Choosing to study Law? Okay... it's your choice and no one else's. However I'm going to tell you how much you're probably going to regret this...
Firstly, everything I'm about to say is the truth, I'm not going to ******** my way through this, there's no point. So don't bother arguing... My parents went to a Russell group University and have been lawyers for over 23 years now.
I'm also going to put things in blatant terms because I know of so many people that suddenly get up one morning and go," oh you know what Mum! I want to do law!!!"
There's no point... Honestly there's really no point...
It's true about what they say, if you don't go to a Russell group university, there's a 95% you'll be stuck looking for a paralegal job for at least 1 to 2 years. In fact you'll probably just end up getting an admin job with the police, NHS, etc (I know this happens btw, parents told me at first, then friends went to university and realised they weren't lying" So... what if you get lucky and strike a paralegal position at a law firm?! I mean those papers aren't going to photo copy themselves for the next 3 years are they? You'll be on 16,000 max for 3 or 4 years until and IF they offer you a training contract... (To train you up in a specific area of law) (Many firms actually fire you just before the contract is due... and you know why? Because they can! So congratulations on spending those last few years as an admin assistant! 90% of law firms use the "we've gone internal trick" - meaning they've gave it to another paralegal somewhere amongst the business) HOWEVER... you also don't get to choose which area of law you study in... aha now why would a law firm accompany your desires? Noooo, that's way to expensive, they train you where they need you (and it's only 95% of the time in one seat - meaning it's only one area of law you get trained in). And if you oppose? Well sorry but the competition to get the paralegal jobs are so fierce.. you'd be an idiot to reject it!
Anyway so that training contract finishes after 3 years and your wage goes up and you're officially a FEE EARNER. YIPEE!. Now unless you're in a really boring area of law (which is also fully occupied by Cambridge and Oxbridge students) like corporate(most of the firms are based in London)... you won't be earning more than 35000 (outside of London), unless you move onto a managerial position which is near never. Oh and once you hit the ceiling, you're wage won't increment. And nearly everyone hits the ceiling because once they get there, they're waiting for the 50 year old woman who plans to retire at 80 to step down from manager of 3 DEPARTMENTS. Which does happen. haha there's no individual managers for each department. Why would they do that when they can spend money on just one person? (You've got to remember Law firms are literally and I mean literally only interested in generating money. You'll have targets every single week... if you book a holiday, but they want you, they'll say something along the lines of "I know your off, but we really need you, and we'd just be really unhappy and upset if you couldn't rearrange) - meaning that if you didn't, they'd make your life hell. By now I bet you're thinking this is just one but hurt kid that didn't get into law or he's just iterating stories about one run down law firm.... But I'm not, and if you still think law is the place to go... then continue reading...
The stress of the job is unreal, the clients you deal with will literally make you cry. Not one person in my friends or parents law firm hasn't cried. Imagine, you're in court to make some fees for your company (literally that's what it boils down to) and then all of a sudden your client does something crazy like lie to the judge....(an example of many scenarios) Now you've not only got to live with the responsibility of losing(Which angers your firm massively, I mean you took it to trial, and that promotion prospect has gone for a LONG time), but your client, who looks helplessly at you as he or she realises what they've done and pleads to you for help. What exactly are you going to do? Apart from tell them that they've just gone and got themselves a record. AKA life basically over...
You'll also most likely hate your bosses. They'll be ex fee earners but will have literally lost any sense and not know a thing you'll talk to them about. The management course you can go on as a lawyer (which is basically unheard of) is very extensive, and when you've stopped file handling and earning fees for 6 months, you forget A LOT. Stepping onto this course is also very risky because one false move and you're out of a job... Think about it, they'll almost certainly be no management jobs out there, never mind for your area of law!!! The reason I told you that once you've done your training contract, you'll be stuck with that area of law is because many people wouldn't be able to afford to go out and find another paralegal position, hence going back to 16000 a year again. Then spend another 10+ years getting to the ceiling... This is because of things such as family commitment etc....
Ask any lawyer to tell you if they had their chance back in the day again, what would they do?.... please, ask them.... because I can almost guarantee they wouldn't say. "WELL LAW'S GREAT AND I'D GO RIGHT BACK IN". The subject is so deceiving. 95% of what you learn in university is never touched upon again! Working for a law firm as a fee earner has nothing to do with it!!! The subject itself, every lawyer will say is great! But when it comes down to job prospects, you have no idea of the regret you'll have afterwards. Oh and also one last thing aha... Car injury And Fraud... that whole area of law is going under either next year or the year after. So you guys are gonna have to compete with 20,000+ experienced, knowledgeable lawyers applying for paralegal jobs left, right and centre. It will be ugly and hence why so many lawyers are trying to get out of it now while they can...
Oh and some smarty pants think they can open their own law firm and make dollah!!! Well as long as you have millions of pounds in your bank account for the insurance that's needed, well I'm sure you'll be fine... (yes millions) - so forget about it
Oh for the future judges out there! You won't get one judge under the age of 50 in the whole of England!! So GL with that!!! the wage is also dropping for them too. (2 judges will also never make the same decision when it comes to cases such as family, fraud or anything like that - which brings about ethical issues...)
Barristers? Don't even bother, you're self employed and so many get the bar qualification yet less that (0.00001%) of applicants get the job. To be honest don't even think of becoming a renowned barrister unless you have family already in the business. It's what a lot of law boils down to... the people you know. And to do that you need experience or a lucky family member. Something only 1/10000 law undergraduate has. Internships are also never heard of nowadays unless you get to a Russell group university and even then, they're still incredibly competitive.
After you're degree grades don't matter also, you may even have some friend in a law firm that you think can get you in... but the reality is, is that you're friend will be extremely lucky to get you some unpaid voluntary work for a no more than a week part time.
That's my rant done now anyway. Anyone who disagrees, can come back to me in 3/4 years time and tell me how wrong I was, okay? no please do, it'll be a right laugh.
P.S: Guys if you're using law as a degree to get into something else, then go for it. I know that the degree for other areas can be quite useful, (why so many lawyers become teachers/engineers) (ADVICE: Don't go or come into law school big headed, you'll still barley know anything about the real world of law)