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Disadvantage of Law as a Possible Career.

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J.S.

Alexander

Exactly -- there are many universities that are permanent denizens of the lower echelons of the league tables which offer law, and I should imagine that having graduated from one of those it wouldn't be easy to have a good legal career. However the idea is the someone with an Oxbridge 2.1 would have difficulty in getting a good job is a joke.

It is, but the convo isn't about 'finding work', we're talking about finding work right at the top.

Reply 21

J.S.

It is, but the convo isn't about 'finding work', we're talking about finding work right at the top.

it isn't really, no one said work right at the top, just a good legal career.

Reply 22

J.S.

Lord Huntroyde

it isn't really, no one said work right at the top, just a good legal career.

hmm....highly subjective, i took it as meaning at the top, why would anyone with a first rate education aim lower?

Reply 23

J.S.

hmm....highly subjective, i took it as meaning at the top, why would anyone with a first rate education aim lower?

Because they want a good pay but may not want to work in the city? So they do really well in a high street firm. They may not want to devote their life to law and have time for their family? They may see money as a small part of it and actually want to help people? They may have only gained their first rate education because they were good enough to go, but they have never considered working in the city?

Reply 24

J.S.

Lord Huntroyde

hmm...yeah, I see what you're saying, buttt...I was thinking more along the lines of what you CAN do. I think sometimes (mostly with 6th formers) there's a belief that a good 2:1 means you're able to do absolutely anything...

Reply 25

lou p lou

lou p

law has one of the highest unemployment rates among graduates. it was in the telegraph education letters a couple of weeks ago... will look for a link for you.

lou xxx

found it: turns out i was wrong- suprising really

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/main.jhtml?xml=%2Feducation%2F2003%2F11%2F12%2Fterjc12.xml

Which graduates have the best and worst employment prospects?

Among those who graduated last year, the unemployment rate six months later was lowest in law (3.8 per cent) and civil engineering (4.4 per cent) and highest in information technology (14.6 per cent), electrical and electronic engineering (13.6 per cent), media studies (10.1 per cent) and design studies (10 per cent). The type of employment they found is also worth considering: 21 per cent of design studies graduates, 16 per cent of media studies graduates, 15 per cent of English graduates and 12 per cent of psychology graduates were working as "retail assistants, catering, waiting and bar staff". For more details, see www.prospects.ac.uk

i'm amazed at how many people in this forum can't decide between law and medicine- surely they appeal to completely different types of people? i would think medicine would appeal to very sciency people, wheras law if for more englishy people- i know this is typecasting, but there's got to be an element of truth in it. they are both so competitive and stressful- i would only want to do them if i was absalutely committed and enthusiastic- if you have to ask which you want to do, maybe you should question whether you should do either. there are plenty of degrees out there. i simply looked at what i wanted to do with my life and found the degree to fit (maths + psychology).

lou xxx

Reply 26

Surfing Hamster

Is anyone applying for Law at Cambridge?

If some of you guys are, I'd really appreciate it if you could PM me so we could help each other out and discuss things interviewers might ask us! I think it'd be really helpful, aside from the mock interviews from our tutors. :smile:

Reply 27

Alexander

lou p

i'm amazed at how many people in this forum can't decide between law and medicine- surely they appeal to completely different types of people? i would think medicine would appeal to very sciency people, wheras law if for more englishy people- i know this is typecasting, but there's got to be an element of truth in it. they are both so competitive and stressful- i would only want to do them if i was absalutely committed and enthusiastic- if you have to ask which you want to do, maybe you should question whether you should do either. there are plenty of degrees out there. i simply looked at what i wanted to do with my life and found the degree to fit (maths + psychology).

lou xxx

I think that these ppl who can't decide between Law and Medicine are people who simply have a desire to do a degree that leads directly into a well-paid career, as opposed to being particularly into either (I may be libelling them, of course, in which case my apologies in advance).

Reply 28

lou p lou

Alexander

that's what i think- you just explained it better. there is more to life than money, like doing something you really enjoy.

lou xxx

Reply 29

Debs@Brum

I agree with Alexander. It seems as though people who can't decide between Medicine and law are looking for a career with high prestige and big bucks rather than enjoyment and possible career satisfaction.

I don't know what I want to do as a career, so I chose a subject that I enjoy (English) and I will see where it leads me (hopefully NOT into waitressing, bar staff etc!)

Reply 30

Elle

I think everything has been pretty much covered.. except for one major disadvantage (I think) if you want to be Barrister- you can only practise law in England and Wales.. :frown:

But who knows.. the legal proffesion has changed so much in the past few years and it will definatley change in the future. A lot of people want to merge the role of Barristers and Solicitor..

I thought you needed completley different skills for Law and Medicene?!?.. Anyways good luck and I hope you make the right choice!

P.S I'm applying to Cambridge for Law Surfing Hamster :tongue:

Reply 31

viviki

The role of a solicitor is going to be expanding greatly in the future I believe. Also law is competetive but there are great opportunities when graduating with a law degree for other jobs because they appreciate how hard a law degree is.

Reply 32

Buzfvar

Some folks have mentioned the lack of commitment suggested by myself to either career.
Just thought I'd develop on this point.
I was VERY strongly considering medicine as a career, until I realised one matter.
The hours.
I do not mind the training, or bad conditions, or debts caused by a long degree. What I do mind are hours. Hearing that doctors have to work, say two days with minimal sleep in one big go, or that they are currently working > 70 hours a week and by 2010, this will only decrease to 50 or so hours a week. Night and weekend shifts too.

This is really my only turning point of medicine. I wanted a career that would be interesting, and most important, would utilise knowledge and everything I would learn at uni, as well help folks and be a general good career. I was quite happy with the career, having considered it for a number of years, though when I was 13/14 I decided not to go into it because I didn't want to become an Asian steroetype [I'm of Paki descent!].

So really, my two main qualms with medicine are the hours, and to a lesser extent the monopolistic nature of the NHS over doctors, and the fact that on the one hand they have to satisfy patients and also doctors, and the two demands aren't always reconciable. I.e. in essence, I dislike the fact that it is a public owned service from a doctor's point of view, though from a patient point of view, the NHS is great in keeping with my left-wing beliefs.

Hope that puts my position forward. I am now possibly considering law because, it does not restrict you to the state in the junior years, and what's more the hours are not to 70 /80 hours a week level!
It also helps folks [tho also harms others... ], it utilises knowledge and intelligence, and isn't badly paid like say, research jobs (i.e. like medicine it's pay matches it training level, if that makes any sense!).

Hope this enlightens the situation a bit :smile:

Reply 33

FudgeMonkey

Mark_KK

Advantages of medicine:.....

This person should get rep as this was a truly excellent well thought out peice! Really helpful! Thanx

Reply 34

FudgeMonkey

Buzfvar

I am now possibly considering law because, it does not restrict you to the state in the junior years, and what's more the hours are not to 70 /80 hours a week level!

The thing is about both law and medicine(and teaching) is that it isnt just a career, its a lifestyle. You dont just go to work do your job and come home, they really do take over your life. The hours of law is unpredictable - you could have a sudden huge case that you may have to spend all night working on!

I echo what others say, if you really are not sure than neither degree is for you - law and medicine are hard, and need very commited people to take them. Not some1 who just wants to sound good or get paid well.

Reply 35

Buzfvar

FudgeMonkey

Yeah, I will do a lonnng harrdd think about all this. Good news, I'm doing quite a bit of voluntary work at old folks home, and enjoying it and I'm gonna have some wrk exp. at a hosp soon...

Reply 36

Mark_KK

FudgeMonkey

This person should get rep as this was a truly excellent well thought out peice! Really helpful! Thanx

Thank you - it is nice to get some recognition!

Reply 37

Bollis

Lord Huntroyde

Not really, my 38 year old uncle is a solicitor in Burnley and he earns £70,000 a year. He is very high up in the group, granted, but you can forge a good career out of the magic circle.

May I ask where he studied?

Reply 38

lyd

Ive been through this whole training contract applications malarkey and survived with a TC in hand. I can tell you this whole “you have to be Oxbridge/lse” or “you have to have amazing extra-curricular and have won the Nobel Prize” type-thing is just not true. First, HR people in law firms aren’t into the old boys network anymore, and give good candidates from ALL unis a fair crack of the whip. It is especially the biggest firms who are open-minded about which uni you are from (though admittedly, former polytechnics are at a disadvantage). Plus, I had hardly any extra-curricular stuff, but I think I managed to get interviews just through giving good answers to inane questions like “why law”, “why our firm”. Oh and it’s more important to be commercially-aware and read the FT/economist than list 100 extra-curricular crap.

Also, someone said not a lot of girls get into city law firms. That’s not true. Most big firms actually take in slightly more female trainees than male. At my firm, it’s about 60/40!

And dude, a city law firm has pretty bad hours too, you know… especially banking, corp finance etc.

Reply 39

Kurdt Morello

Buzfvar

Hi!
I am strongly considering going into either Medicine or Law, though I need to decide between the two! Heh.

I'm aware of the disadvantages of medicine e.g. long hours, etc. etc.
but I'd like to balance this up by knowing the disadvantage of law.

E.g. is unemployment of law graduates high? what's the supply vs. demand of lawyers? if i get a degree in english law, am i right in assuming im stuck to england if it comes to practising law?

In short, give me all the crappy stuff about a career in law either as a barrister or a solictor. Thanks :smile:

Law is a very presitigious degree and in fact opens the doors to many other career paths away from the Law - as a degree it is very well-respected - depending on your ambition in this field you will either find it hard to find a job or find it relatively easy - therein lies the disparity between 1sts and 2:1s such is the competition in this career. but then the divergence is even larger between 2:1s and anything less - so it is up to you to decide what you want out of it. Medicine as a degree has the advantage of not having such differences between grades - one simply gets a GMC degree which qualifies one for work as a doctor and pretty much guarantees a job especially with the NHS.