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SOUTHAMPTON UNI= Barrister

Hi,
I was just wondering what are the chances of a student becoming a successful barrister in London by gaining a Law degree from Sounthampton. Is the chances likely or not?

Really would appreciate the help, its my career path and i really want to do it.

Thanks :smile:

Reply 1

madhead123

if your good enough at actually practising as a barrister then anything's possible really :smile:

.

Reply 2

Purple

15

Go on the website of chambers in London in the field you want to work in and look at the barristers they have it will give you an idea of what they generally look for, some are detailed and will give the degree, classification and university etc.

Reply 3

Manic_Mystery

ummm.. I think type 'barrister at law' then Southampton into google would help. It is one of those annoying unknown facts

Reply 4

man123

OP

8

Thanks. i just really wanted to know my chances. Is Law at southampton a good enough ar even well know enough in the legal world for me to get accepted into the Bar? I have heard of people doing the BVC but then not getting accepted due their Uinveristy. Is southampton good enough?

Reply 5

Purple

15

Well to find out if its good enough, find out how many current barristers practise in London in the field you want to practise in.

Reply 6

Phil.Murray

2

I don't think you should have any problems. Yes, currently 86% of the bar (it could be 82%- can't remember exactly) are Oxbridge graduates, but the majority of these are in commercial chambers, etc. I think the bar is going under some fundamental changes and in 3-5 years time you shouldn't have too much trouble, provided you have a 2:1 or even better, a first.

Reply 7

monkeymayhem

Just get a 2.i or higher and youll be fine. Dont forget you dont need to study undergraduate law to become a barrister. A sizeable percenatge of barristers are from a non law background and have taken the conversion course (cpe) to go into law.

Reply 8

Lush Law

15

It's not ALL about the uni you graduate from. Obviously having an Oxbridge/UCL/LSE etc degree is prestigious, and looked upon more favourably than a Southampton degree, but a degree isn't going to get you a pupillage and a tenancy. It's largely down to you. If you're good enough and you're 100% committed to being a barrister, then you'll be successful.

Reply 9

Lewisy-boy

11

Bear in mind that it's not all about London either. Admittedly, that's where most barristers are but there's nothing to stop you going elsewhere where it's less competitive. for those londo-centrics among you, that's the "provinces"! lol.

Reply 10

Phil.Murray

2

Lewisy-boy

Bear in mind that it's not all about London either. Admittedly, that's where most barristers are but there's nothing to stop you going elsewhere where it's less competitive. for those londo-centrics among you, that's the "provinces"! lol.

Yes, I agree...take a look at chambers outside of London and their barristers all went to a wide range of universities, some a lot worse than Southampton. London's good, but it's incredibly expensive and competitive. You could still have a fantastic career as a barrister without half the stress outside of the capital.

Reply 11

WokSz

17

Yes, but isn't London where most of the money can be made?

Reply 12

man123

OP

8

Yes i mean i want to beocme and work as a barrister in a london chamber. Such as matric, blackstone etc etc chambers. Would a degree from soton give me a good shot at it. I know most people from oxbridge get more chances than i would, but would i have a good chance anyway?

Reply 13

Lewisy-boy

11

It would very much turn on what you had to bring to them. If you were to do a lot of mooting and the like and prove your advocacy skills are of a very high standard (which most will do anyway!) and get a first (Which, I would argue, will pretty much be req'd from Soton although I may be wrong!) and have anything else which can be helpful then you should have a shot.

Reply 14

mtbab

17

yeh when i was working at Crown in Brum, i met a few oxbridge barristers but of the ones that i worked with and therefore asked where they got their degre from, i had

Birmingham, Leicester, Lancaster, Dundee, Kent, Sheffield, Manchester, Nottingham, and a couple from international unis.

(i remember these, coz i wrote them down coz i kept a good little journal whilst i was working there lol) umm and these are the ones who did law at uni, so not cpe folk, that just goes even further afield then, but i didn't make a note of all those ones lol.

Reply 15

Phil.Murray

2

I'd say for Matrix, Blackstones, etc you'd need an Oxbridge/UCL/LSE degree, either undergraduate or postgraduate.

Reply 16

Lady Narcissus

14

WokSz

Yes, but isn't London where most of the money can be made?

Largely true but I have worked with barristers at the top of their ladder in Leeds doing pretty well for themselves compared to a lot of other people in the area. Everything is comparable. If you wanted to live in X city outside London, you could still carve out a successful career in that particular area and buy a big cheaper house with your lower earnings and not have to commute on the sweaty tube. When I was in London at a couple of top chambers, even their barristers could not afford housing close to their chambers and spent ages commuting through the smoke. But yes, barristers in London generally earn more.

Reply 17

Lewisy-boy

11

I think the relativity is the point. Also, bear in mind that while the big money is in London you might seriously struggle to start out with. I'm not sure what barristers would expect to make straight out of pupillage, or even during it for that matter. Any ideas?

Reply 18

Lady Narcissus

14

People have told me that it is a slow start in London. Still competitve places like Wilberforce offer £30,000 just for the pupillage year, I would not grumble at that. £15,000 can be drawn during your BVC but when you think of the numbers applying there