[fatboy06]

Hello all,

I've just finished my second year in Music at the Uni of Nottingham. Probably like a lot of people, I started to try to seriously think about what exactly I want to do after uni a couple of months ago. I half-heartedly applied for a few work experience placements (to no avail) in the media, especially with BBC Production, who view my slightly random degree as an asset it seems (strange)...

About two weeks ago, it occurred to me that I hadn't really considered a career in law since year 10, when I had a rather disastorous two week placement with a local solicitors' firm. After spending two weeks mindlessly photocopying wills, I had convinced myself, immature as I was, that being a lawyer equated with sitting in an office and being bored/boring. Now that I've worked in a few temp jobs etc. in the last few summers, I realise that all most jobs nowadays will have a high level of office work, and not all office work is alike, and that you develop coping mechanisms for the more boring parts of any job.

Obviously, the first step would be to look into GDLs. I understand that this would be followed by a further year doing a CPE (if I wanted to be a barrister) or LPC (solicitors)...although I'm slightly confused by this - "The Academic Stage is the first part of training for the Bar and consists of a "Qualifying Law Degree" or a Degree in another subject supplemented by the Common Professional Examination (CPE) or an approved Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) course." to quote http://www.barstandardsboard.rroom.n...icstage/...etc. etc...

My main questions is whether or not doing all this conversion jazz, especially from a degree not directly linked with law, especially with being a Barrister, would hinder my career chances significantly, and in what ways, compared with doing an LLB from a red brick uni and continuing from there. Also, I'm interested to hear any experiences of people who have gone/are going through this process, and any tips you can offer. I know a little bit about mini-pupillages, but any additional information or insider knowledge would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks so much for going through this rather long winded post!

Cheers,

Tom

[River85]

A significant number, quite a large number, of solicitors (in particular) don't have an undegrad law degree and took the conversion route.

I feel you are being a little harsh with music. It's a respected degree, a student really needs to be talented to perform well in in. It develops a number of transferable skills that are certainly relevant to law. Teamwork, communication skills, ability to cope under pressure and, quite importantly, analytical skills are highly valued.

A good degree, with a decent amount of work experience, should see you through to the GDL. Great, consistant, performace in the GDL should hopefully get you the training contract and onto the LPC or, alternatively, BVC. I think employers would be more concerned about your post-grad studies than the direct relevance of an undergrad degree.

I really don't think you'll be at any real disadvantage at all.

[Lewisy-boy]

You're slightly confused: GDL and CPE are alternative names for the same thing. The LPC as you rightly say is the vocational stage for solicitors and the BVC (Bar Vocational Course) is the vocational stage for barristers. As River says music is a difficult and testing degree which I think (although obviously I cannot be certainl) will be fine if you get a 2.1 in it, as you're going to take the GDL which if you get good grades in will certainly show you are academically strong even if the music degree does not (although I can't see why it wouldn't as it's not like you just mess about on instruments, I gather there is a lot of histroy and analysis etc involved, although I could be wrong).

Obviously becoming a solicitor will be easier. Going to the Bar is ridiculously competitive even if you have a first it is stupidly difficult to obtain pupillage and while this should be a factor it should not put you off going to the Bar if that is what you really want.

[The_Lonely_Goatherd]

When I was at a Trinity College of Music open day two years ago, they said that students gaining their degrees are eligible for the law conversion course, so I don't think you having done a Music degree will put you at a significant disadvantage

[fatboy06]

Thanks for all your help. Yep, I was exaggerating (in a toungue in cheek way) that Music is an absolute waste of time, but certainly at Notts the work load is fairly minimal. A friend of mine who did a music degree, then a GDL, and is about to start her LPC, said that her experience in performance and dealing with neves helped her no end with the presentations she had to do as part of the GDL.

Presumably if I wanted to try for the Bar I should be applying for mini-pupillages and the like asap to attempt to catch up. If I get a few mini-pupillages and no work experience at solicitors offices, do you think that will hinder me if I do decide to become a solicitor?

[Lewisy-boy]

I don't know about how firms would view mini-pupillages: they certainly wouldn't do you any harm, but whether they would be seen to replace a vac scheme is another question. I think vac schemes are seen as useful by firms because they show that you've done one and still want to pursue a career in that area: if all you've done is a mini-pupillage you haven't seen how the firms work. Having said that, I'm sure many people get TCs without having done a vac scheme at all, so it wil definitely be possible.