It's Your Call!

Dear Oracle

I have to accept my offered place on a GDL course by 15 May 2007 but I won't hear if I've got a training contract until 1 September 2007. I'm already in debt and the GDL is a big financial commitment; I don't want to accept it if I haven't got a training contract. Can you offer any advice?

The Oracle replies

The GDL is indeed a hefty financial commitment and once you've accepted your place you're liable for the cost of the full course, which will be from £3,000 to £7,000, depending on the provider. So it's a risky choice you have to make. If you can't get a training contract then some would say there's little point in having done the GDL.

There's another intricacy to consider. Firms are likely to take a better view of you if you're on or have completed the GDL. It shows a dedication to law. If you do accept the place you can phone the firms to which you've applied and ask them to add to your application that you're now on the GDL. The majority of those who enrol on the GDL/LPC don't already have a training contract secured so it's not unusual. It's a financial risk that most wannabe lawyers have to take.

Have you thought about deferring your GDL place for a year? If you do accept but defer, and then get offered a training contract, you are likely to be able to defer that too.

It seems you have a decision to make. Do you take a risk and accept the GDL place? Or defer the place for a year, and then possibly do the same if you get offered a training contract? If you deferred your GDL place and was then offered a training contract, there'd be no harm in phoning to see if the GDL place was available again, as long as you explain the situation and don't seem expectant.

No one else can make this call but you. The only piece of advice we'd give is that deferring either your GDL or your training contract is perfectly acceptable under normal circumstances, and you should not be worried about asking for this. Most law schools and law firms are perfectly OK with this.

If you did defer both, you could use a spare year to recoup some finances by working and saving. You could even use some spare time during that year to get more work placements in firms, or other relevant work experience.

Take a look at some advice from the Trainee Solicitors' Group in their featured article "To LPC or Not to LPC?".

Other than that, it's your decision. You'll probably make the right one!

The Oracle.