Missing something?
In our latest career conundrum, an aspiring solicitor asks why none of their vacation schemes have converted into a training contract offer at a City law firm.
Hey Legal Cheek. I graduated in 2024 with an LLB from Newcastle Uni. I got pretty good grades (a 1st) and some decent work experience such as short term paralegal roles, Citizen Advice and plenty of open days. I’ve had decent luck getting vac schemes and secured five over the last three years, a decent mix of Silver Circle, large international firms and one smaller US firm’s London office (after the first year of failure I thought I’d branch out to try my luck with different kinds of firm!). But despite all that I seem to be massively cursed when it comes to converting them! I do the work, interact with people (even though I am quite shy) try my best on the assessments and I’m at a complete loss. Yes, I have requested feedback, though it tends to be quite vague, typically along the lines of ‘we were impressed, but there were stronger candidates etc’. Has this happened to anyone else? I feel like I am missing something glaringly obvious?
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We don’t know enough information to determine if there is something wrong with you. But giving you the benefit of the doubt, I assume not. Perhaps you aced the skills needed to secure VCs (interview, assessment centre etc) but perhaps weren’t as compelling when faced with some of the unknown that is completing the actual vac scheme. I don’t think that’s uncommon for what it’s worth.
They are incredibly competitive schemes, and even vac schemers are whittled down to a bare few that will be offered a TC by the end. Perhaps don’t be disheartened. You seem well placed to succeed in the next cycle – and now you will have more experience of what to do on a vac scheme. Reflect on this (and any feedback you receive) to succeed next time. You are no doubt capable, it’s just a matter of fine tuning.
Look on the bright side – at least you’ve secured vac schemes! Your vac schemes won’t have been secured by purely luck, it sounds as though you have some great skills outright (a 1st, good work exp etc)… in the words of the band Journey, “don’t stop believing” and keep at it! The right firm will find you!
Sincerely,
A paralegal (2025 grad) who hasn’t secured a vac scheme yet, nevermind a TC!
Yeah something must be wrong.
Could be the university. Believe it or not but big law is quite a snobbish industry, even though you perform well at vac schemes (and firms are more willing to expand the tent for work experience opportunities these days). Some Partner might refuse to convert to TC because of that aspect of your CV. Maybe try parlaying your 1st into an LLM at an elite Russell Group university.
It is certainly still doable even with your current CV, but that is one area you can improve and will likely open more doors.
BigLaw seniorish person here. This is bad advice. I think that Newcastle will be fine for a majority of firms. I would caution against doing an LLM solely to add a Russell Group name to your CV. It will be expensive and time-consuming and may not add all that much. Obviously, there’s a lot that is unknowable here, but I would consider dropping down a tier of firms here in terms of your targeting. Focus on the larger national or European firms and see where that gets you. These will be good firms, with good work, but they may be somewhat less competitive.
The sorts of seniors who will be snobby about a university will be the same sorts to be snobby about someone trying to launder their undergrad by doing a postgrad at a higher ranker uni.
I would recommend applying for direct training contracts especially with all of this experience under your belt. I was rejected after doing three vacation schemes (I am also naturally shy) and secured my training contract through the direct route. Don’t lose heart! It sounds like you’re a really strong candidate in what is simply an incredibly competitive process.
I don’t think you’re missing anything, apart from a little naïveté/lack of sufficient unvarnished clarity about just how competitive this TC business is nowadays. You only graduated in 2024 – sure, some of your peers and 2025 and even 2026 law graduates already have TCs lined up, but the vast majority don’t. The reality is that a huge proportion of TCs now go to people who are a bit older, grads from 2021-23, say, who have work experience (often as paralegals but not necessarily), from which they’ve gained an extra degree of nous about what law firms do, about commerce generally – and an extra degree of gritty determination and focus to get the TC. They come across far better in interview/assessment days/vac schemes. I know City partners who find having young trainees in their team whose TC is their first proper job quite irritating, as they often don’t know how to present/handle themselves/cope with the workload – they are saying they prefer to recruit a bit older now, and there’s a huge pool of top RC Firsts/top 2.1s out there from 2021 onwards from which to select, so the quality isn’t an issue.
You have learned loads from your vac schemes, I’m sure, and from whatever work you’re currently doing. The fact that you’ve been selected 5 times already is a fantastic sign for a 2014 graduate. Don’t be a passenger in the vac schemes – it’s not a passive process. You have to show that you’d be a great person to work with and would be sound with clients. Don’t compare yourself to the small minority of your 2024 cohort who have TCs and bemoan that you’re not one of them – that’s passive and negative. Good luck.
The answer’s in the question, surely?
Quit now. Get ahead of the curve. Get as far away as possible from the City of London.
I knew an individual who did seven vacation schemes, was offered a TC in their final scheme but ended up accepting a direct TC. Perhaps apply directly without the vacation scheme? You clearly have the experience for it…
I was in a similar situation in 2018 so I can commiserate with the sense of bewilderment that comes with being successful through written applications, assessment centres and other tests, but then repeatedly failing at the final hurdle. What makes it more maddening is that the feedback is often minimal because the final decisions were essentially a coin toss between applicants.
I know it may sound trite (it did to me at the time), but you have to take the positives of all the successful rounds you’ve been through. Your CV and experience sound great and all it takes is for one person to take a shine to you and advocate for you on a future vac scheme.
For what it’s worth, the difficulty I had converting vac schemes to TCs really crystalised for me that I actually didn’t want to work in private practice and wasn’t really suited to it. I now work in-house and am very happy!
I have done a competitive training contract and failed to secure an NQ position. It is what it is – life will probably take you to a better place
Congratulations on your really good degree result.I would decide what sort of law you want to work in- for example: City of London,in-house,small town private practice,boutique law and then go for a position as a para legal or in Business Development. Cream rises to the top and you are likely to do well. Very best of luck.