Have about 4 years PQE in a big 4. Have heard many things of late. My advice to JC2 students is this. If you have a choice do law at Oxbridge,
LSE or UCL, go for it. If you have to take up loans of some sort, it's worth it in the long run.
Then try to do the BCL/LLM from Oxbridge thereafter. It's not easy for local unis grad to go to international firms. That's the reality. The profession is still about branding and image.