Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Barrister or Vet?

Does anyone have any pros and cons about both careers?
It'll be good if people have up to date knowledge as I understand about the fast pace of both jobs and the recent changes to legal aid etc,
Thanks!

Reply 1

Birkenhead

The first things that come to mind:

Barrister pros:

- Vastly superior earning potential. According to Prospects:

Senior vets can earn around £44,000 to £53,000

whereas

Qualified barristers can earn anything from £25,000 to £300,000.

Salaries for those with over ten years' experience can rise to £1,000,000.

- Fairly stable and comfortable working conditions which will never require you to trudge through muddy farms in the pouring rain at 6 o'clock in the morning. Long hours but not on call 24/7 as many vets are.

Vet pros:

- Once you have qualified as a vet, you are guaranteed a job as a vet. This is not the case for aspiring barristers. Plenty of people do their degree and the BPTC and fail to gain pupillage every year. Additionally, you are guaranteed a very comfortable salary of c. £21-33k in the early years of your career as a vet, while barristers, especially criminal barristers, are often paid very little in the early years (though many barristers, mainly commercial, start on £40k+ as pupils.)

More info:

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/veterinary_surgeon_salary.htm
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/barrister_salary.htm

Noone who knows anything about the current state of the criminal bar would recommend that you pursue a career as a criminal barrister at this time.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 2

DaisyChainBling

Thankyou for replying with valuable information. I have always set out to be a vet but I believe I would excel in studying law to become an animal barrister/advocate. When you say students fail to get into chambers, will they be able to apply the next year? Also do you know if law students from the UK will be able to enrol their profession over-seas such as in America or Australia?
Many thanks

Reply 3

DaisyChainBling

Original post by Birkenhead

The first things that come to mind:

Barrister pros:

- Vastly superior earning potential. According to Prospects:

whereas

- Fairly stable and comfortable working conditions which will never require you to trudge through muddy farms in the pouring rain at 6 o'clock in the morning. Long hours but not on call 24/7 as many vets are.

Vet pros:

- Once you have qualified as a vet, you are guaranteed a job as a vet. This is not the case for aspiring barristers. Plenty of people do their degree and the BPTC and fail to gain pupillage every year. Additionally, you are guaranteed a very comfortable salary of c. £21-33k in the early years of your career as a vet, while barristers, especially criminal barristers, are often paid very little in the early years (though many barristers, mainly commercial, start on £40k+ as pupils.)

More info:

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/veterinary_surgeon_salary.htm
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/barrister_salary.htm

Noone who knows anything about the current state of the criminal bar would recommend that you pursue a career as a criminal barrister at this time.