We want LI to be one of the friendliest places on the internet, where lawyers and law students help each other with their career related queries and occasionally discuss other stuff that might affect their lives too. In other words:
1. Be kind, respectful and helpful to each other.
2. Be bona fide, truthful, genuine and curious.
3. Assume the best intention of others.
Therefore, in using the site, you must agree to do your best to uphold these community guidelines.
Note that what you find here is written and moderated by anonymous people on the internet.
Therefore everything you read here is very likely unverified, rumour, speculation and/or downright false.
In continuing to read anything here, you must therefore agree not to take anything you read here as factual and that you will exercise due caution, diligence and common sense before acting on any information you may come across here.
You also agree to report any inaccurate or malicious comments with the buttons. Moderators take action within 24 hours, as required and appropriate under law.
Our full terms and conditions apply too.
Do you solemnly agree to all of the above?
How can our younger lot be so ▮▮▮...?
Look at the entire journey, PGDL is for 8 months only and not 18 months, bhai mere. Plus, what do you mean when you say that you'll be "earning 10k per year"? The PGDL is a course and the 10k GBP figure is a maintenance grant that the applicant is given to survive in London. It's not a job. The PGDL is not even compulsory, the magic circle firms make you do it and it's more of a prep course and a precursor to SQE so that you can perform well in SQE1 and SQE2.
Secondly, read OP's post again. He is aiming for the direct TC route and once he gets a TC from an MC firm, THE FIRM PAYS FOR ALL OF YOUR QUALIFICATIONS (PGDL + SQE + CITY CONSORTIUM PROGRAM). It'd be crazy to self-fund these qualifications as an Indian law student but OP was never really planning to go down that route.
You do not have to study for two years before starting. You do not need to do the GDL or LPC or any other conversion course as the Indian Degree is recognised in the UK.
You have to clear the SQE which you will have to prepare for while doing the training contract itself. You can make it easier by giving SQE 1 right after graduation in India itself and the SQE 2 in London.
All students, UK and Indians have to give the SQE. Your SQE coaching and the exam fees is funded by the firm itself.
Since you move from India, the firm also provides you a few thousand pounds to help you move, pays for your flights and helps you find accommodation.
The pays for trainee solicitors are in the range of £50 and £55k. And two years later it is £100,000 minimum plus bonus.
Needless to say, London is fairly expensive. Still a single person can live pretty comfortably in London on the Trainee salary itself. The post qualification salary gives you a lot of room to save.
Readers of Legally India, please do apply to these firms. My experience at them was far better than any Indian tier 1 firm I was at - because they actually treat you like persons and not just cogs in a machine. Hope this helps.
Yes, they have been fairly selective but are loosening up more and more now. If you're from the top 5 NLUs you have a good shot. Last year was the first time a Symbiosis grad was offered a TC by Links.
I don't know about your friend, I have plenty of them in Canary W, you may have to live with your friends for these years, and would require your parents to budge out some pounds.
FYI, this new harsh route was essentially made to curb international students being admitted, and financially sound humans should realise that going through this is a debt trap.
And I am not misguiding OP, I am helping him understand that the "magic circle allure" is a facade and you should consider working in India, then lateral out to an MC/ Biglaw firm later.
20 Years ago?
These firms don't exist anymore
li is rof of india
there have been several discussions on money in uk v ind, for the first 5 (2+3) years UK wins handsomely, after that ppp kicks in and India wins
How can you suggest litigation as an option to a person who wants to join law firms? Why don't you build something as big as Zerodha and become a billionaire? Clearly, the number one reason why people are after law firms is so that they can start making money from the get go. Not everyone has the luxury to make 15k per month for a long time. Please don't misguide if you can't do your research properly. OP probably doesn't have any contacts and will take your advice as gospel and never question it again.
If possible, could you please direct me to any of the people you mentioned- I'd reach out to them to ask for help in the process. The entire process is quite confusing, and more so because I could not come across any Indian student who opted for/got through the direct TC route. Thank you so much!
Better choose to litigate in India.
I know this is ridiculous to talk abt this here, but if we wanna improve our lives and careers these are the talks we needa be doing
But A&O, Linklaters and HSF are still the best bets. They're moving towards hiring from a more diverse range of colleges too.
While I know these three firms have India Internships, do you know of anyone who applied through the normal UK Training Contract/Vac Scheme route for these firms as an international applicant and got through? Are there any other foreign firms where Indian Students have applied under the international applicant category and got a Training Contract/Vac Scheme? I've heard that Clifford Chance and Norton Rose used to hire a few years back, but I couldn't come across anyone who has directly gotten a Training Contract recently.
Would be grateful for any help with this. Thank you so much!