Saad Khalil and Samantha Wong from Legal Cheek discuss application basics ahead of the law firm application cycle 2024/25, including what 'vacation scheme' means, how to choose the right firms for you and what to look for when researching firms.

Rounding off our legal history podcast mini-series, Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge and former Allen & Overy corporate partner Alan Paul sit down once again to chat about the legal industry — this time from 2016 to the present day.

Alex and Alan discuss the busy and turbulent seven years, covering events including Brexit, the election of Donald Trump, Covid-19 lockdowns and how this all impacted and shaped the legal industry.

If you enjoyed this standalone episode, make sure to check out our previous podcasts in the series where Alan and Alex explore corporate law back from 1978 until the present day.

In this episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast, City lawyer Eloise Skinner discusses essential skills to cultivate during the early stages of your legal career -- whether you’re an NQ fresh from a retention round, a training contract holder or even an aspiring lawyer. To prepare you for law firm life, Skinner breaks her advice down into three sections: the importance of staying curious, ways of upskilling, and building your personal brand. 

How do you stay resilient in the face of failure? In this episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast, Eloise Skinner speaks to Richard Youle, private equity partner at Skadden, who discusses the importance of being organised, asking for constructive feedback and knowing when to ask yourself, ‘is this the right job for me?’ This episode was recorded before the lockdown.

Many of us will have a bit more time on our hands than we expected this summer.  It’s tempting to sink into an endless cycle of Netflix and TikTok – but once you get bored with that, what could you be doing with your time?  In this episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast, Eloise Skinner, corporate lawyer and author, will discuss ways aspiring lawyers can be more productive during the lockdown.

On this episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast, we speak to Lewis Baxter, a 21 year old Durham law student and mental health advocate, about battling depression, public speaking, founding mental health organisation The Blurred Line Group,  and his top time-management tips for getting it all done.

Want to know how to build a brand as a lawyer?  Wondering how to balance your personal interests with your career?  In this episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast, we chat to Chrissie Wolfe, YouTube star and personal injury lawyer – about all of that and more.

As part of Legal Cheek’s podcast series, a trio of City lawyers reflect on their reasons for pursuing a career in law and how their passion for their respective practice areas has developed over time.

We are back for a third edition of Legal Cheek’s new legal history podcast mini-series!

In this episode, former Allen & Overy partner Alan Paul looks back on his time as a top corporate dealmaker during the global financial crisis of 2007-08 and the chaos that ensued in the years after. In conversation with Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge, Alan looks back on many of the factors that led to the crash, how it all went so wrong and the impact on the legal industry, both at the time and today.

This is a standalone podcast, but if you enjoyed it make sure to check out our previous episodes where Alan and Alex look back on corporate law in the 1980s and 90s.

In the second episode of Legal Cheek’s legal history podcast series, Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge is joined again by former Allen & Overy partner Alan Paul. Alan looks back on his time as a corporate law star in a period of rapid growth and globalisation for law firms in the City. He walks us from 1993 into the new millennium and through the build up to the historic financial crash of 2008, considering some of the key factors that led to the crisis.

This is a standalone podcast episode, but if you enjoyed this episode make sure to listen to the previous edition in the series, where Alan and Alex discuss corporate law in the 80s.

On the first of Legal Cheek’s new legal history podcast mini-series, Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge sits down with Alan Paul, former Allen & Overy partner and corporate law star. Alan reflects on his career journey from trainee solicitor in the late 1970s, during the Winter of Discontent and at the beginning of Margaret Thatcher’s term as UK Prime Minister, to Magic Circle partner by the mid-80s, and through until the end of the decade. He discusses the stark differences between his experience and what lawyers face today, but also the similarly testing economic and social environments at that time and now.

If you’re unfamiliar with the BNOCs of law-gram, rest assured that Lucy Cole (also known as @lucydoeslaw) is one of them. With nearly 10,000 followers, the future Clifford Chance trainee is known for embracing Instagram’s Stories, TV and Reels features to share her study and application tips with the masses.

In this episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast, Lucy looks back at her studygramming journey so far, explaining how she copes with the pressures of social media and her advice to those wanting to follow in her footsteps.

After more than a year of working from home, the traditional side of the sector seems set to embrace a new ‘new normal’: hybrid working. But will this be enough for lawyers in traditional firms? Or will their new taste for flexibility drive them to NewLaw firms, such as Level, that are shaking-up the traditional ways of working in law? In this podcast, Level’s founding partners Dan Lowen and Morris Bentata share their predictions ahead of today’s virtual conference, Living Room Law. We also hear from the Level’s head of growth, Amy Sullivan, who discusses the firm's new training contract, which embraces the new SQE approach to qualification.

Shortly after training at a magic circle law firm, Coker had an epiphany: a busy career in commercial law shouldn’t require sacrificing doing the things you love. Since then, Coker has joined the new wave of lawyers doing things differently, as she now balances life as a legal consultant for Re:link, Linklaters’ network of flexible lawyers working on a regular fixed term basis, alongside her photography, art and lifestyle business. On the latest episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast, Coker looks back on her search for flexibility, and reveals what it takes to become a contracting lawyer.

Students have had a tough time during the pandemic, with many finding that online teaching doesn’t quite match the in-person experience and some disappointed with their universities’ responses to the COVID lockdowns. In law, a group of BPP University students have been particularly vocal with their complaints, publishing an open letter outlining their unhappiness with delivery of the Legal Practice Course (LPC). This letter has been reported widely across the legal press. Legal Cheek reporter Adam Mawardi sat down with one of this group of BPP students to hear first-hand their claims and complaints. Listen to their interview in latest episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast now.

Public speaking is a key part of everyday lawyer life – from simple team meetings to advising clients on conference calls. Meanwhile, as remote working continues to reshape the delivery of legal services, clear communication is important now more than ever. In this episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast, City lawyer Eloise Skinner offers tips and tricks to improve your public speaking skills.

Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge and writer Lydia Fontes discuss potential funding changes for solicitor apprenticeships, Herbert Smith Freehills' proposed merger with Kramer Levin and why criminal barristers are leaving the bar.

Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge and writer Lydia Fontes discuss growing salaries for newly qualified solicitors, the upcoming independent review of the SQE and the news that the UK's legal services sector turnover has reached £44 billion.

Read more about these stories on Legal Cheek:

https://www.legalcheek.com/2024/12/big-billables-bigger-salaries-are-junior-lawyers-paying-the-price-for-their-principles/

https://www.legalcheek.com/2024/12/regulator-commissions-independent-review-of-sqe/

https://www.legalcheek.com/2024/12/uk-legal-sector-turnover-hits-44-billion/

What effect will AI have on junior lawyers? How many trainees will firms take on? Will we see another high-profile law firm merger? Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge and writer Lydia Fontes discuss what's coming for the legal profession in 2025.

Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge and writer Lydia Fontes discuss Dr Charlotte Proudman's victory over the Bar Standards Board as all five charges against her are dropped, the news that three of the allegations against Jo Sidhu have been proved, and the astonishing earnings of first year commercial barristers at top sets.

Read more about these stories on Legal Cheek:

https://www.legalcheek.com/2024/12/top-feminist-barrister-blasts-bsb-after-boys-club-tweet-charges-dropped/

https://www.legalcheek.com/2024/12/top-kc-guilty-of-professional-misconduct-over-inappropriate-sexual-behaviour/

https://www.legalcheek.com/2024/12/first-year-barristers-at-elite-commercial-chambers-can-earn-twice-as-much-as-us-firm-nqs/

Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge and writer Lydia Fontes discuss a recent LinkedIn post in which a law graduate vented their frustration after being rejected from a paralegal position. We ask how law students should approach posting on LinkedIn while trying to break in to the legal profession.

Read more about this story on Legal Cheek:

https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/01/law-graduate-rejected-for-a-paralegal-role-vents-frustration-on-linkedin/

Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge and writer Lydia Fontes discuss a recent Reddit thread which reveals the longest days that lawyers have worked. We talk about how common these crazy working days are, the culture that encourages them and what you need to know about yourself before embarking on a career in corporate law.

The Legal Cheek team discuss the news that Simmons & Simmons are raising their Bristol NQ salary to £96k, setting a record for regional junior pay. We explore how the salary increase will affect the Bristol legal market and what it means for those pursuing training contracts.

Read the story on Legal Cheek: https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/01/simmons-sets-record-with-96k-salary-for-bristol-nq-solicitors/

Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge and writer Lydia Fontes discuss the Bar Council's decision to ban the use of AI tools likes ChatGPT and DeepSeek in pupillage applications. We ask how effective these tools really are for law applications and offer some advice for aspiring lawyers considering using AI to secure their dream career.

Read the story here: https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/01/budding-barristers-barred-from-using-ai-in-pupillage-applications/

Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge and writer Lydia Fontes discuss the law firms who have struck deals with the Trump administration following the President's hostile executive orders. We explore the options facing associates and partners at these firms and what this will mean for US law firms in the UK.

Legal Cheek writers Lydia Fontes and Angus Simpson discuss the mixed messaging around AI, asking whether law students should view the technology as a necessary tool or a risky liability?

Articles we discuss:

Judge fury after ‘fake’ cases cited by rookie barrister in High Court: https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/05/judge-fury-after-fake-cases-cited-by-rookie-barrister-in-high-court/

SRA approves 'AI-driven' law firm: https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/05/sra-approves-ai-driven-law-firm/

Shoosmiths offers £1 million bonus pot to encourage AI use among staff: https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/04/shoosmiths-offers-1-million-bonus-pot-to-encourage-ai-use-among-staff/

‘Silly examples of bad practice’ are no reason to shun AI, says top judge: https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/02/silly-examples-of-bad-practice-are-no-reason-to-shun-ai-says-master-of-the-rolls/

Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge and writer Lydia Fontes discuss the news that corporate law firm Hill Dickinson will sponsor Everton Football Club's new stadium.

While critics might call it a waste of money, we explain why it could be a genius bold marketing move.

The Legal Cheek team discuss the aspiring barrister who went viral on LinkedIn for taking his job search back to basics. Is this the new strategy in an increasingly competitive job market? And what is this first-class AI and computer science graduate doing becoming a lawyer in the first place?

We also discuss the news that the "Godfather of AI", Geoffrey Hinton, told the Diary of a CEO podcast that AI spells trouble for paralegals. How often are these sorts of predictions true? And is the legal market as vulnerable to AI replacement as is often made out?

The Legal Cheek podcast is BACK! This week we kick off by discussing the recent rises in salaries for newly qualified lawyers. We dig into what this means for the legal industry as well as addressing complaints of "salary bunching" from lawyers further up the food chain.

And is this continual rise in NQ pay having an affect of the amount of qualifying trainees that firms keep on? We examine reports that retention rates are dropping and discuss the figures which firms have released so far.

Finally, we touch on a student-led petition to reform the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE) which has garnered attention from mainstream media outlets as well as from former home secretary Suella Braverman. Is this an example of Gen Z snowflake culture (as Braverman suggests) or valid criticism of a flawed set of exams?

Read more about these stories on Legal Cheek:

https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/08/im-not-a-wet-lettuce-trainee-solicitor-behind-sqe-petition-hits-back-at-bravermans-snowflake-jibe/

https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/beyond-nq-whats-the-salary-progression-like-at-your-firm/

https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/08/clifford-chance-retains-49-of-57-qualifying-trainees/

https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/mayer-brown-matches-magic-circle-nq-pay-at-150k/

Big Law is no stranger to major mergers -- many of the most prestigious City firms were formed through international tie ups and partnerships. However, in the past month legal headlines have been hit by a wave of major law firm tie-ups with a distinctly transatlantic flavour. In this episode, Legal Cheek’s Julia Szanislo and Ryan Scott sit down to discuss the proposed deals between Ashurst and Perkins Coie, Taylor Wessing and Winston & Strawn, and Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader and what they mean for the legal market and beyond.

Read more here:https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/11/ashurst-to-merge-with-perkins-coie-to-create-global-megafirm/

https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/12/taylor-wessing-and-winston-strawn-to-form-new-transatlantic-giant-winston-taylor/

https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/12/hogan-lovells-and-cadwalader-gear-up-for-3-6bn-mega-merger/

Ever since its introduction in 2021, the SQE has been nostranger to controversy. Originally conceived as a way to simplify the pathway to qualification, one of the SRA’s key pledges was a commitment to disclosing the pass rates of individual course providers. However, this promise has been plagued by delays, with disclosure initially set for ‘late 2023’. Legal Cheek’s Julia Szaniszlo and Tom Connelly sit down to discuss what this means for students, as well as some of the other issues the SQE has faced since its rollout.

Read more here:

https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/12/data-collection-flaw-leaves-sra-unable-to-publish-sqe-provider-pass-rates/

https://www.legalcheek.com/2023/12/sra-misses-deadline-for-publishing-sqe-provider-pass-rates/

https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/12/student-confidence-in-sqe-takes-a-hit-despite-rising-law-firm-support/

Before you even start writing that next law firm application, you need to do your research! With plenty of vac scheme and training contract deadlines still open, Legal Cheek’s Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott sit down to discuss the importance of law firm research and talk you through the whole gamut of approaches, from just starting out, to navigating firm webpages  and the good old LinkedIn reach-out.

Legal tech is the buzzword on every firm’s lips — and for good reason. From automated contract drafting to AI-assisted doc review, legal tech is rapidly reshaping how legal work gets done. In this episode, Legal Cheek’s Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott cut through the hype to explore how firms are actually using legal tech, what it means for trainees and junior lawyers, and whether robots are really about to steal your jobs.

https://www.legalcheek.com/lc-journal-posts/will-legal-tech-doom-the-billable-hours-model-for-law-firms/

https://www.legalcheek.com/lc-careers-posts/6-reasons-why-future-trainees-need-to-engage-with-legal-tech/

https://www.legalcheek.com/lc-careers-posts/legal-tech-what-aspiring-lawyers-really-need-to-know/

What key commercial themes should every aspiring solicitor know about? Legal Cheek’s Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott return to break down some of the major commercial trends shaping the legal and business world in 2026. Whether you’re still drafting applications or preparing for interviews, this episode explores the topics future lawyers need to understand, from geopolitical volatility and the growth of private capital to the evolving hiring landscape of Big Law in the UK.

When preparing for law firm interviews, most candidates rehearse the classics: Why law? Why this firm? But every so often, you’re thrown a curveball that makes you wonder why you bothered preparing at all. In this episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott unpack some of the weirdest and wackiest interview questions our listeners have faced, from “What kind of tree would you be?” to “What gets you out of bed in the morning?”

As part of the new Practice Area Deep Dive series, this episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast takes a look at the world of dispute resolution. Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott explore what the practice involves, the kinds of work trainees and lawyers can expect to get involved in and the key trends shaping the area, from litigation funding to class actions.

The second episode of the new Practice Area Deep Dive series is taking a look at Corporate M&A! Legal Cheek’s  Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott take you through the lifecycle and key documentation of an M&A deal, the kinds of work trainees and lawyers can expect to get involved in and the key trends shaping the area, from deal volume to regulatory scrutiny.

As we begin to approach the tail end of this application cycle, many of you may be feeling discouraged by the slew of rejections clogging up your inbox. You feel like you've done everything right, so where is that acceptance email?

Ryan Scott and Julia Szaniszlo are back at The Legal Cheek Podcast to give you some tried and tested tips for making your application stand out, from understanding the 'why' behind the 'what' to learning how to write like a lawyer. So, whether you're still sending out applications or gearing up to make the next cycle your best one yet, there's something in here for everyone. 

The latest episode of the Practice Area Deep Dive series turns the spotlight on employment law! Legal Cheek's Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott walk you through what employment lawyers actually get up to, from handling unfair dismissal claims to the role they play in corporate transactions. They also explain the key trends shaping the area right now, including what the Employment Rights Act’s incoming reforms mean for employers, employees, and the lawyers advising them.

https://www.legalcheek.com/lc-journal-posts/legal-takeaway-whos-who-for-deliveroo/https://www.freshfields.com/en/our-thinking/campaigns/employment-rights-act-2025-whats-changing-when-and-why-does-it-matter

This week on The Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott are back to take a look at the SQE. First introduced in 2021 as a way to democratise a historically inaccessible profession, the SQE has had a rather bumpy ride, marred by controversies surrounding pass rates, exam difficulty and administrative errors. We take a look at how the SQE came to be, the key differences it has to the LPC route, and why so many candidates have "lost confidence" in the exam. From the promise of flexible qualifying work experience to the reality of cut-throat TC conditions, a 41% all-time low pass rate, and the Kaplan grading scandal that saw 175 students wrongly told they had failed, we ask whether the SQE has truly opened up the profession or simply swapped one set of barriers for another.

The trailblazer apprenticeships have done exactly what it says on the tin – they've set a new standard for routes into the legal profession, and the numbers speak for themselves.

This week on the Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott discuss the meteoric rise of the solicitor apprenticeship route, its merits and what kinds of students may thrive in this environment.

Since its launch in 2016, the solicitor apprenticeship has grown from a niche alternative into a mainstream pathway now embraced by Magic Circle giants and US firms alike. Julia and Ryan break down how the scheme works, explore the financial and professional benefits, from competitive salaries to zero tuition fees, and weigh up who this route is really suited to, and who might be better off heading to university first.

Securing a training contract at a top firm can feel a bit like a lottery: countless applications, limited offers, and for many aspiring solicitors, the process can seem like luck of the draw.

This week on the Legal Cheek Podcast, Tom Connelly puts future Magic Circle trainee Ryan Scott in the hot seat to unpack how he successfully navigated the application process and landed a role at his dream firm.
They discuss the importance of planning your time effectively during the intense application season, as well as why a well-researched and carefully curated application is essential to standing out in a crowded field. The pair also explore the value of shortlisting firms strategically, going deeper than other candidates in your research, and clearly articulating your motivations.
Drawing on practical insights and experience — including lessons learned from working closely with graduate recruiters — they break down what separates successful applications from unsuccessful ones, alongside tips on building commercial awareness and performing at the later stages of the process.

Exam season is looming and, for law students, that usually means one thing: stress levels are rising and notes are piling higher by the day. But as with most things in law, success often comes down to getting the basics right.
This week on the Legal Cheek Podcast, Ryan Scott and Tom Connelly discuss seven practical revision tips to help you not just survive, but thrive this exam season.
From planning your time effectively and avoiding burnout, to using knowledge trackers, refining your study methods, and getting to grips with what examiners are really looking for, they share tried-and-tested strategies drawn from their own experiences of law school. They also dive into the importance of past papers, mark schemes, and why practising under pressure can make all the difference on the day.

This week on The Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Tom Connelly dig into why aspiring lawyers should be paying close attention to this often overlooked stat at their target firms.

Retention figures are one of the few hard data points that cut through polished recruitment marketing. High attrition can signal that the reality of working at a firm doesn’t match what was sold during the application process, and it has real consequences for both trainees and firms alike.

But headline figures need probing. Were trainees kept on permanently, or on a fixed-term basis? Retained into their preferred practice area, or wherever a spot existed? Transparency varies enormously between firms, and so does what the numbers actually mean for your career.

The numbers don't lie and when you're earning more in two days than most people make in a year, they don't need to.

This week on The Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Tom Connelly dig into the headline-grabbing financial results of Kirkland & Ellis, the first law firm in history to break the $10 billion revenue barrier, with profit per equity partner hitting a staggering $11.1 million (£8.2 million).

Julia and Tom break down what profit per equity partneractually means in practice, from the "eat what you kill" pressure that comes with it, to the eye-watering daily earnings that put even Premier League footballers to shame. They also explore the mechanics behind such extraordinary profitability: from the dominance of private capital to the growth of the non-equity partner tier that has turbocharged US firms’ margins across the City.

This week on the Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott break down how to succeed in the most demanding parts of the training contract application journey. Drawing on their firsthand experience navigating what can often be a gruelling five-, six-, or even seven-stage process, they share practical insights into what firms are really looking for beyond the written application.

The pair discuss how to approach interviews with confidence and structure, the best ways to prepare for online tests, and how to stand out at assessment centres. They also lift the lid on the vacation scheme — often described as a two-week interview — offering tips on how to perform well, make a strong impression, and convert it into a training contract offer.

Along the way, they reflect on the common pitfalls that trip candidates up at this stage, from underestimating the importance of commercial awareness to failing to engage fully with trainees and partners during the process. They also share practical strategies for maintaining energy and focus across multiple rounds, handling rejection, and building the resilience needed to see the process through to the end.

With the SQE ushering in alternate pathways to qualification, and the non-law graduate to solicitor pipeline becoming increasingly common, there is no longer a single standard route into the legal profession.

On this week’s Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott share their perspectives on whether aspiring solicitors should study law at university or pursue another subject and convert later. Ryan took the more traditional path, studying law at Cambridge before securing a training contract, while Julia studied languages at Cambridge and is now preparing to take the law conversion route, sponsored by her future firm.

Together, they explore whether a law degree really gives future lawyers an advantage, considering the increasingly competitive training contract market, the cost of postgraduate legal study, and the new qualification landscape under the SQE.

From the value of STEM backgrounds in IP and tech-focused practices to the soft skills and international perspective that languages graduates can bring, the pair reflect on their own degree choices and ask whether passion, employability or “commitment to law” should matter most when choosing what to study.

The legal AI arms race is well underway. Over the past year, elite law firms have rushed to announce partnerships with the biggest names in legal tech, as firms compete to integrate generative AI into everything from drafting and due diligence to knowledge management and workflow automation. Some firms are partnering with specialist legal AI platforms like Harvey and Legora, while others are pursuing different strategies — building bespoke in-house tools or leaning on enterprise systems like Microsoft Copilot.

At the centre of this race are a handful of AI companies whose valuations have exploded into the billions. Harvey’s valuation jumped to $11 billion earlier this year, while rival Legora has rapidly emerged as one of Europe’s fastest-growing legal AI startups. And as competition intensifies, these companies are increasingly turning outward with flashy brand campaigns and celebrity partnerships — from Harvey teaming up with Suits actor Gabriel Macht to Legora hiring Jude Law.

On this week’s episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott discuss the biggest players in legal AI, the partnerships reshaping the legal industry, and what firms are actually hoping to achieve through AI adoption. They also explore the increasingly aggressive marketing strategies emerging in legal tech, the risks surrounding rapid AI implementation, and whether the current frenzy reflects genuine transformation — or something closer to an AI bubble.

What exactly is the difference between the Magic Circle, the Silver Circle, White Shoe firms and today’s so-called “Global Elite” — and do any of these labels still mean anything in the modern legal market?

In this episode of The Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott explore the history and evolution of elite law firm prestige, from the old Club of Nine and the emergence of the Magic Circle in the 1990s, to the origins of America’s White Shoe firms and the rise of globally dominant US players in the City of London. The pair also look at why certain firms made the cut while others did not, and how aggressive international expansion transformed the London legal scene into the global industry it is today.

We also examine whether these distinctions still hold weight in an era of transatlantic mergers, lateral hiring and increasingly specialised firms, and ask whether the old hierarchy still reflects reality. Finally, they turn their attention to whether aspiring solicitors should still pay attention to labels like Magic Circle and Silver Circle when applying for training contracts, or whether factors such as culture, practice strengths, international opportunities and long-term career goals are now far more important than the prestige categorisations of the past.

Whether you’re a sixth-former aiming for a top university or a graduate considering a career change into law, this episode offers a clear and realistic guide to navigating the path into the profession.
This week on The Legal Cheek Podcast, Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott break down how aspiring lawyers can best prepare for — and stand out in — the law school admissions process.
From supercurriculars and smart extra reading to crafting a compelling personal statement, the pair share practical advice on how to demonstrate genuine intellectual curiosity and develop the analytical skills that top universities are really looking for.
They also take listeners through each stage of the admissions journey, including personal statements, the LNAT, and interviews, offering tips on how to approach each with confidence.
Finally, the episode turns to non-law students preparing for the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL), with Julia sharing her advice on how future law converts can hit the ground running and make the most of the intensive course from day one.