How realistic is it for me to become a paralegal in a new area of law from being NQ solicitor?

I am in Private Client (Wills and Trusts) and slowly hating the work. I am happy to have a salary cut, in return to do something I am interested in.

Does anyone find it extremely off putting by the number of conveyancers who regularly post on LinkedIn complaining about work?

I find it odd because it gives off several impressions some of which include that your employer isn’t looking after you properly and or you don’t like the work or your clients.

It’s negative publicity either way that doesn’t seem to drive any real value or engagement.

This is purely my take as I review candidate social media profiles when interviewing them, but if I identified that some consistently complained about their work or caseload so publicly I wouldn’t hire them as it would strike me they are a publicity flight risk.

What’s your thoughts?

Hi everyone - firstly, thanks to the mods for giving us permission to share this!

I’m one of the people behind ActusPrep.

We’ve made our SQE1 study guides completely free for anyone preparing for the exams. You just need a free ActusPrep account to access them - no paid subscription required.

The guides cover every FLK subject across both FLK1 and FLK2, focusing on the black-letter law and functional legal knowledge you need for SQE1.

They’re available in both written and audio formats, so you can read through the material or listen to chapters while commuting, walking or whenever you’d rather revise without staring at a screen.

Each chapter also includes 3-5 SBAQs to test your understanding as you go. The written guides feature checklists, worked examples, high-yield traps and key distinctions to help reinforce what you’ve learnt.

We’ve been working on these since August last year, well before ActusPrep launched earlier this year, and have continued refining and expanding them since.

The reason we created them is pretty simple: SQE preparation is already expensive enough, and we wanted to make a genuinely useful set of revision materials available without putting them behind yet another paywall.

Whether you’re using a course provider or self-studying, hopefully these can serve as a useful additional revision resource alongside your existing materials.

If you find them helpful, great. Equally, if you spot anything that could be clearer, corrected or improved, I’d genuinely appreciate the feedback. We’re still actively developing the platform and student feedback is really valuable to us.

Free ActusPrep study guides (written + audio): Click here

Hope these help anyone preparing for the January 2027 sitting (or later exams). Best of luck with your revision!

Presuming no plans/hangover.

Hi Everyone 😊

Very worried NQ here. I have been working in law for a few years, the majority of which is at my current firm where I qualified last year.

Basically, I have been panicking and racking my brain due to the fact I’m worried my firm maybe hasn’t provided me (or others) with very good training or supervision and all the possible mistakes I could have made without realising. Or even things I’ve been asked to do that I thought was fine or a basic administrative task that might not have been, and I have just trusted my seniors that they wouldn’t ask me to do something I probably shouldn’t.

I don’t feel like the firm has very good management or oversight (very small firm). I’m worried what if I have accidentally done something wrong without even realising, I could have gotten myself struck off already (or worse??😭). Or if there are any issues that arise with me raising concerns to the relevant people at work about matters, and feeling like they aren’t being dealt with very well or properly, and if that puts me in a bad position as well. I have only really worked at this place, so it’s hard to know what’s normal practice and what’s not and where I’m covered / satisfied my duties or not.

I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I’ve considered potentially looking for a new job where I feel like there is more structure / support etc, but I’m also worried that wouldn’t necessarily stop any inadvertent mistakes I’ve already made coming back to haunt me later down the line. Or if I leave and the firm faces issues later down the line, that my name is already associated with it. The other option is that I quit law altogether and find a new passion??

Do solicitors just spend their life in fear of these things, or am I overreacting (hopefully?)

I’m basically just really hoping to receive some reassurance from this post and maybe that I don’t need to give up all together and live a quiet life with some pets…🥲 (and so that I can sleep at night once more)

I start: Weil can go to HELL

They require SJTs for OPEN DAYS and ask 2:1 on EVERY MODULE

BRO, YOU HAVE NO PARTNERS LEFT

Hi! So I’m a year 13 student doing UCAS right now, and I’m wondering what university is good for law that can still look good with employers etc but has AAA or lower as an entry requirement. I really want to try to do a degree apprenticeship, that’s my first and foremost priority, but due to the competitiveness, I’m not entirely sure if I will get in. I unfortunately didn’t get an A*AA on my predicted, so I’n not really sure what universities to pick. My ’safe’ option (my school makes us choose one) is probably Manchester metropolitan or Liverpool John Moores. As you can tell, I’m trying to stick with the north because of cost, but if you have any suggestions for outside the north, please also provide them. It is worth it doing another degree at uni like economics or a joint law degree? Thank you very much!

Hi everyone, I’d appreciate some advice!

I graduated with a First-Class degree from a Russell Group university a few years ago, have several years of paralegal experience at smaller firms, and recently passed SQE1 first time.

Since moving to London, I’ve found the job market incredibly competitive. In my previous city, I regularly got interviews, but here I’m barely hearing back, even for roles matching my experience. I’m also struggling to move into other practice areas because my experience seems to pigeonhole me. I haven’t had luck with non-legal roles either.

I’ve never applied for training contracts or vacation schemes because I’ve always doubted whether I’m good enough. I also took a non-traditional route into university, with a foundation qualification overseas, and my school grades weren’t particularly strong. On top of that, I have a CV gap of over a year while preparing for SQE1.

Ideally, I’d like to join a more established firm as a paralegal and potentially progress internally, but my partner thinks I should focus on training contract applications instead. I’m worried I’ve left it too late and don’t know which route to prioritise.

For those who’ve been in a similar position:
Is it too late to apply for training contracts a few years after graduating?

Is internal progression from paralegal to trainee realistic?

How much do school grades and a CV gap matter when you have a First-Class degree and have passed SQE1?

I’d really appreciate any honest advice. Thanks!

Does anyone have any advice as to how I should structure my weeks studying for the SQE 1 in Jan? I’m on a prep course and am about 4 weeks in, on top of my class reading but don’t feel I’m really understanding much. It takes me hours to read for class and when that’s done for one, there’s another and I don’t feel I have any time to go through the core subjects like contract and tort.

I work about 8 hours a day mainly making notes from the textbook for class and it’s making me very tired. I feel myself getting more stressed and honestly getting to quite a dark place mentally.

I’d really appreciate advice for time blocks of study during the day. And any other tips on how to pass the exam without burning out so early.

I’m in my 2nd year studying History & Politics and every scheme I looks at only allows 2nd year law students to apply. Non-law students are only allowed to apply on their final year.

How am I meant to get law work experience? Should I just do experience in different industries until my 3rd year? What have other people who want to go into law but aren’t studying it done?

When applying for roles given how horrible the external NQ market is right now, is it worth applying for roles that say 1 - 4 PQE or is it a waste of time and energy?

I am a foreign lawyer, in my home country there is not such distinction between solicitor and barrister. I used to work 85% as solicitor and 15% on litigation (court, arbitration and mediation). Now that I live in England I want to qualify as a lawyer here. However, I don’t know if I should pursue the solicitor or barrister path, I like litigating but not all the time. Currently I am responsible for all the contract drafting and dispute and resolution matters in the construction company I work for. I think the next step is getting the England and Wales qualification. If you can help with any thoughts, experience or comments on this would be helpful.

First interview as a junior lateral with a pretty highly regarded US firm. First interview is with partners of the team - recruiter has been useless with interview format or what to expect. Any clue whether or not I should expect on the spot technical case study/questions or will it likely be a vibe check type of interview? Thanks is advance!

I am trying to understand how this works in practice for tech transactions and regulatory practice areas, because from the outside it is hard to tell how people actually get seen for these roles. If you have made the move, or hired someone who did, I would like to hear:

1. What worked: recruiters, direct approaches to partners, or both?
2. How firms level someone coming from in-house with 10+ years of experience, and whether there is any flexibility.
3. Which London tech transactions teams are hiring or expanding right now?

Any insight will be appreciated.

Thanks team

Im in my first year for the LLB (uni of Birmingham) program for postgrads, and I haven't really made friends. Im near reading week and I'm bored af (I'm going crazy LOL). I have 2 new friends but it seems like they’re kinda dry towards me LOL. Some things about me: I like going to the gym, I love dancehall
music, and i like drinking. I just wanna hangout so hmu if you have the same interests and wanna be friends or if ur just looking for a friend. I'm brown, F, and I’m from Toronto Canada :)

Results were supposed to be released 2 days ago and still no sign. Has anyone received their final results??

The firm’s website says that their recruitment standards are the same year on year. If I met them last year I don’t understand how I don’t meet them this year especially since I have more work experience and a better application. I applied late into a rolling type of firm so I made sure to apply early.

It’s been 3 years since I’ve graduated and it seems like everyone can land a graduate job except me. I detach and refuse to let it bring me down though. Can someone shed light into this please?

Any insights would be appreciated. Are they a good firm? I am not looking at biglaw/MC /commercial work - I do public sector work and am considering applying to them.

Introverts, how do you cope? I started working in an open plan office after working in 2-3 person shared offices and I found myself surprisingly drained each day and dreading the office. This isn’t my first time being in an open plan office, but goodness I feel so overstimulated from all the chatter, and rather exposed / watched as I have a fixed seat between my superiors. As a junior I’m not sure it looks good to sit in a quiet booth to work for more than 1-2h daily as well?

How do you also navigate having enough energy to go to work socials / drinks in the eve? By the time I get to Thurs eve, I’m knackered, having gone into the office 3-4 days consecutively! (and I’d rather be home or with friends/family instead! but even if I have my own social plans, I struggle to make it to them due to being tired / social battery at 0)

[To clarify, it’s not about long hours at the moment as my hours are currently okay. And I don’t know if I am neurodivergent but I wouldn’t rule it out.]

Hi everyone!

I'm from Nepal, and I'm trying to plan my future academic and professional career in the UK. I'd really appreciate advice from people who have studied law in the UK, international students, PhD candidates, or anyone familiar with the UK legal education system.

My academic background:

- Bachelor's degree: BALLB, with a focus on criminal law.

- Master's degree: Corporate Law.

- Nationality: Nepali.

- Future goal: To pursue further studies in the UK, but I'm unsure which qualification or specialisation would be the best choice for me.

I'm currently considering a few options:

1. Another master's degree (LLM): In a specialised field that complements my existing degrees and improves my career prospects.

2. Postgraduate diploma or other postgraduate qualification: If there's a programme that offers better practical or professional value than another master's.

3. PhD in Law: If pursuing research would be a better long-term investment.

I'm also struggling to decide which area of law I should specialise in. Some possibilities I've thought about include international criminal law, corporate and commercial law, financial technology (FinTech) law, financial regulation, human rights law, technology and AI law, and financial crime or corporate criminal liability. However, I'm open to other suggestions.

I'd love advice on the following:

- Given my background in criminal law and corporate law, which specialisation would make the most sense for further study?

- Would another LLM be worthwhile, or would it be better to pursue a PhD directly?

- If I choose a PhD, what should I consider before applying, and how important is having a clearly defined research proposal?

- Which UK universities would you recommend for my background and interests, particularly those with good law faculties, research opportunities, and funding options for international students?

- How realistic is it for an international student from Nepal to obtain a fully funded PhD or scholarship for a master's?

- Are there any universities offering strong programmes with relatively affordable tuition fees?

- What career opportunities could these qualifications open up in the UK, Nepal, or internationally?

- If I eventually want to work in academia, legal research, international organisations, financial regulation, or legal policy, which path would you recommend?

I'm particularly interested in making a strategic decision rather than pursuing another degree just for the sake of having one. I want to choose something that builds on my existing qualifications and provides genuine academic, professional, and long-term career value.

I'd be grateful for any personal experiences, university recommendations, scholarship suggestions, or advice about mistakes to avoid.

Thank you!