How much does University Choice Matter for Legal Career?

[Femusia]

If you work in top law firms (Magic Circle, US firms, and others) in the UK or top barristers chambers or are familiar with the legal profession, to what extent would you say the University you go to matters to secure a training contract or pupillage and to bolster your career?

Apparently, there’s been efforts to introduce university-blind admissions among some firms, but the vast majority of successful students are out of Oxbridge and other Russel Group universities?

How do the other Russel Group universities fare compared to Oxbridge? I suppose the top London universities are highly regarded, but does anyone know how Bristol/Birmingham/Manchester/Leeds are regarded?

One thing I found was that universities like Manchester and Bristol admitted up to 400 students as undergraduates while Oxbridge and UCL admitted up to 250. Is it that big of a deal or not?

I appreciate the OP asked about the most lucrative openings in law, but I do think Mumsnet obsesses far too much over jobs in so-called ‘Magic Circle’ and City firms.

There are solicitors firms on almost every high street in almost every town, sometimes several. The people working there make a perfectly good living.

Reading these threads one would think the only way to get a job in law is to absolutely, say get into Warwick over, say Sheffield, move to London, do endless work experience placements from age 16 and so on.

I’m there are a few commenters who have privately educated DC who went to the likes of Bristol and Durham and have worked hard to get into these ‘top’ jobs. They do t seem to realize there’s more out there than that path and plenty of DD will be very happy with it.

@MeshMesh The op specifically asked about Magic Circle, USA firms and barristers. She asked about top firms and chambers. You might not like that, but that was the question. It was not can I get into Blogg and Co in Back Street. I’ve no idea why you think posters don’t know they exist. We use them in life. However the other end of law was the question and it would be odd for posters not to answer it.

Yes, and I acknowledged that in my first sentence.

These threads are widely read and sometimes it’s worth adding in something a little extra so readers beyond the OP can get a slightly different perspective.

My apologies if you don’t ‘like’ it, and ‘Blogg and Co’ - how condescending! Do you work in the legal sphere yourself or merely operate in it vicariously through relatives?

good luck with @MeetMeOnTheCornerthere’s apparantly nothing she doesn’t know.

I work in a magic circle firm. Recruitment is technically blind but of those who make it through all the assessment tests and interviews and get offered training contract are overwhelmingly from Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Bristol, KCL, UCL and LSE. At least half of these don’t have law degrees and have done a conversion. Lots of history grads

I mean the salary difference between a newly qualified solicitor at a high street and top City firm can be the difference between ca. £30K and £150K per annum. 🤷‍♀️

I know this might sound unbelievable on Mumsnet, but some people are perfectly happy working at a high street solicitors in say, Scunthorpe, and aren’t spending all day wishing they were at a ‘magic circle’ firm.

Indubitably

Hi there,
Thanks to those who reported that this thread has taken a turn - might we suggest everyone get back to helping the OP again? Peace and love and all that.

@MeshMesh When I was at a lowly FE college doing a law module, the questions, where a firm was “named “ would be something like “Sue, Grabbit and Run”. Or something equivalent. It’s nothing to get worked up about. Blogg is just short for Joe Blogg - meaning a straightforward standard person. It’s not condescending at all. It’s just the opposite of magic circle, and what’s wrong with that?

First time for a deleted reply, blimey!
Anyway, sorry for derailing.

@Femusia

Personally, I don't think it does, within reason.

Your degree classification, and to some extent your A-level grades, need to be at a minimum level to get you in the door.
It's what you do once in that matters the most.
E.g. does your application stand out, do you have work experience, do you talk a good game, are you a team player, etc. Things that get you past the online assessments and past the interview/assessment centres.

Now, mathematically, there will be more applying to the top firms from the elite Unis, as Yuja experiences above.
There will be some who apply from the likes of York, Sheffield, Lancaster, etc.
Do they have an equal chance of getting hired, probably (unless there is some Uni/RG prejudice!) Some will say not (the same chance) due to the 'advantages' that going to an elite Uni gives, but how is the latter measurable?

I know of a Lancaster graduate who's at an MC firm, so it's possible.
My DS applied for a Solicitor Apprenticeship at a firm he'd done work experience at. He had good A-level predictions, but didn't get through the first stage, with what seemed like good answers to the questions. It's what you write and how you come across that matters.