Can an LLM student get an internship in a London-law-firm even though this student has taken its graduate course in another EU country? (e.g. France/Spain)

Have you heard any similar case?

Dear Studylaw,
It is not impossible. I think in the first instance it would depend on where you did your graduate study and the results you obtained. Secondly, do you have absolutely fluent English? If you do an LLM in the UK or the US and have obtained a distinction law firms will assume absolute fluency. They may well be more concerned about your English if you do have a common law background or an LLM from a common law country. The third factor is whether your institution has links into the UK law firms. That will depend on each individual institution. Many do have good contacts.

I hope the above helps
with best regards
alan riley

Professor Alan Riley
Director LLM Programme
City Law School
City University
Grays Inn
London
Electronic Mail: alan.riley.1@city.ac.uk
www.flickr.com/photos/citylawschool/sets/721576199

It depends on what you mean by internship. It is quite common that LLM students get short placements in summer during the dissertation - all you have to do is write to them and ask, really. The law firms do it as a way of improving their contact network - they know that when you go back home, sooner or later you will need an English lawyer or they will need a lawyer in your jurisdiction. From what I have seen it is almost completely pointless to apply in the December/January round of recruitment for vacation placements - it is better to write in spring.

If you mean training contracts, I would say the chances are very slim indeed - they are created for trainee solicitors which have studied law in this jurisdiction.

Training contracts are entirely different. TCs are a stage on the way to becoming an English Solicitor. The fundamental requirement is a common law legal education and there is no way round this unless you can do one of the qualifying lawyer transfer tests.

If you are interested in this option and you have done an LLM outside the UK then one option to consider is to do the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) which is the one year lawyer conversion course. You could then undertake the Solicitor's bar exam the Legal Practice Course and apply for a TC.

Hope that helps
ALAN RILEY

Professor Alan Riley
Director LLM Programme
City Law School
City University
Grays Inn
London
Electronic Mail: alan.riley.1@city.ac.uk
www.flickr.com/photos/citylawschool/sets/721576199