Topic: The University of Liverpool

[Kez]

Oh heck whats another 10K on the 13K debt I'll already have

One thing that's confusing me at the moment though...my second Uni year starts now (Sept 2005) so my timetable is as follows -

05-06 2nd yr
06-07 3rd yr
07-08 LPC
08-09 - 1st yr training

So having had a quick look and not really understood what I'm reading...I have to apply for my LPC in this academic year and 2006 summer, right? So when do I apply for training for that - now? Or is that from September next year? I've had a look at a couple of firms' websites and they say that I have to apply now for TCs for 2007. That's not me, is it?

[Rizla]

Oh heck whats another 10K on the 13K debt I'll already have

One thing that's confusing me at the moment though...my second Uni year starts now (Sept 2005) so my timetable is as follows -

05-06 2nd yr
06-07 3rd yr
07-08 LPC
08-09 - 1st yr training

So having had a quick look and not really understood what I'm reading...I have to apply for my LPC in this academic year and 2006 summer, right? So when do I apply for training for that - now? Or is that from September next year? I've had a look at a couple of firms' websites and they say that I have to apply now for TCs for 2007. That's not me, is it?

No. You'll be doing the LPC that year. Wher I live most of the 2007 deadlines have passed but up north they may be a little more varied on the deadlines. You want one which starts in September 2008...which means that you may need to wait until January onwards to apply. Find experience now  for next summer if you can and apply next summer, before July 31 ideally, but there will probably be lots of firms in the North West whose 2008 starting deadline extends until the end of 2006 in to 2007. No real rush yet

For me, I will probably have to take a gap year next year. No other option really. However, the majority of people on my LPC course have not yet secured a contract so theres no real need to rush too much. An early start may help, though

[Jase]

There's a lot of local firms at the top end of Smithdown by the Tesco in Mossley Hill that I was going to write some polite begging letters to,

Pens at dawn then mate, let battle commence. I was going to do exactly the same thing Even better as I can crawl out of my house and walk around the corner.

[Jase]

What I'm planning to do is hopefully complete my GDL this year and pass, then do my LPC on a two-year basis, or take a year out and use that 1-2 years to get a decent job that'll pay well to fund some of the course, get some decent legal work experience and hopefully gives me a bit more time to apply to firms and sell myself in a better light than I can do now.

[Rizla]

Be warned

The GDL is hellishly difficult. Somehow I got a Commendation but that's cos i'm clever . However, the end of year exams are amongst the most stressful I have ever experienced. A year off doing something else before the LPC is not a bad idea in theory, was thinking of doing that myself, but parental [and grandparental] pressures and the impression I gained that it might sound to a firm you might be uncommitted and hedging your bets a bit persuaded me otherwise

[Jase]

Be warned

The GDL is hellishly difficult. Somehow I got a Commendation but that's cos i'm clever . However, the end of year exams are amongst the most stressful I have ever experienced. A year off doing something else before the LPC is not a bad idea in theory, was thinking of doing that myself, but parental [and grandparental] pressures and the impression I gained that it might sound to a firm you might be uncommitted and hedging your bets a bit persuaded me otherwise

Aye, already can see it'll be a bit of a beast getting through this GDL. Ah well, we'll see anyway! I think the main way I'd sell the two year LPC or the year break is through using the time wisely to gain legal work experience (the CAB are keen to take me on, so this is an option), stuff like that. It also helps to gain financial rewards, allowing me to be more independent and not relying on another big bank loan.

[Rizla]

Aye, already can see it'll be a bit of a beast getting through this GDL. Ah well, we'll see anyway! I think the main way I'd sell the two year LPC or the year break is through using the time wisely to gain legal work experience (the CAB are keen to take me on, so this is an option), stuff like that. It also helps to gain financial rewards, allowing me to be more independent and not relying on another big bank loan.

If you are going to follow one of these options, go for the year off then the full time LPC. The part time LPC is only on one day a week, you will probably work on the other days, but a firm may prefer it if you did the course full time in a year [as your potential grade could be inflated by the greater amount of time you may have to do the assignments], so if you can, get a law related job for a year and do the course in one go the next

[Kez]

No. You'll be doing the LPC that year. Wher I live most of the 2007 deadlines have passed but up north they may be a little more varied on the deadlines. You want one which starts in September 2008...which means that you may need to wait until January onwards to apply. Find experience now  for next summer if you can and apply next summer, before July 31 ideally, but there will probably be lots of firms in the North West whose 2008 starting deadline extends until the end of 2006 in to 2007. No real rush yet

For me, I will probably have to take a gap year next year. No other option really. However, the majority of people on my LPC course have not yet secured a contract so theres no real need to rush too much. An early start may help, though

Riiight thanks, that makes sense now! Yes northern firms seem to have later deadlines for candidates. I think they realise that a lot of people go down south, get rejected by all and sundry and then go back up north. I think that one of the areas I'm looking to go into might help me a bit as well. Am quite interested in the idea of Mental Health law, Sports law or at a push becoming a criminal solicitor advocate. Still, I've got until Xmas to find myself experience for Easter/Summer and until about July to soound out firms I'd like to work at and apply. I already know one - Hill Dickinson. They like local people, apparently.

[Kez]

Sign up for tutorials online they say...sure we say...starts on Monday 26th they say, but do they give you a time? Do they bollocks. Gonna be sitting here until I can register and been up since 8

[Graham Smith]

Riiight thanks, that makes sense now! Yes northern firms seem to have later deadlines for candidates. I think they realise that a lot of people go down south, get rejected by all and sundry and then go back up north. I think that one of the areas I'm looking to go into might help me a bit as well. Am quite interested in the idea of Mental Health law, Sports law or at a push becoming a criminal solicitor advocate. Still, I've got until Xmas to find myself experience for Easter/Summer and until about July to soound out firms I'd like to work at and apply. I already know one - Hill Dickinson. They like local people, apparently.

Most local firms will prefer local candidates - beware the pretend local firms who are just national firms in Liverpool. They'll probably have a central recruitment approach.

My experience of recruiting (Mangaing Partner of 11 partner, 170 staff Merseyside practice) is to try and look behind the cv. 2:2s aren't discarded - the best lawyers are definitely not the best academics. Regularly it is the opposite.

Look to stand out - better work experience, varied interests, commitment to the law and most of all business acumen score heavily with me.

Good luck.

[Kez]

I'm trying to further my commitment to the law by signing up for my tutorials...except that Liverpool Uni law dept are shite and want to play guessing games over when they will let us register, preferring to give us a date and not a time. Ive been sittin here for 2 hours waiting to sign up...I've got other things to do today and my bum is going numb

[Graham Smith]

I'm trying to further my commitment to the law by signing up for my tutorials...except that Liverpool Uni law dept are shite and want to play guessing games over when they will let us register, preferring to give us a date and not a time. Ive been sittin here for 2 hours waiting to sign up...I've got other things to do today and my bum is going numb

Cushion?

Comfort eating?

[Kez]

lol yeah might go and get a pillow. I'm standing up for the time being...new perspective and all that. I'm on my 3rd cup of coffee trying to stay awake.

[Graham Smith]

lol yeah might go and get a pillow. I'm standing up for the time being...new perspective and all that. I'm on my 3rd cup of coffee trying to stay awake.

Another tip about training contracts is the local Liverpool Law Society. - Based in the basement of Castle Chambers on Castle Street.

They've got a website too.

http://www.liverpoollawsociety.org.uk/home/about.php

[Kez]

ooh thanks for that

[Graham Smith]

ooh thanks for that

Welcome

[Kez]

3 fecking hours I've been waiting now...this is beyond a joke. Last year they screwed up so we could sign up 24hrs early, this year we can't sign up at all. I've got better things to do than sit around waiting for them to get their arses in gear and sort this out. I've books to buy, cheques to pay in, work to do and a job to find and yet I'm stuck here waiting for the Law IT department to pull its fucking finger out.

[Kez]

3 1/2 hours and still nothing.

[Graham Smith]

If you fancy being a solicitor-advocate get used to the waiting round.

[Kez]

lol true...good point. It's not the waiting around that bothers me, it's the incompetence. "Tutorials will be availale for selection from Monday 26th" - well that's today, but when today? At least if I was sitting around as an SA I'd be getting paid for it.

[Graham Smith]

About Ł40 per hour on CLS rates.

[Kez]

That's Ł40 more than I'm getting paid right now!

[Graham Smith]

You don't get that - the Ł40 goes to your firm to cover overheads - premises, secretarial staff, insurance, telephones, stationery etc

And of course, you.

[Kez]

Yes, but I'd still be getting paid! I'd have a salary! I'm getting all these emails from lecturers telling me that my tutorial sheets are ready for collection from such and such a place...well that's nice, but I've yet to be able to sign up to a tutorial to use them in!

[lloydiethe1st]

I'm going on the open day tomorrow. It seems to be a pain in the arse as there's loads of different talks going on about various things which I need to go to because I haven't got a clue about any of this University shit.

Anybody got any tips about Uni related things?

[Kez]

We're having an open day tomorrow? Didn't know about that one!

Go to the talks held by the department you want to study in.
Go to a finance talk about tuition fees, loans and payment because all that is changing as of next years entry.
Go on a Halls tour.

[Boston_Red]

I asked for information sent to my house  in the states, I can't wait for it to come.  Any informaton about the MBA School is much appreciated.  Thanks!

[Kez]

I asked for information sent to my house  in the states, I can't wait for it to come.  Any informaton about the MBA School is much appreciated.  Thanks!

What's an MBA?

[Mark.]

I went to the Open Day today and I was really impressed. Courses i'm looking at are a combined honours science degree, doing both business studies and geography. Other possible degree would be Geography for management, which again, really appeals.

The accomodation looks great, set in really nice locations of Liverpool and the ease with which you can get around is impressive. People were really great today too.

What are the sort of good student bars in the area? Are they in the city centre?

[Boston_Red]

What's an MBA?

Masters of Business

MArk, good to know you were impressed; I wish it was easy for me to get person/person information like you! Hopefully when I catch a match soon Ill be able to meet someone.

[Kez]

I went to the Open Day today and I was really impressed. Courses i'm looking at are a combined honours science degree, doing both business studies and geography. Other possible degree would be Geography for management, which again, really appeals.

The accomodation looks great, set in really nice locations of Liverpool and the ease with which you can get around is impressive. People were really great today too.

What are the sort of good student bars in the area? Are they in the city centre?

Did they show you the lovely, wooden floored, big rooms in Greenbank or did they actually take you to Carnatic and show you the room you'll most likely get?

There's a bar each at Greenbank and Carnatic, and other than the ones in the guild there are no "student only" bars, but most places in Liverpool have student only nights.

[Hightown Phil]

Geography for management, which again, really appeals.

That's what I do.

At Liverpool. Need anything, give us a shout.

[Mark.]

Masters of Business

MArk, good to know you were impressed; I wish it was easy for me to get person/person information like you! Hopefully when I catch a match soon Ill be able to meet someone.

If you ever need any information on what it's like just give us a shout. When you're next up you could probably be able to organise a campus tour of the University, which I hear are very useful also.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

English course, if anyone does it. Good?

My mate is on it and says its good - he's thought of stuff in different ways than earlier apparently

[Lush is the best medicine...]

I asked for information sent to my house  in the states, I can't wait for it to come.  Any informaton about the MBA School is much appreciated.  Thanks!

http://www.liv.ac.uk/management/postgraduate/postgraduate.htm - some info there for ya

[Boston_Red]

http://www.liv.ac.uk/management/postgraduate/postgraduate.htm - some info there for ya

Thanks a lot...I hope to apply soon.  Any more information is much appreciated, especially male/female ratio!

[Lush is the best medicine...]

Thanks a lot...I hope to apply soon.  Any more information is much appreciated, especially male/female ratio!

doing economics undergrad degree here - in 3 years I can count the number of 7+ out of 10s I have seen in my lectures on two hands!

[Boston_Red]

doing economics undergrad degree here - in 3 years I can count the number of 7+ out of 10s I have seen in my lectures on two hands!

That is not good however I shall seek them out.  I'll attend some women study classes!  Are you in with me?

[Lush is the best medicine...]

That is not good however I shall seek them out.  I'll attend some women study classes!  Are you in with me?

you doing it next year? I maybe doing a masters, depends on whether I can get a job or not!

[Boston_Red]

you doing it next year? I maybe doing a masters, depends on whether I can get a job or not!

Not sure yet, it depends if I can get my act together quickly and if I can save up enough money!