worried about my future in law
- Can I be a lawyer with ACC at A Level?
- Manchester or Nottingham law?
- Warwick law 2025
- Law university ranking matter?
- Resit exams or go to uni
- How important is it to have studied at a Russel group university for law
- What uni do I go to for a career in law as a non-law graduate
- I'm thinking of going into law in the future.
- which unis are actually worth going to (LLB)
- Is it silly to get a remark even after getting into your firm?
- City University of London law
- is the prestige for law that different between newcastle uni and uni of manchester?
- Getting a trainee contract: share what your thoughts are
- Would I be stupid for firming Bristol Law over KCL Law?
- Help me choose what to do
- How to Actually Find Legal Work Experience (Being Proactive Really Helps)
- Is Nottingham Trent Law School any good??
- Regretting Uni
- social sciences/law undergrad
Latest
Trending
How The Student Room is moderated
To keep The Student Room safe for everyone, we moderate posts that are added to the site.
