A career in Law?
Approach the bar or become a QC. Discuss everything about legal careers here.
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A career in Law?'Ello all,
I'm interested in a career within the legal system, preferably solicitor or barrister.
However, after recently conducting some research regarding the steps I'd need to take to become one of these, I've been struck with a few worrying issues and questions of which I'd love if you could help out.
A) Do you HAVE to take a degree in Law to become a solicitor or barrister? (could you do, for example; law with business, law with politics, law with criminology etc)
B) Do you HAVE to go to a prestigious/top university?
C) Do you HAVE to have excellent GCSE's? (mine range from C's to A's)
D) Are there any particular subjects I should've taken for Alevels? (I've taken English lit, Sociology, Media and IT Award)
That's all, any advice or knowledge you think could be of use would be highly appreciated! Many thanks,
Steve
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Re: A career in Law?Answered in bold.(Original post by StevenKnott)
'Ello all,
I'm interested in a career within the legal system, preferably solicitor or barrister.
However, after recently conducting some research regarding the steps I'd need to take to become one of these, I've been struck with a few worrying issues and questions of which I'd love if you could help out.
A) Do you HAVE to take a degree in Law to become a solicitor or barrister? (could you do, for example; law with business, law with politics, law with criminology etc)
NO. But do a good academic subject.
B) Do you HAVE to go to a prestigious/top university?
It helps a lot
C) Do you HAVE to have excellent GCSE's? (mine range from C's to A's)
It helps
D) Are there any particular subjects I should've taken for Alevels? (I've taken English lit, Sociology, Media and IT Award)
3 of your subjects are mickey mouse subjects....I think you know which ones
That's all, any advice or knowledge you think could be of use would be highly appreciated! Many thanks,
Steve
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Re: A career in Law?A) No you can do ANY degree and become a lawyer via the conversion course. However, it would be recommended that you do a traditional degree (history, English, politics, sciences, maths, PPE, economics etc. etc.) at a traditional uni of the RG/1994 kind.
B) No, but it helps.
C) I wouldn't imagine they make a big difference (happy to be corrected by someone more in the know), so long as your A levels and degree grades are up to scratch. Most firms filter out by AAB/ABB and a 2:1.
D) Law is a conservative profession so some lawyers won't hold sociology and Media in particularly high regard (to say the least), but I don't think they should stop you getting in most places so long as the grades are decent and you have the aforementioned traditional degree from a traditional uni. The only firm I've seen mentioning A level subjects is Watson Burton ( http://www.watsonburton.com/page/car...applicants.cfm ) though that's not to say there won't be others.Last edited by roh; 26-04-2012 at 18:55. -
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Re: A career in Law?The simple answer is 'no' to all four questions. However, whilst there is no absolute requirement to have done any of the things mentioned in your questions, you should realise at this point that to work towards a career as a solicitor or barrister you will have to engage in the constant process of bettering yourself. Because you're about to wade into a very competitive area, and if you don't strive to be the best that you can be your chances of falling short increase dramatically. So rather than concentrating on what you don't have or didn't achieve at this point, consider how you can set yourself on the right path from here and compensate for any weaknesses that you have already accrued.
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Re: A career in Law?a) a conversion course is available, bearing in mind your initial degree is respected.(Original post by StevenKnott)
'Ello all,
I'm interested in a career within the legal system, preferably solicitor or barrister.
However, after recently conducting some research regarding the steps I'd need to take to become one of these, I've been struck with a few worrying issues and questions of which I'd love if you could help out.
A) Do you HAVE to take a degree in Law to become a solicitor or barrister? (could you do, for example; law with business, law with politics, law with criminology etc)
B) Do you HAVE to go to a prestigious/top university?
C) Do you HAVE to have excellent GCSE's? (mine range from C's to A's)
D) Are there any particular subjects I should've taken for Alevels? (I've taken English lit, Sociology, Media and IT Award)
That's all, any advice or knowledge you think could be of use would be highly appreciated! Many thanks,
Steve
b) certain firms e.g. magic circle firms will only recruit graduates from respected universities e.g. Oxbridge, LSE, Ucl etc.
c) I believe GCSE's aren't majorly important, just ensure you come out with AAA at a-level
d) English Lit is one of the most relevant A-levels, thus making it an attractive feature for the admissions process. In terms of the rest, they will be regarded as 'weak' by most law departments, and most uni's want minimum of 2 traditional/strong subjects e.g. History, Sciences, Maths, Economics. But, if you do come out with AAA, i can't see why you wouldn't get into most uni's except the obvious top 10, which may be a struggle, but possible -
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Re: A career in Law?The feedback so far has been great and really helpful, so many thanks!
I've noticed that this 'Conversion course' has been mentioned a few times, could anyone explain and elaborate as to what this actually is and entails?
For example, how long will it take? Does it cost? etc etc -
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Re: A career in Law?(Original post by StevenKnott)
'Ello all,
I'm interested in a career within the legal system, preferably solicitor or barrister.
However, after recently conducting some research regarding the steps I'd need to take to become one of these, I've been struck with a few worrying issues and questions of which I'd love if you could help out.
A) Do you HAVE to take a degree in Law to become a solicitor or barrister? (could you do, for example; law with business, law with politics, law with criminology etc)
B) Do you HAVE to go to a prestigious/top university?
C) Do you HAVE to have excellent GCSE's? (mine range from C's to A's)
D) Are there any particular subjects I should've taken for Alevels? (I've taken English lit, Sociology, Media and IT Award)
That's all, any advice or knowledge you think could be of use would be highly appreciated! Many thanks,
Steve
A) No, just make sure it isn't a complete piss-take
B) Not really, but it can help a lot
C) For good law firms and mediocre+ chambers, yes. However, most only 'say' they use it to allow you to submit an application. This is often B/C or above in English and Maths
D) Not really, although soft subjects may work against you. I would regard Sociology and Media as soft. Not sure what an IT Award is so can't comment on that.
Remember, other careers in law such as legal executive exist
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Re: A career in Law?1 year consisting of 7 modules and an essay. It is all pretty basic law. Fees vary but average around 7k for the year outside of London and over 9k in it.(Original post by StevenKnott)
The feedback so far has been great and really helpful, so many thanks!
I've noticed that this 'Conversion course' has been mentioned a few times, could anyone explain and elaborate as to what this actually is and entails?
For example, how long will it take? Does it cost? etc etc -
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Re: A career in Law?A) No you don't. You don't even have to do a degree with 'law' in the title. Around 50% of those who qualify as barristers and solicitors have done entirely different degrees, e.g. history, english, philosophy, and even a science-based degree. If your degree isn't a qualifying law degree (that is usually an LLB, but the Cambridge/Oxford BA are also qualifying) then you have to do a conversion course but you don't actually have to do a Law degree to become a barrister/solicitor.(Original post by StevenKnott)
'Ello all,
I'm interested in a career within the legal system, preferably solicitor or barrister.
However, after recently conducting some research regarding the steps I'd need to take to become one of these, I've been struck with a few worrying issues and questions of which I'd love if you could help out.
A) Do you HAVE to take a degree in Law to become a solicitor or barrister? (could you do, for example; law with business, law with politics, law with criminology etc)
B) Do you HAVE to go to a prestigious/top university?
C) Do you HAVE to have excellent GCSE's? (mine range from C's to A's)
D) Are there any particular subjects I should've taken for Alevels? (I've taken English lit, Sociology, Media and IT Award)
That's all, any advice or knowledge you think could be of use would be highly appreciated! Many thanks,
Steve
B) No you don't. There are solicitors and barristers from every university. Obviously the better your degree is and the university you attended, generally the better chambers or law firm you can get yourself into (I say generally because that is changing to an extent).
C) No, GCSEs are understandably less important when your employer has your A-levels (which are these days generally expected to be at least AAB) and your degree classification. It's true that a lot of undergrad law admissions tutors do pay attention to GCSEs and most people at Russell Group universities do have a string of A*s, As and some Bs but there are exceptions to every rule and weaker GCSEs can be made up for in other ways).
D) There are no 'required' subjects for Law, although universities do want academic ones because of the academic nature of a law degree. English Lit is a strong one but Sociology and Media not so much. I think those A-levels will hinder you if you're looking at getting into the better law schools. -
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Re: A career in Law?Do you have even the vaguest idea of what you're talking about?(Original post by jordonpat)
Legal filed is amazing sector to work, but the thing is its a very copetiting field too, only few student complete their courses and some of them got the jobs into the law firms.
It reads like a drunken iphone user!
