Qualified Lawyers wwyd?

[ApinkPeony]

DD graduated summer 2019 with a 2:1 from RG uni.
She’s been working as a paralegal to gain experience and applied for several TCs.
She’s been offered a summer vacation scheme at her first choice which she’s delighted about. The success rate is about 30%
In the meantime she’s got an interview at her current firm for a TC. Her line manager has hinted that she thinks DD will be successful.
Now the dilemma, if she’s offered should she take it? She’ll need to make the decision before she’s even started the summer scheme.
Is a TC anywhere just worth taking even if it’s not your dream firm?

It depends whether they are covering the subjects in which she wants to work. TCs are hard to come by so she should think very carefully before turning it down.

It would be slightly poor form, obviously, but she could take it and then back out later if she gets the other TC?

Are the firms quite different, so if she gets the TC she wants she’d never be likely to want to work for the current firm again?

I’m a partner in a law firm, by the way, and if a paralegal did this and I rated them I’d be sad to see them go, but I wouldn’t hold it against them. They’ll have plenty of other candidates.

Not saying others would feel the same, but one of the earliest lessons I learned in the word of work is that you should do what’s best for you, don’t let “loyalty” blind you.

I agree with @Lineofconcepcion 100%. Hard to turn down a training contract these days. One thing to think about is opportunities on qualification (ability to stay on at the girl. - all things being equal). Would also think about whether the firm would pay for the LPC (which I think your DD hasn’t done yet?)? Best of luck to her!

Difficult one. So much depends on the two firms and what your DD wants to specialise in once she qualifies. So a move as an NQ sol from a small high street firm to a City firm is unlikely. But a move from a smaller decent regional firm to one of the larger regional firms or from a larger regional firm to a city firm - absolutely. I have known people do it in a couple of steps - increasing firm profile each time.

Tough one. Honestly depends how good her academics are and where she went to uni as to whether she wants to risk it and take the summer scheme. I would always try for the best firm I could get at that level - she is young and has plenty of time and she has paralegal experience which should help her get off to a great start in the vac scheme.

I worked in a magic circle firm for 14 years, Oxbridge law graduate.

I'd take the TC. They are so hard to get

Thank you very much for the comments, I’ll pass them in.
It didn’t occur to us that she could accept an offer then turn it down.

Academically, she’s got stellar A levels from a state school but a 2:1, lots of extra curricular stuff but it seems so has everyone else.

The firm she’s at is a big regional firm, with smaller offices around the country. The summer vacation scheme firm is a great, progressive firm that specialises in something that she’s really interested in.
Both will sponsor the LPC.

Thanks again, you’ve been really helpful. The law world is alien to me,.

I'd stay and do the SQE - They're changing how to qualify from September this year so that you dont have to do the LPC > TC route. The work she's in now could be qualifying work experience toward the SQE.

I’m in same field—nothing to stop you taking it and reneging. Well done to her on getting a VS, very hard to land these!

Take the job and do the work experience. She might not like the preferred firm when she actually works there.