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Becoming a Lawyer?

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Haha.. Just come across a hilarious case:

AG v Trustees of the British Museum [1903] 2 Ch. 598

The ratio was that the subject matter of the claim (Celtic gold artefacts found in Ulster) were more likely to have been deposited where they were for protection in advance of a Norse raid than given/thrown away as a votive offering.

Farwell J's questions to counsel included:

"I should like to know whether there was in fact any sea god known to the ancient Irish to whom votive offerings were ever known to have been made, and whether there were any Irish kings who had religion of a nature that would cause them to make votive offerings."

Whereupon L. Horton-Smith , as amicus curiæ, "referred the Court to the late Mr. R. R. Brash's Ogam Inscribed Monuments of the Gaedhil in the British Islands (1879) - a work dealing in the main with a series of monuments, one of which was discovered in the north of Ireland not far south of Lough Foyle itself as shewing the existence, at any rate amongst the preChristian Irish, of a water deity known as Mananan Mac Lir, answering to the Latin Neptune, the god of the sea"

Farwell J's judgement then stated inter alia:

"Notwithstanding the passage in Brash, it is by no means certain that there was any Irish sea god at all. Or that there were any Irish sea kings or chiefs who made offerings to a sea god, if any such god there were. Further, the negative inferences against the defendants' theory are of considerable weight. Votive offerings to a pagan deity would be offered in such a way as to make the most display; no one seeking to propitiate an anthropomorphic deity, who like Baal might be engaged in hunting or sleeping, would be likely to conceal two of his gifts in the hollow of a third; nor (as pointed out by Mr. Coffey in his evidence) would the donor mutilate some only of the objects as the defendants here allege to be the case. Mutilation would either be essential or an insult, and one would expect, therefore, to find all or none mutilated. Again, by virtue of what process have all these articles of such different sizes, weights, and shapes been kept together during all these years "under the whelming tide"? What magic bax had the Irish sea king which would withstand the action of the waves until the ornaments confided to its care found a safe resting-place in the soil formed on the surface of the beach when the sea receded?"
LawYah
I've done my LNAT, I'm going to Brum for Law this year :yeah: If I get my AAA.

what is that ... sorry?
Reply 22
Lord Hysteria
what is that ... sorry?


What's so difficult about that post?
LawYah
What's so difficult about that post?


There is no need to snap .... I didn't know what 'Brum' is?
Reply 24
Lord Hysteria
There is no need to snap .... I didn't know what 'Brum' is?


I wasn't snapping.

Brum is short for Birmingham University :yeah:
LawYah
I wasn't snapping.

Brum is short for Birmingham University :yeah:


Oh OK - good luck with the grades. :smile:
Incidentally, are you going to become a lawyer?
Reply 26
Lord Hysteria
Oh OK - good luck with the grades. :smile:
Incidentally, are you going to become a lawyer?


Want to be a Solicitor, but I can go into plenty of things with a Law degree I guess :dontknow:
LawYah
Want to be a Solicitor, but I can go into plenty of things with a Law degree I guess :dontknow:

oh yes ... most business environments have to deal with contracts, law of tort .. etc and having someone know the 'system' is ideal. :smile:
Reply 28
Hi

Solicitors and Barristers arnt the only proffesions in the Leagl Proffesions.

>Legal Executives
>Paraleagl
Etc you can find further information on the Law Society, Ilex, Bar Council and Careers Service websites.

I am training to be a Solicitor in animal law.
I deal with Law Enforcement with an local council and police with animal health.
Reply 29
Miky, whilst it is correct to say that both Legal Execs and paralegals work "within" the legal profession I think the vast majority of people who look at this site are interested in either the Bar or being a solicitor. I certainly wouldn't describe being a paralegal as being a "profession".
Miky
Hi

Solicitors and Barristers arnt the only proffesions in the Leagl Proffesions.

>Legal Executives
>Paraleagl
Etc you can find further information on the Law Society, Ilex, Bar Council and Careers Service websites.

I am training to be a Solicitor in animal law.
I deal with Law Enforcement with an local council and police with animal health.


It’s spelt Paralegal and this is the "Becoming a Lawyer?" thread. But yes, valid point. The legal profession is varied.
Hey guys, hope i'm posting this in the right place... just wondering how much legal work experience you should have when applying for Training Contracts or for Vacation Placements which can lead to TCs? :smile:
Reply 32
MaynardkatN13
Hey guys, hope i'm posting this in the right place... just wondering how much legal work experience you should have when applying for Training Contracts or for Vacation Placements which can lead to TCs? :smile:


I would imagine you should do as much as you can. The idea is to distinguish yourself from other candidates.
Reply 33
I'm thinking of training to become a lawyer after my degree in archaeology. I'm thinking that I would apply for a one year conversion course. Does this have the same range of jobs oppurtunities as a law degree and is it as well resected by employers? Also, are there any colleges/ universities that do the conversion course that you would recommend?

thanks.
Reply 34
hotgoose
I'm thinking of training to become a lawyer after my degree in archaeology. I'm thinking that I would apply for a one year conversion course. Does this have the same range of jobs oppurtunities as a law degree and is it as well resected by employers? Also, are there any colleges/ universities that do the conversion course that you would recommend?thanks.


It gets the same results in terms of job opportunities. Some employers prefer GDL graduates as they believe they may be more motivated / have expertise in another subject which may be useful.

The GDL at Nottingham Law School (Nottingham Trent University) is quite good.
Hot Goose - nearly all firms I have come across do not have a preference as to whether you are a law or non law graduate. In fact, a lot have about a 40/60% split.

If you have another strong degree such as arc then this wouldn't be a barrier to the profession. There are quite a lot of places that offer the gdl/lpc....perhaps the more well knows ones and the ones that some firms will recommend are College of Law and BPP. In fact, some firms will stipulate going to one or the other. You should apply for TC's two years before you want to commence a TC. This way, a firm may pay for your gdl/lpc. Plus many firms recruit 2 years in advance. It will be a long slog though as isn't arch a 6 year degree??? also would be helpful if you got some legal work experience under your belt if you are serious about pursuing...hope this helps!
Reply 36
Little_miss_pipedream
Hot Goose - nearly all firms I have come across do not have a preference as to whether you are a law or non law graduate. In fact, a lot have about a 40/60% split.

If you have another strong degree such as arc then this wouldn't be a barrier to the profession. There are quite a lot of places that offer the gdl/lpc....perhaps the more well knows ones and the ones that some firms will recommend are College of Law and BPP. In fact, some firms will stipulate going to one or the other. You should apply for TC's two years before you want to commence a TC. This way, a firm may pay for your gdl/lpc. Plus many firms recruit 2 years in advance. It will be a long slog though as isn't arch a 6 year degree??? also would be helpful if you got some legal work experience under your belt if you are serious about pursuing...hope this helps!



Thanks. Should I contact some firms once I have a better idea of what i will be doing etc and ask about jobs? And archaeology is only 3 years, are you thinking of architecture?:smile:
hotgoose
Thanks. Should I contact some firms once I have a better idea of what i will be doing etc and ask about jobs? And archaeology is only 3 years, are you thinking of architecture?:smile:



oh right yes i was! It would be your last year of uni when you would need to aply for a training contract, provided that you do not want to take a year out after uni. the training contract will commence 2 years later. the 2 years in between you will take the gdl and lpc. eg apply summer 08 gdl 08-09, lpc,09-10 begin tc 2010. May be useful to also apply for vac schemes in 2nd year of uni (the applications open around November) try looking on www.lawcareers.net as it has loads of info on there or google chambers and partners stuednt guide (cant rem address)
Reply 38
Only the lawyers who have been to the best uni's and are really smart earn loads - all the others are just average just earning around 40 - 60k
Reply 39
Great thread :smile:

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