The Unconventional Path to Securing My Training Contract

We know it's not always a straight line to success. For some, it involves the detours, the setbacks, and the sheer determination to keep pushing forward.

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2015

I was fortunate to know from a primary age, what I wanted to do – to be a lawyer. Unfortunately, my journey into law did not start with top grades or a prestigious university. I entered university with mostly C's and graduated with a 2:1 from The University of Salford - a lesser-known institution of the time. It was not a grand entrance into the legal world, but it was a beginning.

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2017

Like many, my first role was a sales assistant in a retail store. I knew this was not forever, as to get a training contract, I needed legal experience. Although not what I initially envisioned, working in the jewellery industry for Pandora gave me basic financial stability during the latter of my university years, and surprisingly played an important role thereafter.

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2019

The post-graduate LPC and Master’s degree was my next hurdle. I joined a mentoring programme at BPP University , where a commercial trainee from Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP helped sharpen my writing skills. The LPC itself was not a walk in the park; I had failed one subject, and thus was limited to securing only a Pass. Yet, the real challenges lay ahead.

Having refined writing skills, I re-applied to several training contracts nationwide, however, the pandemic threw a curveball, freezing the intake numbers for many firms. Facing countless rejections, I recognised I would need legal experience to progress my career. Undeterred, I sought inspiration from professionals who, like me, came from similar academic backgrounds but soared high in their careers. LinkedIn became my library, and I targeted my applications to firms where each of these remarkable individuals once thrived. Here, I came across virtual internships, which were globally open to all.

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2020

Virtual internships with InsideSherpa and online courses with Coursera became my bridge. At the height of lockdown, completing five of these coursework-based placements, alongside studying commercial and marketing case studies, honed my skills. This led me to a Zoom-based internship at Bright Network .

Amidst these roles, I waded through a labyrinth of applications with recruiters. The irony of once again applying for hundreds of training contracts and paralegal jobs that required no experience, yet facing rejection for lacking experience, became my paradox.

After two years of applications, the real breakthrough came when a friend told me to apply with her recruiter. This led to an assistant role at PM Law Limited , a conveyancing firm over 40 miles away, for near minimum wage. It was a dilemma: retail paid more, however, this role was the break I had sought after for so long, and desperately needed. I took the leap to kickstart my legal career, dismissing the financial weight I had just placed on myself. At the firm, I eagerly grasped every opportunity, including handling commercial property development contracts. I had no idea this development experience would be the spark I needed, until much later.

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2021

However, life threw me another challenge as Covid restrictions lifted. Transport channels became much more congested, leading to an exhausting four-hour drive each day. Still earning near minimum wage, the financial burden and psychological strain from the conveyancing firm was tortuous. The long hours, the mundane routine, and the financial pressures slowly chipped away. It was clear: something had to give, but I still needed the legal experience to get a training contract.

Juggling two jobs became my norm, as I went back to my first role in retail; a higher paying job that I had once left in search of a legal career. The days blurred, balancing between hundreds of residential property requirements at a law firm, and the glittering displays of a Pandora store. It was not just about working hard; it was about working relentlessly and building disciplined work ethic.

Determined to stand out in the competitive legal industry, an unexpected turn led me to Companies House , a six-month fixed term contract that added depth to my skill set. But I knew this was temporary, and I yearned for more—a role that aligned with my aspirations. Having civil service experience eventually led me to numerous interviews for paralegal positions across the final month of my fixed term, including five in one week. Despite my efforts, those roles remained elusive.

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2022

Persistence paid off when an interview for an assistant paralegal role turned into an offer for a full-fledged paralegal position at an international law firm. This was my 3rd application to Pinsent Masons since 2019. I seized this chance, taking on secondments, securing a FTSE 100 client, and working more client matters than those around me. I was still working two jobs; 8 am to 4 pm consulting in board rooms with multi-million-dollar clients, then 4:15pm to 8:15pm and the weekends at Pandora - it was a world of contrasts and a testament to perseverance. But even with these accomplishments, the elusive training contract remained out of reach.

Since 2019, I had now completed limitless 250-word firm-specific application paragraphs, endless psychometric tests, and faced rejection from each and every one of the hundred-odd roles nationwide; my applications all firm-specific. Having gained a place in the legal world with two years of as required legal experience along the process, I was still mitigating economic burden. It became especially difficult to see those with little to no experience, obtain the training contract at my firm that I sought so hard after; the next step seemed further than it had ever done. It became evident that traditional application routes were not working, as at first I had no experience, and now I failed to pass Human Resources departments’ scripted checklists. I was mentally exhausted, tormented with the stress that I may never qualify in an industry I wanted to be a part of from a young age.

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2023

I pivoted, and googled ‘construction firms in my city’. Reaching out directly to the directors themselves, I sent my CV and cover letter, recognising they could see my skills beyond the scripted requirements of HR departments.

The third email brought a turning point. Two interviews later, I was extended an offer to specialise in construction law with Barton Legal Limited . 4 years of nationwide applications all rejected, and I finally landed under the wing of a qualified mediator who advises an international client base on multi-million-dollar contracts. I was and am eternally grateful; much like my career to date, I took on the opportunity and have not regretted it since.

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Final Thoughts and Advice

Lessons Learned: Sometimes, the path to success isn't about conforming to traditional routes. It's about resilience, seizing unconventional opportunities, and being bold enough to showcase your worth in unexpected ways. We know it’s a linear path for some, but not for others. For those like myself, it comes in the form of relentless stress and psychological strain amongst a rollercoaster of loops up and down the UK.

Learn everything you can, as if there’s one takeaway from this, it’s 'every time you go through something, there’s something to gain'.