Hi Guys, i am pursuing LLM Int. Business & Commercial Laws from Manchester Uni. I got some queries and hope I'll get some good advice from here.

My question is when should i apply for training contracts as the deadline for applying there is nov. last or dec.
1. I am from India and having 3 years of work exp. i got 2nd division in LLB and yet to take QLTT exam.
i am wondering i have my exam in jan and hopefully i'll get 2.1 this time and am also planing to take QLTT in March, so if i apply in these law firms now they will outrightly reject me because of percentile in LLB that is 2nd division and i dont have work exp. in U.K. neither am registered soliciter here.
what i am thinking is if i dont apply now and wait for 6 months or for my LLM result with 2.1 and by that time if i also clear QLTT i'll stand good chance and they might consider my application but i am afraid i'll late by than.

If i apply now can i update my application on their website after getting my result of LLM & QLTT after some time. how long generally do they take in responding to our applictions 1month , 2 month or 6month.
waiting for some good suggestions .
Any advice would be much appreciated!

Training contract at this point for overseas is virtually an impossibility...

Situation: big firms are deferring or not even recruiting and if they are with the current economy they give preference to English graduates. Foreigners are way down in the table.

It sounds bad but it is the reality.
It would be probably easier to get like a job in China, Australia or even Hong Kong.

thanks for the reply , i understand the current market scenario and the competition ahead but the thing is am already in U.K. and i have to do all these things atleast one should give it a try ,be optimistic and we can try in mid-size or small firms initially . cheers .

come on guys some more suggestions please.

I agree!!! It does not matter if you are or not..

I keep reinforcing this in this website. The profession is conservative, elitist and does not give a flying fig about foreigners.

If you have an accent it is a huge turn off.

The truth is...it is not complex at all but they make it virtually crazy to get into the profession if you are overseas even with an LLM. There are already so many people from here trying to get into it that they dont need people from overseas.

Just be sure of what you are doing.

It took me 3 years to get a training contract and not even with an LLM from the United States the firms would seem to be interested.

Just bear in mind this reality!

pedrinus - surely you mean "if you are overseas OTHER THAN FROM A LARGE COMMONWEALTH COUNTRY even with an LLM".

Sadly I think your point is well made. From my experience, as a "foreigner" with an LLM you probably have a better chance in some areas (difficult advisory areas such as IP and competition law) than in others.

Yes. Even the Commonwealth ones have some difficulty but not as much as say an Italian or a Spaniard.

It is the reality though.