[Movingforward]

Hi everyone.

First of all I appreciate any and all advice.
Secondly I'm aware of how competitive my future is going to be.


I'm due to start Access to Law in September. I am then hoping to start an LLB at Nottingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds or Hull.
I'm 29 and rec'd CCD at A level and AABBCCC at GCSE'S.
These are massively disproportionate to my ability and we in part a reflection of a fairly difficult few years.

Although I am aware of the normal problems in gaining a career in law, is it noticably harder for mature students to gain pupilage/training contract?

Ideally I would like to go on to the BPTC however I understand that Solicitor Advocate may be more appropriate particularly from a financial view point. Does anyone have any insight into my future options that I may find useful?

I am currently unemployed due to bereavement, but have had a successful career in various Customer Service positions.

[rutheliz]

Law is disgustingly hard to get into at the moment, something which I'm facing as I'm finishing my law degree on Wednesday!

I'm not sure if you will be disadvantaged being slightly older, it may work in your favour as previous work/life experience is obviously a good thing to have from an employers POV and something which many younger students fresh from uni lack.

In regards to other options, if a career in law is something you definitely want you could consider the ILEX route. I have just finished my ILEX qualifications and it means you could get 'in' with a law firm easier by being a paralegal, then a legal executive (earning the same as a solicitor but more specialised) and then if you really wanted you could switch and qualify as a solicitor once you're established in a firm.

Good luck!

[Movingforward]

That's really great. Thank you.

The ILEX route, ideally want to follow a commercial law route. Would specialising in this manner as a paralegal be conducive to a career at The Bar later on? Bearing in mind my mature status?

[rutheliz]

No problem

Have a look on the website they will have lots more information it's: http://www.ilex.org.uk/

But my understanding is that once you do the ILEX qualifications you are a 'Graduate Legal Executive' and you have to do 5 years of 'qualifying employment' to become a Fellow Legal Executive. As you have already been working for some time you may already have some 'qualifying employment' so you might have to do less than this, but it would tend to be something like paralegal or other legal job. You can also undertake the 'qualifying' employment whilst you study (your employers may even pay for the studying).

If commercial law is what you're interested in then you could certainly become a Legal Exec who specialises in that area, as they tend to be more specialised than solicitors anyway (at least more than trainee solicitors who have to rotate around the departments).

I don't know an awful lot about qualifying at the Bar as it's never been something I considered, but I know that it's just as tough a career to get into! So I can't help you out much there but in regards to ILEX helping you get to that goal I think that ANY legal work you can get would definitely improve your chances!

[tkane]

(Original post by Movingforward)
Hi everyone.

First of all I appreciate any and all advice.
Secondly I'm aware of how competitive my future is going to be.


I'm due to start Access to Law in September. I am then hoping to start an LLB at Nottingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds or Hull.
I'm 29 and rec'd CCD at A level and AABBCCC at GCSE'S.
These are massively disproportionate to my ability and we in part a reflection of a fairly difficult few years.

Although I am aware of the normal problems in gaining a career in law, is it noticably harder for mature students to gain pupilage/training contract?

Ideally I would like to go on to the BPTC however I understand that Solicitor Advocate may be more appropriate particularly from a financial view point. Does anyone have any insight into my future options that I may find useful?

I am currently unemployed due to bereavement, but have had a successful career in various Customer Service positions.

If you are based in London or are within a commutable distance then I would highly recommend you doing the CertHe Legal Method at Birkbeck college rather than an Access course.

If you do well in it you will have a shot at the very best universities as long as you have a good personal statement and LNAT score.

Oxbridge, LSE, UCL, Kings, Durham, Bristol, Nottingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Queen Mary, York ....basically all top 20 unis, have given out offers based on the CertHe Legal Method in the past few years.

[Movingforward]

Unfortunately I live in the dark depths of Yorkshire. I'm also a homeowner so realistically I have to commute.

Thanks for everything so far.

[gtfo]

(Original post by Movingforward)
Hi everyone.

First of all I appreciate any and all advice.
Secondly I'm aware of how competitive my future is going to be.

I'm due to start Access to Law in September. I am then hoping to start an LLB at Nottingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds or Hull.
I'm 29 and rec'd CCD at A level and AABBCCC at GCSE'S.
These are massively disproportionate to my ability and we in part a reflection of a fairly difficult few years.

Although I am aware of the normal problems in gaining a career in law, is it noticably harder for mature students to gain pupilage/training contract?

Ideally I would like to go on to the BPTC however I understand that Solicitor Advocate may be more appropriate particularly from a financial view point. Does anyone have any insight into my future options that I may find useful?

I am currently unemployed due to bereavement, but have had a successful career in various Customer Service positions.

Being a mature applicant only appears to be a hindrance if you don't have a decent work history to fall back on. I've spoken with representatives from several city law firms on the subject, and they've all stressed that if you can add first class academics to proven soft skills, then they're very keen for you to apply.

I'm not sure where you stand re: declaring your original A Level results, but having checked with multiple HR departments, having an Access Diploma doesn't seem to be detrimental to your application (although several firms have said that they'd still want to see grades, so be sure to aim for distinctions).

I wouldn't worry too much about the bar atm; it's not even certain that it will exist in its present form by the time you or I graduate. For what it's worth, the commercial bar is stupendously competitive; if you look at the profiles of the pupils at the top sets, you don't see many who aren't Oxbridge alumni. That's not to say it's out of your hands though, you've got 4 years to make yourself as employable as possible to them.

Your choices of universities are very good btw, you'd have great prospects graduating with a high 2:1 from any of them. Have you considered dropping one of them and taking a punt at the very highest level though? People on these boards have made it to Cambridge with Access Diplomas in recent years...

[Movingforward]

I'd love to give it a shot, but finances just won't go that far. My partner (11 years together so unlikely to split now) is shouldering the mortgage during my schooling to travel any further that my choices just isn't feasible.

Nottingham will be a definite stretch, especially when considering extra curricular activities.

My top choice is most likely to be Sheffield.

All really positive views, thank you.

[admbeatmaker]

(Original post by tkane)
If you are based in London or are within a commutable distance then I would highly recommend you doing the CertHe Legal Method at Birkbeck college rather than an Access course.

If you do well in it you will have a shot at the very best universities as long as you have a good personal statement and LNAT score.

Oxbridge, LSE, UCL, Kings, Durham, Bristol, Nottingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Queen Mary, York ....basically all top 20 unis, have given out offers based on the CertHe Legal Method in the past few years.

I can personally recommend this route into law. It's working so far for me.

OP

I have extremely similar results both in A levels and GCSEs compared to you. I'm coming towards the end of the CertHE in Legal Methods at Birkbeck and have secured myself offers at 3 top 20 universities and will be taking up my offer of a place at York, a great law school.

I'm sure, if you're local to London (I'm in Ashford, Kent), you'll benefit from the Birkbeck course. It's quite rigorous and you're expected to have a good level of command of the English language. What's handy about it, is that it's only one evening a week, so there's no need to quit your job. Just a couple hours each day on the weekend is enough to do well in the course and I'm confident you'll be able to secure an offer from Sheffield.

[Movingforward]

Deepest depths of Yorkshire, so it's just the access course that's an option unfortunately

[Paul PTS]

(Original post by rutheliz)
I don't know an awful lot about qualifying at the Bar as it's never been something I considered, but I know that it's just as tough a career to get into! So I can't help you out much there but in regards to ILEX helping you get to that goal I think that ANY legal work you can get would definitely improve your chances!

I had volounteered for one barrister four years ago, when I need the diploma practice. I understood that was just not mine. I'm too a nice person to sit in the box of snakes, where all do their best to be just a bit closer to the Boss arm-chair.

Now I work in education, I have my own chair on the faculty, so I myself a kind of small educational Boss. Three other Unies informed me, that they may need my help for the next educational year. That's the work I like, I teach Law, take part in different conferences and provide the leadership of the chair. Although the last thing may sound in your language the other way. I actially have never been in English-speaking country, so the fact that I commit so much mistakes shouldn't be something unexpectable.

In five years of such work I'll have the right to apply for the judge position. And in such a way I'll be able to continue to work in education + the court work.

[Movingforward]

I think i got that.

[Paul PTS]

(Original post by Movingforward)
I think i got that.

I had postgraduated in my country, that's why I got such a job in my province and we have another Law system, not Anglo-Saxon, but Roman-Germanic, so everything may be much different for us. But certainly people everywhere are the same, and all lawyers will compete as only they can.

[admbeatmaker]

(Original post by Movingforward)
Deepest depths of Yorkshire, so it's just the access course that's an option unfortunately

I think, from what I've seen on this forum, you'll be able to work hard on an Access course and still achieve those same things. I think Legal Methods students only take up a very small portion.

[Movingforward]

Ok. Firstly thanks for everyone's responses.

Some recommended reading arrived a few days ago.
I steamed through 'The Law Machine' it clarified a few things but didn't really teach me anything new. I started 'Learning the Law' yesterday and it's much more challenging, albeit not always relevant but this is covered and explained in the preface.

Are there any other books that might be of use?

[gtfo]

(Original post by Movingforward)
Ok. Firstly thanks for everyone's responses.

Some recommended reading arrived a few days ago.
I steamed through 'The Law Machine' it clarified a few things but didn't really teach me anything new. I started 'Learning the Law' yesterday and it's much more challenging, albeit not always relevant but this is covered and explained in the preface.

Are there any other books that might be of use?

"What about Law?" was the most accessible introduction to studying law that I read. It gives interesting examples for each of the seven core modules, and is a very easy read. When writing my PS, I was told it's the book that every prospective undergrad reads first.

"Letters to a law student" was probably the most useful book I read; it gives clear guidance and insight into every step of becoming a law student, from before the application to after starting, and gives a useful look at what actually studying a law degree might entail.

"Understanding Law" is the most comprehensive book I've read about law. It's dense, academic, and nowhere near as accessible as the previous two books. Having said that, it crams an enormous amount of information onto the pages, and I think as an initial overview of what you're going to study at university, it's first class. If you finished this book before September, you should be able to write a killer personal statement.

[admbeatmaker]

(Original post by gtfo)
"What about Law?" was the most accessible introduction to studying law that I read. It gives interesting examples for each of the seven core modules, and is a very easy read. When writing my PS, I was told it's the book that every prospective undergrad reads first.

"Letters to a law student" was probably the most useful book I read; it gives clear guidance and insight into every step of becoming a law student, from before the application to after starting, and gives a useful look at what actually studying a law degree might entail.

"Understanding Law" is the most comprehensive book I've read about law. It's dense, academic, and nowhere near as accessible as the previous two books. Having said that, it crams an enormous amount of information onto the pages, and I think as an initial overview of what you're going to study at university, it's first class. If you finished this book before September, you should be able to write a killer personal statement.

Only read Letters to a Law student from this selection, but it's a brilliant book. Really cleared some things up for me.

If you're really into law, I can recommend Slapper and Kelly's English Legal System. A great handbook, probably one of the most renowned and cited. Probably a bit much for a starter but I read it before I began my current course. No need to read it all, just read what you like. (Amazon link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-English-...8025038&sr=1-3)