[Echoesandthen]

I've recently come to the conclusion that I want to become a lawyer of some sort, preferably Human Rights Law, but I'm not really sure how to go about getting it down. I'm currently approaching the end of my A-Levels and I am planning to, hopefully, go to Royal Holloway to study History and Politics with Economics. A friend of my suggested a Law conversion but I have no idea how that works. Can anyone help me out, or at least point me in the direction of help.

Any kind of assistance is appreciated.

[michael321]

(Original post by Echoesandthen)
I've recently come to the conclusion that I want to become a lawyer of some sort, preferably Human Rights Law, but I'm not really sure how to go about getting it down. I'm currently approaching the end of my A-Levels and I am planning to, hopefully, go to Royal Holloway to study History and Politics with Economics. A friend of my suggested a Law conversion but I have no idea how that works. Can anyone help me out, or at least point me in the direction of help.

Any kind of assistance is appreciated.

There are two main routes to becoming a solicitor or barrister. One is:

Law degree -> LPC (to become a solicitor)/BPTC (to become a barrister).

The other is:

Non-law degree -> GDL (Graduate Diploma in Law) -> LPC/BPTC.

Basically you have to do an extra year's study after university. This will cost around £10,000 plus living expenses. If you are lucky you will get a Training Contract, which will usually come with a stipend to cover both. If you aren't so lucky, you won't, so you will have to pay upfront to qualify and then try to find a job.

The legal jobs market is pretty saturated, so competition will be intense (a First will help). However, it is just as possible to meet with success after a conversion as after a Law degree.

EDIT:

There are a few other routes available; notably you can do a second undergrad degree, in Law, often accelerated to a two year course, but you will still need the LPC/BPTC.

Bear in mind that though there is some variation in the quality of the postgrad course (GDL/LPC/BPTC) providers, you will generally be judged on the quality of your original degree.

EDIT 2:

I wasn't very clear above - a Training Contract is where a firm agrees to take you on for two years as a trainee solicitor. You are not fully qualified until after this. The bigger firms will often sponsor you (i.e. pay your fees) and give you a Training Contract. Some firms may offer you the contract but refuse to pay the fees (you must self-fund). If you want to become a barrister, there is pretty much no fee help available. Becoming a solicitor is generally quite competitive, but becoming a barrister is insanely so.

[TieMeUp]

(Original post by Echoesandthen)
I've recently come to the conclusion that I want to become a lawyer of some sort, preferably Human Rights Law, but I'm not really sure how to go about getting it down. I'm currently approaching the end of my A-Levels and I am planning to, hopefully, go to Royal Holloway to study History and Politics with Economics. A friend of my suggested a Law conversion but I have no idea how that works. Can anyone help me out, or at least point me in the direction of help.

Any kind of assistance is appreciated.

Excellent info from Michael321 there. After your degree, you would do a Graduate Diploma in Law course, or you can do a two-year senior status law degree.

Whatever you do, your degree classification and the university you went to will be the main determinant of your training contract prospects (i.e. you really need a 2:1).

It is somewhat rare to get sponsorship for the GDL, but most people are indeed sponsored by the firm with whom they have a training contract for the LPC. Would certainly encourage you to get involved in your Uni law society, start getting involved in mooting and public speaking, prepare to do vac schemes in your second year.

Vac schemes in particular are great predictors for training contract success; if you get into one and do well, there is a good chance (though not guaranteed) that you will obtain a training contract.

As Michael321 pointed out, you are not actually qualified as a solicitor until you've completed your training contract. The bar is mental at the moment in terms of competitiveness; even the good students probably have a one in three chance of obtaining a pupillage.

Hope this helps

[GRD]

Hi there! I am an undergrad in modern languages in Edinburgh uni and I would like to do a law conversion, would it possible to do one in Oxbridge? maybe a senior status law degree? What must I do to go to oxbridge?

[Zedd]

(Original post by GRD)
Hi there! I am an undergrad in modern languages in Edinburgh uni and I would like to do a law conversion, would it possible to do one in Oxbridge? maybe a senior status law degree? What must I do to go to oxbridge?

Where is it that you would like to practice? Because if it is Scotland then your only option is to complete an accelerated llb followed by the diploma in professional legal practice. If it is England then you might want to try and be taken up/sponsored by a law firm to do the one year conversion.