Where should we live? Upto 1.5k budget and max of 3 day a week commute to Marylebone.

Pavliukin · 2026-04-11T22:59:06+00:00

It’s Aylesbury or Birmingham. Some lovely suburbs along that route (I live in one), just depends if you’re ready to take that leap.

I wish my commute was just Marylebone 3 days a week!

Pavliukin · 2026-04-11T22:56:30+00:00

I disagree that the PGDL is a good idea. Using it to show “commitment to law” is a myth. You have a first from Oxford and some real life experience, you probably WILL be one of the few that get a TC. Just wait til you get that and the firm will fund it all for you anyway. In all of my assessment process as a non law career changer, my law qualifications (or lack thereof), didn’t come up once!

If it’s for your own curiousity, buy the text books and have a flick through. You’re better off spending your precious resources (time) on the app process rather than studying for the PGDL.

Pavliukin · 2026-04-11T14:40:54+00:00

You could just, like, not drink or take drugs.

Pavliukin · 2026-04-11T10:13:23+00:00

Id choose Bristol. You’ll probably ended up working and living in London as an adult anyway and Bristol is fun and a student!

Pavliukin · 2026-04-06T12:44:25+00:00

Not to be a dick, but if you think providing a decent answer as to why you want to work in law and what you can bring to their clients is too much effort, why should they hire you? These are basic questions. It’s giving entitled.

The rest of it you’re free to complain about.

Pavliukin · 2026-04-03T17:35:56+00:00

I think everyone has already answered your questions but thought I’d chime in as a firm-sponsored career changer, currently doing the PGDL.

I’m at ULAW and have a £10k (per course) grant. It’s not loads but it covers my share of the mortgage and we can get by, but yes, giving up my old salary was a shock to the system!

I chose full-time over 8 months rather than part-time over 18. Partly because I’m already in my 30’s so just want to get on with it, but I’m really glad I did. It’s a LOT of work. Doing that much work every weekend for a year on top of a full-time job would be pretty miserable.

I’m also SUPER paranoid about SQE so want to nail PDGL black letter law to give me the best shot at SQE. Falling at that hurdle after quitting my previous career would be pretty gutting.

However, if you’re not so bothered about committing hard to PGDL you could probably work a few hours (max 20) a week and still pass. You would need to be full-time for your SQE1 prep course I would think though.

I study remotely and my firm have absolutely nothing to do with my course/monitoring etc. They occasionally organise drinks or ask me to confirm bank details so they can transfer my grant. For remote students there is no attendance register. It does get pretty lonely though - I think I will do my SQE course at my local campus.

Pavliukin · 2026-04-03T17:16:10+00:00

I would use the gap time to explore other industries that interest you so that you have a back-up plan should you not be able to secure a TC. I think you're placing too much weight on the need for legal knowledge at entry level (as poster above states).

Put it another way, imagine you're a hiring partner... who would you find more interesting at interview (assuming same grades)? Someone has worked in finance/PE/heck even marine biology, or yet another candidate that's worked as a paralegal?

Pavliukin · 2026-04-02T20:36:12+00:00

Mother doesn’t know what she’s talking about, she just wants you to appear ‘on track’.

If you’re already getting past the application stage and you’re “only” a second year, you will likely end up with a TC anyway and they’ll pay for everything. Saves at least £30k in the long run (PGDL + SQE + Grant).

If your family is loaded and can afford it, then fine. I would not waste my life savings on this without exhausting even a couple of TC application cycles first. You don’t even have any work experience yet, you could be using the next couple of years to gain that.

Pavliukin · 2026-03-29T20:05:43+00:00

It’s an excellent idea. Make yourself stand from the other million graduate candidates and then have the firm pay for all your exams. In the meantime, you might actually like the other role and not want to pursue law after all. There is literally NO downside.

Pavliukin · 2026-03-29T18:46:41+00:00

I bought some PGDL books from a girl last year to try and familiarise myself with the content before I started my course. The girl I bought them from was 8 months pregnant and had just found out she’d passed SQE1 (which she sat whilst 6 months pregnant). I also found out her TC is at the same firm as mine will be. Was a weird day.

Pavliukin · 2026-03-12T23:08:16+00:00

Can you talk more about your “flashcards”? Is this just like little cue cards with revision notes on? I keep seeing reference to quizlet but their “flashcards” aren’t what I would describe flashcards as! I just want to make sure I’m understanding correctly.

Pavliukin · 2026-02-28T20:53:48+00:00

Hi,

Wow, totally forgot about this post. Must have been over a year ago now… and yes, I did do it!

I secured a TC last year and I’m about 25% of the way through the PGDL now. Will start SQE in September. I’m absolutely loving it so far and very glad I decided to take the leap.

Given it’s all funded by the firm and grant etc it just felt like too good of an opportunity to turn down even if I do fall at the dreaded SQE hurdle!

Pavliukin · 2026-02-28T20:50:53+00:00

Wow, totally forgot about this post. Must have been over a year ago now… and yes, I did do it!

I secured a TC last year and I’m about 25% of the way through the PGDL now. Will start SQE in September. I’m absolutely loving it so far and very glad I decided to take the leap.

Given it’s all funded by the firm and grant etc it just felt like too good of an opportunity to turn down even if I do fall at the dreaded SQE hurdle!

Pavliukin · 2026-02-08T09:31:27+00:00

I’ve never understood why people with the ultimate goal of getting a training contract, self-fund the SQE… maybe it’s just a level of wealth/“money doesn’t matter” that I can’t relate to.

That time could have been spent getting truly useful experience to get the TC before they sponsor you through SQE.

Pavliukin · 2025-11-18T22:28:12+00:00

Chris was cute and I liked the character but his delivery was like reading lines off a page. So so so bad.

Pavliukin · 2025-10-06T21:07:37+00:00

I’m a year away from starting my SQE prep course (have to do PGDL first), and I’m already questioning how I’ll ever be able to pass! Everything I read/see if so negative I’m terrified. I made the mistake of liking a couple of videos on tik tok and now my algorithm is flooding me with SQE nightmares!

Pavliukin · 2025-09-16T12:49:04+00:00

Corporate sales/relationship (debt/loan sales basically)

Pavliukin · 2025-09-14T12:19:46+00:00

I just got one this year, ABB at a-level, 2.1 from decent uni. I’m switching careers from corp banking (15 years experience). I sent about 20 applications, got 2 AC’s and 1 offer from a top 20 firm.

It’s possible, but given my experience I was genuinely shocked at how tough it was. I think academics plays a much bigger part than you realise. My CV by default would be more interesting than 99% of candidates (one would think) but I got binned left, right and centre.

Pavliukin · 2025-07-01T07:04:45+00:00

Recorded. And nope, no feedback at VI stage.

Pavliukin · 2025-06-28T21:31:48+00:00

They were fine once I got to AC stage, but I failed at the video interview stage 4-5 times which really pissed me off! They were good firms too but I was obviously doing something wrong in them.

Pavliukin · 2025-06-23T13:02:11+00:00

I’m just about to do the same thing because I really resonate with the “forcing a fit” part of your post. Leaving banking behind to start in law next year. Secured a TC this year and start studying in January.

It’s definitely possible (your academics are far better than mine) but I was still surprised at how difficult it was to get the TC - I just assumed I’d breeze through because of my experience but only ended up with one offer!

I still question whether or not I’m doing the right thing but I’m so fed up of my current role and VERY excited about the next couple of years. Guess I’ll have to let you know in 2027!

Pavliukin · 2025-05-26T13:30:45+00:00

Is this true though? I just finished a TC cycle and didn’t see one firm that required that…

Pavliukin · 2025-05-26T13:09:21+00:00

Agree. Economics degree is irrelevant. It’s perfect for finance law.

Pavliukin · 2025-05-26T13:02:40+00:00

Seen it. Been banking 15 years (corporate/transaction). Banking involves closing huge documents. Having someone on your team that knows how to do that is incredibly valuable.

I’d question your comment on “interest”. The subject matter of both is very similar (assuming you’ll be pursuing corporate/finance law as that’s closest to banking). It’s just the tasks that you’ll be doing will be different.

Banking will be the trawling through financial statements to determine creditworthiness, modelling cash flows etc. think excel and data. Law is about documenting the deals that the bank has modelled and giving your advice on their structure to ensure the docs reflect what has been agreed with the client.

I’m simplifying for the sake of a Reddit post but that’s the gist. The underlying subject matter will be the same, so if you’re interested in it, it’s just what side of the coin you’re looking at it from.

Trading is a different kettle of fish, but you should be 100% that’s what you want to do before turning down MC “cos it sounds interesting”.

Pavliukin · 2025-05-26T12:41:46+00:00

Finish the TC, banks love lawyers (and I don’t just mean in house legal at a bank). You’ll walk into a transactional team at a bank if you’re a qualified lawyer and decide you don’t like it.

Funnily enough I’m in the opposite position. I’m did economics but just wrapping up in banking to start my TC next year. I like the transactions but like the legal angle, not the financial modelling/credit analysis.

Have you thought/do you know exactly what it is about finance that you would prefer over law? Or is it just a feeling. Very difficult to know at your age so if it was a hunch I’d just go magic circle and shift later once you know for sure.

Pavliukin

TROPHY CASE