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Tattoos as a lawyer

Hi! I've planned on training as a solicitor for years, and have a place to do my Law degree at Edinburgh to obviously start the process in September! My question is, are tattoos still heavily looked down upon in the legal industry?

I have a couple of tattoos already, one on my back (which is covered when wearing a shirt) and one on the lower part of my upper arm (approx 2 inches above my elbow, so not covered unless wearing a long-sleeved shirt). And I'd love to get a few more, I have kind of planned for most of my tattoos to be in coverable places, but there are some I want to get which wouldn't be covered very easily.

Obviously I don't plan on getting anything vulgar/inappropriate, but I'm aware that many firms are on the more conservative side and some people (granted, non-lawyers, hence why I've taken what they've said with an ever so slight grain of salt) have said that I would be looked down upon for having tattoos.

Is this really accurate? Will it have a significant impact upon my opportunities? I don't intend on being absolutely covered in tattoos, but like I've said there are a couple more that I want to get.

Reply 1

Crazy Jamie

Careers Forum Helper

There will always be some people in any industry that just don't like tattoos to the point of potentially judging those who have them for the mere fact that they do have them. You can never avoid those people entirely, but they are in an increasing minority and not something that I would specifically worry about. They're certainly not a reason to not pursue a career as a solicitor.

In my experience attitudes to tattoos in the legal industry have followed attitudes generally to diversity and personal preferences, which is that there is more general acceptance. Even those people who would never get tattoos themselves (and I am one of them) usually have no issues with those who do have tattoos. I'm a barrister but can think of several examples in the last few years where I've had a solicitor with me on a trial who has had visible tattoos, both male and female. In those situations the fact of that solicitor having tattoos is something that is not so much a non issue as not worthy of note at all, and clearly their firm felt the same way.

There is, however, one very large caveat here, and that is that the law is a profession where image is important to the extent that clients will often not be satisfied with and will not want to instruct a lawyer that they do not think looks professional. And if a firm doesn't think your tattoos look professional and are concerned that clients might think the same, they won't want you to work for them. So it's not a prejudice against tattoos per se, but more a concern to the extent to which they can undermine a lawyer's professionalism.

Now, the general view as to what looks 'professional' has shifted over time. I'm very good friends with a male barrister who has long hair that often goes past his shoulders, which means he either has it like that in court or ties it back. A male barrister having hair like that would not have been tolerated at the Bar more recently than a lot of people think, both by colleagues and clients. But nowadays it doesn't matter, and has been no issue for him. At the same time, when it comes to all aspects of physical appearance, whether that be hair, tattoos, or something else, it is important that look professional. That depends to a degree on where your tattoos are and how visible they are, but also how large they are and what they are. Whilst I don't think there is an issue per se with you having tattoos, even visible tattoos, as a solicitor you do have to make sure that they look professional. A difficult thing to judge, I know, but it is something you have to have in mind.

So overall my broad advice would be that no, having tattoos in and of itself is not something that is likely to prevent you from becoming a solicitor. You may come across some who just flat out don't like it, but not to the extent that I'd actively worry about it. The main thing to have to bear in mind is that as a solicitor you do need be presentable and look professional. There can be a lot of personal choice in that, whether it's hair, piercings, jewellery and the clothes you're wearing. Tattoos are no different in that respect, but how others will perceive the tattoos you have is relevant. If your ambition is to get facial tattoos, for example, I think you're going to struggle. But providing you keep them broadly appropriate, I think you'll be fine.

All of that said, I am a barrister and not a solicitor. There may be others who have more direct experience of the attitudes towards tattoos in firms, and if you do get any replies you definitely need to be listening to those for obvious reasons.

Reply 2

sublime-baths

I’d suggest you err on the side of caution for tattoos. Breaking into law is hard enough as is. Don’t give law firms a reason to reject you - first impressions make a big difference. While I agree with Jamie above, that there is probably more lenience today than ever before, I don’t think tattoos are included in the same ‘diversity’ initiatives. To be frank, the partnership at a lot of the larger firms is still compromised of pretty conservative people. That might change over the next decade or so, but certainly not immediately.

Reply 3

Crazy Jamie

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by sublime-baths

While I agree with Jamie above, that there is probably more lenience today than ever before, I don’t think tattoos are included in the same ‘diversity’ initiatives.

Oh, this is absolutely true. Tattoos are not explicitly part of diversity schemes, but to my mind there is just a more prevalent attitude of live and let live when it comes to personal choices about appearance and lifestyle. But as we have said, that only extends to tattoos (and indeed, anything else) for as long as you can maintain a professional appearance, on which the view of others (i.e. your employer and clients) matters more than your own view. So yes, I actually do agree with the advice here to err on the side of caution. Complaining about rejections being unfair because the firm did not like your tattoos is a far inferior option to just being a little more conservative in your tattoo choices and getting a job.