"I am approaching the stage in my four-year law degree where I am about to make my first round of applications for interviews for vac schemes and 2011 training contracts. However, after getting a 2:2 in my first year, I ended up repeating my second year after suffering from depression and eventually gaining a good 2:1 average from my top 10 UK university.

"I am in a bit of a dilemma as how to approach this in applications to City firms. Whilst not actually lying about results, should I just cover up my repeated year and hope that HR do not pick up on this through checks on my application or through my academic reference? Or is an open and honest approach best by talking directly to graduate recruitment and explaining my particular situation before applying?

"I am pretty worried about the stigma of having suffered depression and my unsatisfactory first-year results when law firms are inundated with candidates with consistent 2:1s and 1sts – will my application simply be thrown on the 'reject' pile?"