Hi

I was wondering if someone could tell me about his/her career after graduation. Please feel free to share any information you know about post-LLM life, not necessarily your own experience, it could be someone you know about. How good is UCL LLM reputation-wise among employers in the UK or in your country, wherever you are from? Was it easy/hard to find a job after the programme? Did it help you to find a training contract? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Hi

I was wondering if someone could tell me about his/her career after graduation. Please feel free to share any information you know about post-LLM life, not necessarily your own experience, it could be someone you know about. How good is UCL LLM reputation-wise among employers in the UK or in your country, wherever you are from? Was it easy/hard to find a job after the programme? Did it help you to find a training contract? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Hey beicon

Thanks for your answer
Id like to clarify a few things if I may
So if I got it right, you did not apply for a training contract in the UK after the LLM?
Also, I would not say 'countless', as ~350 students per year from all over the world is a relatively small group of people, sure, three times more than Oxbridge graduates, but still.
Well, there are only 22 people in my country in the legal services sector who finished this programme according to LinkedIn, and they are mainly partners at ILFs and heads of legal.. so maybe, just maybe, its not that bad?)

Thanks for the clarifications. The reality in your home country seems to be different than mine. Everyone (or something very close to this) working at top firms in my country has an LLM from top US or UK schools. It is not restricted to partners only. There are mid-level associates with LLMs So here it really isn't that big of a deal. No, I didnt apply for a training contract, but I know loads of graduates who did. Only a few got it, and there all were UK graduates with qualifying law degrees doing the LLM before starting the LPC. I really dont think the LLM is the best course if you want to gain access to the UK legal market It is something you can do in addition to a GDL, but if you want to practice in the UK Id go for the GDL.

Hopefully those mid-level associates will become partners someday )
The UK graduates you mentioned, who found a TC, are they foreigners who finished the GDL or do you mean that they have a UK LLB?

Dear all,

May I ask job prospects after the UK LLM plus QLTS?
I am a qualified laywer in my home country and have 6 years experience in one of the biggiest law firms in my country. My current firm has a network with UK big law firms, sharing some clients.

Thanks to your informative posting and kind replies, now I am aware that UK LLM in top law schools is insufficient to get a job in UK law firms. I also have heard that TC in UK big firms is challenging even for UK TOP LL.B. students.

Then, May I ask... How about if I get a certificate as a soliciter through QLTS after graduation from LL.M.(I have admitted in KCL and UCL, still wating for Oxbridge)?

I have searched UK firms' website and found some information regarding TC especially for the QLTS lawyers. Some big firms have special tracks in hiring QLTS lawyers, and also present high salary on their website.

In addition, I have heard some information from QLTS institutes or private company selling relavant books or webminar, They said that being a UK solicity throuth QLTS has huge benefits in the sense of job opportunities.
However, I cannot simply trust their commercials.

Therefore, I want to know the reality and to assess that QLTS would be worthy for me in finding TC or job before I start to prepare. So, please kindly let me know your direct or inderect experiences. Have you ever seen or experienced such TCs or lawyers who are qualified in this track? Are they many? Are they satisfied?

I would be appreciate if you share anything about QLTS.

Best regards,
Serena

Hi, the QLTS will allow you to qualify as a solicitor in the uk, however this does not mean that you will get a TC, after qualifying you will be in the same pool as other qualified uk solicitors. An LLM is not of much help, firms and chambers in the UK don't really care if you have an LLM or not, as it is considered more academic. It could be seen as an advantage only if it is from Harvard/Cambridge as despite the academic element, the fact that you studied there would demonstrate very high intellectual ability.

Hopefully those mid-level associates will become partners someday )
The UK graduates you mentioned, who found a TC, are they foreigners who finished the GDL or do you mean that they have a UK LLB?

An LLM would only be useful in the UK as an entry route to teaching or to a Phd, if you want to practice either as a solicitor or as a barrister then you need LLB/GDL with very high grades and then BPTC/LPC, all these coupled with work experience,etc

If you go through the firms websites (such as Linklaters and the like), you'll notice there are many associates coming from non-traditional law backgrounds - i.e., people with a first degree in something other than law who've done the GDL+LPC. To be quite honest, although many firms advertise they take QLTS lawyers onto their trainees intake, I haven't seen one yet (some firms call QLTS qualified lawyers as quasi trainees). Maybe if you do a GDL+LPC and pass the QLTS afterwars you may have a chance. Don't really know but I reckon this is better than LLM+QLTS...