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2/3 of BPTC Graduates fail to get Pupillage

New analysis, reported in the Gazette this week, has shown that almost 5,000 students started the course between 2012 and 2014, 72% of these have passed so far, and 35% of BPTC graduates have gained pupillage since completing the course between 2011 and 2013. This means that 2/3 of graduates do not get pupillage despite spending the equivalent of a house deposit on a course that has essentially failed to progress their professional careers.

With the cost ranging from £12,500 up to £18,000 (mostly at the upper end), this means that in two years the course generated up to £90 million in course fees for the various providers and from this only roughly 1,500 are likely to actually have succeeded in gaining pupillage and as a result succeeding with the aim of the course.

The Bar course (and the LPC) should both carry large warnings in any literature - if you spend £10-18k on this course there is a very good chance you will not progress your legal career any further than if you had given the whole lot to charity. It has always been the same for the bar - you need connections and achievements plus experience. For solicitors connections help but are not essential, but again you do need achievements plus experience. The LPC and BPTC are just hoops to jump through and make very little difference to chances of success.

Jonathan Fagan is Managing Director of Ten-Percent Legal Recruitment and a non-practising Solicitor. Ten-Percent Legal Recruitment provides online Legal Recruitment for Solicitors, Legal Executives, Fee Earners, Support Staff, Managers and Paralegals. Visit our Website to search our Vacancy Database.
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