Training contract applications soar at UK firms
Share
The number of students chasing training contracts this summer has rocketed with several leading law firms reporting a 50 per cent jump in applications.
DLA Piper received 1,538 applications for training contracts starting in 2012 across all its English offices. This compares to just 1,080 for positions commencing in 2011. DLA Piper typically hires 85-90 trainees per year meaning that around 18 students are chasing each position.
Meanwhile, approximately 730 students applied to New York-giant Weil Gotshal & Manges representing a 50 per cent increase on last year.
Newly merged Hogan Lovells, which only received 1,000 applications in summer 2009 after it closed its trainee recruitment programme, has also reported a healthy jump in applications and is now back in line with its previous record of around 1,700.
The firm’s director of legal resourcing Clare Harris said: “Last year was a very odd year as we saw a dip in the amount of applications. I think this was to do with the deferrals and the general state of the jobs market. I think a lot of candidates were just put off applying and have now re-entered the market.”
Elsewhere, Denton Wilde Sapte has seen its training contract applications jump by 40 per cent. Herbert Smith, meanwhile, confirmed that its training contract applications are up 16 per cent on last year with 1,750 students chasing training contracts at the City firm.
Allen & Overy, Berwin Leighton Paisner, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Norton Rose and Slaughter and May has also reported increases in training contract applications.
Commenting on the statistics one graduate recruiter said: “One possible explanation for this is that many of the students who put off applying for training contracts last year because of redundancies and deferrals have re-entered the jobs market. As such this year we’ve seen more applications from students who have just graduated or finished the Legal Practice Course.”
However, not all the firms interviewed by Lawyer2B.com posted an increase in training contract applications. Addleshaw Goddard, Baker & McKenzie and Olswang all said their numbers were static with each firm receiving between 1,700 to 2,000 forms.
The deadline for submitting applications for training contracts starting in 2012 passed on 31 July.
View results 10 per page | 20 per page
Readers' comments (15)
Anonymous | 12-Aug-2010 11:18 am
I don't understand why people would be put off by deferrals and redundancies. Students would be applying for a TC two years in advance...any deferrals happening now would be unlikely to impact on their TC in two years time, and even if they did, a TC with a deferral must be better than no TC at all?
I just do not understand the mentality of many people I have met on the LPC, who are not even applying. Why would you not apply at every given opportunity?
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
IHateBPP | 12-Aug-2010 12:52 pm
There's a lot of reasons why people wouldn't apply at every available opportunity. Some might not be so desperate as to take anything going and would prefer to wait until the right time.
At the same time, studying the LPC full time with no job a the end of it is a very unwise move and it will create a desperate situation when the loan repayments start.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Deborah Stump | 12-Aug-2010 1:17 pm
At Davies Arnold Cooper, we also saw around a 50% increase in training contract applications this year - and the quality of those applications overall was high.
We have more effectively tied our Summer vacation scheme into the trainee recruitment process, as well as retaining our assessment days. This has given us more opportunity than ever to meet candidates - but keeping pace with this level of demand is almost impossible.
We will have looked at around 100 applications for every training contract offered this year, but I'm sure it will have been worth it.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 12-Aug-2010 1:35 pm
Its really quite simple.
There are 14,000 full or part time places on LPC courses, of which 9,000 are filled. And there are only 5,800 training contracts.
I don't think many LPC students fully appreciate this.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Beth | 12-Aug-2010 2:01 pm
What this analysis does not tell you is whether there are more unique applicants or whether students are applying for a larger number of TCs. It could be that, in the current financial environment, students are heding their bets by applying for more TCs.
@Anonymous | 12-Aug-2010 11:18 am
I agree that not even applying is a strange choice. I'm studying the BVC part time and I think only 2 or 3 of my tutorial group 10 even applied for pupillage this year (the summer between our first and second year of the course).
Some people were worried that their CVs were not up to scratch and that if they applied this year, they'd wreck their chances at their dream set. But with firms and chambers getting hundreds of applicants a year, I find it hard to believe they would notice the same names turning up in subsequent years in order to reject them.
Unless one's ideal set/firm has cancelled all recruitment in a particular year, it seems to make sense to at least apply. The worst that happens is that you get rejected outright and live to fight another day.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 12-Aug-2010 6:11 pm
This is something people don't consider - every year people share their application forms with friends and people learn the method of filling in these forms. thats why the standard improves every year, because people learn how to lie on their forms better and better! they copy similar activities to their friends
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 12-Aug-2010 10:38 pm
I don't know why so many students are putting themselves through such heartache.
Students should seriously consider a career that carries a greater chance of success.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 13-Aug-2010 4:52 pm
With FILEX qualified staff now eligible to become partners, I can't see why anyone would put themselves through the LPC / TC lottery rather than qualify through ILEX. Also avoids the somewhat horrendous debts some LPC grads are lumbered with.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 16-Aug-2010 9:30 am
I agree with the last post.
Unless you are a straight A student with a 1st Class degree then choose a different career.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 16-Aug-2010 3:19 pm
Yet another smack in the face for those of us trying to apply for TCs. I can't actually remember how many VS and TC applications I have made over the last six months but it is approaching 30. I am yet to receive a single interview and have 2 left in the pipeline. I am attending Oxbridge doing Law and am on for a 2.1 and yet I can't get my foot in the door. I have completed internships and legal placements (including an internship at a MC firm not related to law). Maybe this ain't the career for me hey!
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment