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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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

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.