Hello,
I am an italian law student.I am applying to different vacation schemes in UK during next spring/summer.
I was considering wheter I would have to take a one year course in order to take either the GDL or the CPE.If so it would take 4 yrs to become a solicitor:1 x the GDL/CPE+1 x LPC+2 x Training Contract.
Then, it would be faster doing an LLM in US+bar exam either in NY or CA.
Am I mistaken?Do you think that I could prevent the GDL/CPE year if I took a LLM in a top tier law school in the UK ?

Hi
I am an English Law Student. To become a Solicitor here you need to complete either a Standard Law Degree (LLB) which is 3 years (full-time) plus 1 year LPC (legal practice course) then training contract after that. OR if you have done a non-law degree you need to complete 1 year full time legal training course and then the LPC. The LLM is a Law Masters and good for international law but it is still advisable to do get an LLB as well to qualify. I realise you posted this a while ago so sorry if I am probably late in getting back to you.
I am studying law with Italian and am interested to know how I go about securing legal work in Italy. Would I need to do an LLM for that? What do you think? Thanks in anticipation.
Kind regards
Dina

Hi Dina!

Thx for the informations!

About securing legal work in Italy, I would ask you what kind of legal career would you like to pursue.
If you would like to practice as "avvocato", there are two main possibilities. The first is to qualify as solicitor or barrister in the uk and then move to Italy.There are a lot of british law firms estabilished in Italy with offices in Milan and Rome.
If you don't want to become first a lawyer in the Uk, I am afraid you would have to attend a 5-years Degree in Law. After that, you would have to spend 2 years practicing law in a "Studio legale" and then pass the "Esame da Avvocato". The percentage of trainees passing the exam is very low, around 20-30 %.
Unless, you can pursue a career in the in-house legal office of a big multinational or of a bank.

Hope this was useful,

Kind regards,
Andrea

Hey guys...Can you suggest about what kind of training contract should I search for?

IEffectively, I have 3 years (Full time) work experience as legal Trainee in India.

I have applied for GDL in College of Law, BPP and City. I have already received an unconditional offer from College of Law...?

After that I wish to take on LPC at the same institution.

If I apply right now for Training Contract before starting with my GDL in September 2009....Can someone suggest will I get a training contract or not ??? I want a training contract to start in 2011

What kind of firm should I look for...and what kind of salary can I expect in such a bad market.

I do not know where to respond because of you bombing the forum (do not be afraid to create your own topic ! :), but I am afraid to say that I think your chances, as those of any other law student, are weak.

Vacations placements are closing, trainees are reduced for the next years, or deferred for the current ones, and that's only because they cannot be fired due to the SRA's regulations.

If I rely on your records, you did not get a 2:1 for your LLB (even though this degree will not give you any right to practice in the UK, that remains the basis of the assessment to get either a sponsorship for a GDL and a training contract). That basically means that unless you get *at least* 5 years of legal experience as a paralegal, you will not be considered. In fact, you will not even be eligible to apply in many firms.

Another thing is that you have 4 postgraduate degrees. Were you to be considered, you would have to justify this endlessly. Some markets loooove people having a lot of diplomas, such as France, when would-be advocates having 2 or 3 postgraduate degrees are fairly common (+ a LLM). This is not the case in the UK, for what I know.

In addition to that, the fact that you had an offer from CoL is not reliable to assess the chances of having a job in the end. The selection process for either the GDL or the LPC is not selective at all, provided that you got a 2:2.

Considering the overall cost of these courses and the economic mess we are in, I would not do that! :(

However, remember that's nothing but my opinion, and I'm not in the recruiting industry. Just another law student looking for a training contract !

Excellent !
But....do i still have a chances to get a training contract if apply after completing GDL...! (Probably...my GDL grades might play some effect)...

And effectively I have 3 years work experience as legal Trainee....but I also 2 years Part-time work experience as legal trainee..
so the total is 5 years anyway...but i consider 3 years effectively.

So do i even get a training contract or not ???

And should I wait till I complete my GDL (considering the fact that big size firms have deadline 2 years in advance) or should I apply right now only for the Training Contract?

If you have a chance to get a training contract, it will not depend of your GDL grades. The only relevant grades would be those you had during your first degree, ie your Indian LLB, compensated by your work experience. That is absolutely not assessed by law firms.

The minimum 5 years experience are just a guideline, but it was generally heard as full-time paid legal experience, unless you could provide evidence of serious achievements.

Regarding to applications, you can apply right now for a training contract. If you get an offer, the law firm may fund your GDL and your LPC and offer you a grant for each year to meet the living costs, in addition to the substantial training contract. Basically, we are speaking of a sum around £100,000, but the employer may require that you engage yourself to work for the firm for a supplementary amount of time after qualification.

But, very clearly, even though I wish you the best in these tough times, I do not think you can get any chance in a City law firm. I'd rather recommend that you target medium sized firms, which may still fund your studies. On this list (http://www.chambersandpartners.co.uk/chambersstudent/pdf/SalariesAndLawschoolSponsorships.pdf), target the firms that are not strictly requiring a 2:1 but would either prefer a 2:1 (they would still consider your application) or accept a 2:2 provided that you meet the required substantial legal experience.

I not concerned with anyone funding my GDL or LPC... I am concerned with qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales....so just need a Training Contract thats it. I don't want to prefferred over anyone. I would be fine with a Training contract giving me 15,000GBP to 22,000 GBP...!
any suggestions..? or further clarifications?