Use the Christmas holiday to apply for a Vacation Scheme

 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all Law students! 

If your goal is to secure a training contract at some stage after your Law degree and you are currently in your second or final year, you might like to spend part of your Christmas break applying for Work Placements or, to use their more common name, Vac schemes.

The larger commercial law firms have opened their spring and summer Work Placement schemes for applications.  Most of the closing dates are mid to end of January or February 2016 although some firms will offer places before the deadlines so it can be worthwhile to apply early.

What's even better is that as well as a Work Placement looking good on your CV, you also get paid!

For details of firms offering Work Placements and closing dates see:
Chambers and Partners
Target Jobs
LawCareers.Net


Good luck with your applications!

Applying for the BPTC for September 2016?

Applications are now open for the BPTC for September 2016.  You apply on the website www.barsas.com and applications close on Monday 11 January 2016.

It costs £50 to make an application and you have 3 choices of provider.

Candidates must pass the Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) in order to be accepted onto the BPTC.
https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/qualifying-as-a-barrister/bar-professional-training-course/bar-course-aptitude-test/
but please note the following announcement from the Bar Standards Board:

"The opening of the Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) for students starting in 2016 will be deferred until at least March 2016. This is to allow time for completion of an important evaluation of the test in its first years of implementation. Please read this press release for further information.
Please note, you can still apply for a BPTC place via BarSAS before you have taken and passed the BCAT."

Succesful candidates must also join an Inn by 31 May 2016.

 

Please let me know if you need any help with your application by emailing p.hardie@chester.ac.uk

 

 

SRA proposes a qualifying exam for all new solicitors

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has proposed a new exam for all trainees wishing to qualify as solicitors to ensure they all meet the same "high standard" of professional competence.

Under the SRA's Training for Tomorrow programme, the SRA has launched a consultation on introducing a common professional assessment for intending solicitors: the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE).  The consultation period lasts until 4 March 2016.

I quote from the SRA's website:

"It is important that newly qualified solicitors, regardless of the pathway they have followed, should demonstrate a level of intellectual and analytical ability at least equivalent to that of a graduate. This is reflected in the standard we propose for qualification."

The exam would be available in autumn 2018 at the earliest.

For full details please see http://www.sra.org.uk/sra/consultations/t4t-assessing-competence.page