I have a 2:1 law degree from Northumbria and is looking to join the university again this year on their BVC and LLM (Advanced Legal Practice) which is a one year programme.

Being an international student, who is from an ethnic background, female and who did not study at Oxbridge for my undergraduate, I can't help but think that my chance of securing the pupillage is low.

Would the LLM which is offered alongside the BVC help in securing a pupillage and eventually a tenancy?

I have gained some experience working in an international law firm for a month but other than that, I have no prior legal experience whatsoever.

I come from a middle class family and most of my funding will come from my parents and I am beginning to think that the situation I am putting them in is unfair.

The BVC is recognised in my home country and I will be able to head back home and practise in the event I fail to secure a pupillage.

However, with the amount of money spent to do the BVC, it will take me more than 10 years to pay off my debt working back home.

Should I just go ahead and dive in and see what happens?

Without trying to discourage you from seeking a career in the UK as a barrister, you should be aware of the following:

- Although Northumbria is a fairly decent law school amongst the 'new' universities, I fear chambers do not necessarily find it prestigious enough to consider offering you a pupillage. Many students who aren't from Oxbridge actually complete an LLM and then the BVC before applying for pupillage. My coursemate on the BVC with a Bristol Uni LLB and a Cambridge LLM says the Cambridge LLM is only enough to 'earn him interviews'. Says a lot imo.

- I'm not sure how it works but to me a BVC/LLM option sounds like you can only choose one of the two as your final 'qualification' i.e you can 'convert' ur BVC into an LLM (thus giving up the BVC qualification). I don't think you can obtain both the BVC and LLM qualification at the same time.You don't need an LLM to secure pupillage (in theory) but you definitely need your BVC. I would seriously advise against giving up your BVC qualification in return for an 'LLM'. Do you have a clear idea of how the BVC/LLM option works?

- If you don't have mini-pupillages on your CV, you might have real difficulties proving to a set of chambers that you are committed towards a career at the UK Bar. What other legal-related experience do you have other than the one-month attachment?

My guess is that, similar to many international students, you will be in great demand if you return to your home country to practice, but in UK you face a very difficult road ahead. Do give it some serious thought.

The Northumbria BVC actually gives you the opportunity to complete the BVC and LLM at the same time. So essentially, you will receive your LLM at the same time you finish you BVC.

More information can be found here.
http://northumbria.ac.uk/sd/academic/law/llm/llmopp/?view=Standard

I am not sure how the chambers will view the LLM in Advanced Legal Practice as opposed to someone with an LLM in Commercial Law for example.

Having said that, I agree that many set of chambers will look at Oxbridge first before anything else, and in my case in particular, I believe it would help greatly if I had secured a First Class. A First Class from a new university might stand a better chance I was told.

I am currently looking at applying for mini-pupillages and no, I have no other legal-related experience other than the one month stint.

I am tempted to take the LPC instead but that would mean risking going back home with a qualification that is not recognised if I fail to secure a training contract in the UK.

I try to be upbeat about the subject but there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel.

KJ: Apologies, I stand corrected regarding the Northumbria BVC/LLM.

Be that as it may, I read the BVC/LLM prospectus which states the following:

"You will begin researching your project in February, when each student is allocated their own supervisor. The project
submission date is the following February, although the project can be handed in prior to this if preferred."

From what I understand, the LLM course technically starts alongside the BVC course, but unless you are able or willing to complete your 20k - 25k word project in 5 months (that is the earliest call date July) you will have to stay on till February the following year before submitting your project (n/b: no indication when you will receive your results plus LLM degree).

This means if you start your BVC in November 2007, you will finish it in June 2008 but your LLM technically ends in February 2009! I am not sure you can obtain your BVC and LLM at the same time. Has anyone explained to you how this combination thingy works?

I have a couple of mates that are currently on the programme.

The idea is that your credit hours from BVC can be transferred to your LL.M. So what happens is that you study on the BVC in Sept, and come Feb the following year, you would take on a project of 20,000 25,000 words as opposed to 15,000 20,000 of the other LL.M, and you will be able to graduate with a BVC and LL.M. that July.

The only catch is you need to pay a few thousand grand extra and you need to pass your BVC before receiving your LL.M.

And that goes back to my question of how credible the chambers will think of this LL.M when selecting candidates for pupillage.