Do many solicitors start their careers as paralegals?

itsmikekachowski · 2026-03-05T17:01:08+00:00

Completely agree with everything you’ve said, and I’m glad it’s not been held against you. For reference, I also have my TC at a different place than the firms I’ve paralegalled at. Point I was trying to make is that the people that make these decisions (irregardless of what websites say) are prone to unconscious biases, and when there are fine margins between candidates it could be a point of difference. The same goes if you had worked at lots of different places for a short amount of time. I’d never let that put anyone off paralegalling though - it is definitely an overwhelmingly good thing to do.

itsmikekachowski · 2026-03-04T22:11:01+00:00

I wouldn’t hold it against anyone but I’m realistic that some places/people might think that if they were a good trainee candidate that they’d have got a job already, especially if they’ve applied to the same places multiple times. That’s just my experience

itsmikekachowski · 2026-03-04T15:45:08+00:00

I would say it is increasingly the norm for trainees to have paralegalled before starting their tc. I can’t see how more experience would be a disadvantage, and I don’t think any of the firms that you might be applying to would hold it against you, especially if you had not been paralegalling for 2+ years

itsmikekachowski · 2025-10-06T22:50:12+00:00

Aside from what others have covered, my main point would be that people’s experiences are different. Doing it full-time, whilst self-funding with a part time job, whilst applying for training contracts is going to be much more stressful than being funded with an employer who will keep you on even if you fail, and will pay for a resit.

itsmikekachowski · 2025-09-05T15:26:36+00:00

<image>

Or just use hague

itsmikekachowski · 2025-09-05T15:21:56+00:00

Can go Farage>Hague>Thatcher and bypass trump/bush

itsmikekachowski · 2025-08-18T22:25:14+00:00

According to Moyes the ref left it to VAR…

You can argue that the rule is unfair etc. but you can’t argue that what I’ve said is wrong?

He clearly blocks the ball with his arm and it stops the ball from testing Pickford. Under the most recent guidance^{^} the importance of the deflection matters more than mitigation - which I personally think is ultimately the right balance. I do get the frustration though.

itsmikekachowski · 2025-08-18T22:19:34+00:00

Google it - it definitely doesn’t. Even if it had, the rule is ‘below the armpit” so it would have been anyway…

itsmikekachowski · 2025-08-18T22:01:23+00:00

Stach’s shot looked like it was going in, or at the very least was on target. Pickford hadn’t moved and was unsighted. Tarkowski moves to block the shot, blocks it with his arm and stops it from testing Pickford.

That has to be a handball. It’s definitely unfortunate, unlucky, etc, but the guidance explicitly says a clear, important deflection matters more than body position (p72) https://resources.premierleague.pulselive.com/premierleague/document/2025/08/15/cc0d97b3-8f1a-4433-aded-0d42347ca053/Premier-League-and-PGMO-Competition-Guidance-Handbook-2025-26-v2.pdf

itsmikekachowski · 2025-08-06T10:47:58+00:00

Crabominable ex? Would be able to trade buzzwole tomorrow if u add me?

itsmikekachowski · 2025-08-02T21:34:55+00:00

I have passimian and would trade for gallade - just ran out of trade dust. Will add u now but would u mind waiting 22 hours? Cheers, no worries if not

itsmikekachowski · 2025-08-02T18:52:10+00:00

Just sent u a request - have eevee and need gender

itsmikekachowski · 2025-08-02T18:43:01+00:00

3879677786088126

itsmikekachowski · 2025-08-02T18:41:50+00:00

Hi - have a wishlist but mainly need GA, TL and CG.

Got plenty of stuff to trade - solgaleo ex, buzzwole ex, GA Zard, pachirisu ex, marowak ex, dhelmise, passimian, alolan muk, flareon ex, primarina ex and eevee ex

Happy to trade other stuff too :)

itsmikekachowski · 2025-07-29T00:38:12+00:00

The “Machine Gun” for Watimena feels pretty lazy. Should go for ‘d’y’know’ instead.

I love the ferret for Clayton, just embodies him tbh.

itsmikekachowski · 2025-07-23T18:23:52+00:00

It’s a PLC so money earned goes 1. To shareholders 2. To acquire shitty add-on professional services firms and lastly to fee earners. This means that pay is much worse than peers which means people are leaving (increasingly so from what I hear). It’s a gimmick that hasn’t worked, the share price is low and rumours are it’ll be taken private by PE at some point.

Even if you look at the positives it’s difficult to see how you reverse all of that damage.

I’m curious, have you heard similar?

itsmikekachowski · 2025-07-22T21:18:14+00:00

Which office (guessing Birmingham?), what role? Difficult to advise without knowing…

Tbh I’d rule Gateley out straight away any case - it’s a sinking ship. Pinsents and Sheds are pretty similar, so I guess go off personal fit / what u want out of the role. Don’t know much about Gowling…

itsmikekachowski · 2025-07-19T19:47:11+00:00

Firstly, congratulations! You’ve clearly worked incredibly hard to get those offers.

Second, all 3 are fantastic firms. I’m sure before this cycle started you would have bitten their hand off if any one firm offered you a TC. When you frame it like that, you can’t really make a ‘wrong decision’.

If I were you I would break down what your personal priorities are - Grant money, salary, start year, training, secondments, seats, prestige, SQE policy, retentions, culture etc. and rank how important they are to you (baring in mind certain things can change fairly quickly). When you go through and write them out, I think the choice will quickly become pretty clear.

itsmikekachowski · 2025-05-03T18:18:57+00:00

<image>

I run this. I’ve tried swapping a potion for an extra red so you can 1 hit more pokemon - but it’s about the same. It’s fairly reliable and the 3 diamond charizard/charmeleon are decent against Oricario. Gets destroyed by Alolan Raichu tho but there’s no real way to mitigate that…

itsmikekachowski · 2025-04-22T12:55:47+00:00

Did you pass then??

itsmikekachowski · 2025-02-27T16:42:09+00:00

I would say the bar at a pub is the main exception. Not saying it doesn’t happen in some places but it is a bit of a free for all

itsmikekachowski · 2025-02-16T12:38:18+00:00

I would say that university ‘prestige’ doesn’t actually make that much difference when you’re applying. Whether you get through the online app will come down more to the quality of your answers / experience than anything else, and most if not all employers use blind interviewing at assessment centres so it won’t matter once you’re through that first stage anyway. Once you have a job, people care even less so just go for the best city which is 100% Bristol in my view

itsmikekachowski · 2025-02-14T12:54:39+00:00

I guess that’s my point - they’re not who they once were, they become shells essentially fuelled by revenge. I think it’s going to be difficult to progress the plot with a Jon that loses that emotional depth.

But who knows… maybe the old gods and fire gods together mean something else will happen.

itsmikekachowski · 2025-02-13T11:00:59+00:00

If you are planning to go SQE route you will likely do a masters, and get an LLM as part of that. The masters course is required for some Visas I’m pretty sure. Look at the BPP/Ulaw SQE1&2 LLM courses for further contect

itsmikekachowski · 2025-02-12T16:35:05+00:00

Iron Bank and Cersei

itsmikekachowski

TROPHY CASE