Going from a History Degree to a Career in Law ?

Hi all, I hope someone can help with my query
I graduated in 2023 with a 2:1 in History, and since then I have been in employment, first in retail for a few months and after that for the past year or so in an office. After some thinking the job I am currently doing is something I do not plan on doing for the rest of my life, and I am thinking that a career in law might be something I would be interested in.
I have tried to have a little look into this myself but was wondering if anyone here may have any pointers? Would the best option be to do a PGDL law conversion course or would there be any path I would be able to go down to embark in a career in law? Would most universities offer law conversion courses or would only select universities offer this sort of scheme?

Hi all, I hope someone can help with my query
I graduated in 2023 with a 2:1 in History, and since then I have been in employment, first in retail for a few months and after that for the past year or so in an office. After some thinking the job I am currently doing is something I do not plan on doing for the rest of my life, and I am thinking that a career in law might be something I would be interested in.
I have tried to have a little look into this myself but was wondering if anyone here may have any pointers? Would the best option be to do a PGDL law conversion course or would there be any path I would be able to go down to embark in a career in law? Would most universities offer law conversion courses or would only select universities offer this sort of scheme?

Strictly speaking, if you want to become a solicitor, you would only need to complete the SQE which doesn't require your undergrad to be in any specific subject (not even law). However, the specific law firm that you want to apply to might be picky about this and insist on you having a PGDL.
To become a barrister, you would need a PGDL (unless you want to spend at least another 2 years doing an undergrad law degree). There are accelerated law degrees that you can do if you previously did an undergrad in another subject so you would only end up spending 2 years instead of 3 for the degree (you would start from Year 2 as opposed to Year 1). However, I consider this unnecessary if your aim is to just get into law.
No, not all unis offer PGDL for some reason. The list of PGDL courses are in the following link:
https://careerinlaw.net/uk/law-conversion-course-pgdl/pgdl-course-comparison
Examples of accelerated law degrees are the following:
https://www.law.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/law/accelerated-llb-hons-law/
https://www.herts.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/bachelor-of-laws-llb-hons-accelerated
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/courses/law-accelerated-programme-degree-llb
There are also specific degrees that are considered qualified law degrees (if they aren't, they're not considered adequate for entry into law and you would end up doing a PGDL on top). See the following:
https://www.sra.org.uk/become-solicitor/legal-practice-course-route/qualifying-law-degree-common-professional-examination/qualifying-law-degree-providers/
Whilst accelerated law degrees don't seem to be included on the list, I think it's safe to say that if you want to do a law degree from a uni that's listed in the above link, there's a strong chance that the accelerated degree should also be qualified as well (especially if you end up with LLB after your name). You can check with undergrad admissions to be sure.
Do note, since you are thinking of doing a PGDL, you would likely need to fund it yourself - it's not a course that Student Finance pays for (see:https://www.allaboutlaw.co.uk/school-leaver-law-careers/university-funding/funding-the-law-conversion-course#:~:text=The%20PGDL%20is%20not%20eligible,for%20a%20Postgraduate%20Master's%20Loan.). The typical tuition fees range from £6k to £12k. See: https://www.thelawyerportal.com/study-law/gdl/gdl-costs-gdl-funding/
Likewise, law isn't a subject that Student Finance would fund you to study at undergrad level if you already have an undergrad degree. See: https://www.heinfo.slc.co.uk/resources/guidance/courses-management-service-user-guide/eligibility/equivalent-or-lower-qualification-elq-exceptions/
In other words, you won't likely be able to get student loans for your PGDL or degree.
I would try to get into law without doing further qualifications first (especially if you intend to become a solicitor). If you can't, then see if your employer is willing to help fund you for your PGDL (or find scholarships for it). If not, then you would either have to work for a whole year or 2 and save up every penny or do something drastic to get the funds that you would need.
What I do recommend people to do is to try to get work as a paralegal at a law firm to see if it is something you actually want to do (you don't need a lot to work as a paralegal, and A Levels + GCSEs are plenty: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/paralegal). If you don't like legal work, then it's not worth the time or investment to do law qualifications or try to get into the sector - it's very competitive and you have to invest a lot of money and time to get qualified (your most difficult challenge isn't the degree or qualification, it's to secure a training contract as a solicitor or barrister; law graduates are a dime a dozen, but the training contracts available are few and far between).

I wonder where the recurrent myth about the letters LLB comes from.
It is a myth. A BA in law has the same standing as an LLB.
When you say "training contract as a barrister", I assume that you mean pupillage.

Stiffy, are Oxford and Cambridge the only universities you're thinking of when you say BA Law and LLB are the same? Or other degrees with BA Law and some other subject too? 😧

You could study for a PGDL (one year) or for a senior status degree in law (two years). PGDLs are mainly provided by qualification mills, but it doesn't matter where you obtain one. Senior status degrees are available at a few good universities.
You would have to take the Bar course or the SQE, and obtain a pupillage or a training contract.
Pupillages and training contracts are not easy to obtain. There is a large excess of candidates over places available.

Strictly speaking, if you want to become a solicitor, you would only need to complete the SQE which doesn't require your undergrad to be in any specific subject (not even law). However, the specific law firm that you want to apply to might be picky about this and insist on you having a PGDL.
To become a barrister, you would need a PGDL (unless you want to spend at least another 2 years doing an undergrad law degree). There are accelerated law degrees that you can do if you previously did an undergrad in another subject so you would only end up spending 2 years instead of 3 for the degree (you would start from Year 2 as opposed to Year 1). However, I consider this unnecessary if your aim is to just get into law.
No, not all unis offer PGDL for some reason. The list of PGDL courses are in the following link:
https://careerinlaw.net/uk/law-conversion-course-pgdl/pgdl-course-comparison
Examples of accelerated law degrees are the following:
https://www.law.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/law/accelerated-llb-hons-law/
https://www.herts.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/bachelor-of-laws-llb-hons-accelerated
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/courses/law-accelerated-programme-degree-llb
There are also specific degrees that are considered qualified law degrees (if they aren't, they're not considered adequate for entry into law and you would end up doing a PGDL on top). See the following:
https://www.sra.org.uk/become-solicitor/legal-practice-course-route/qualifying-law-degree-common-professional-examination/qualifying-law-degree-providers/
Whilst accelerated law degrees don't seem to be included on the list, I think it's safe to say that if you want to do a law degree from a uni that's listed in the above link, there's a strong chance that the accelerated degree should also be qualified as well (especially if you end up with LLB after your name). You can check with undergrad admissions to be sure.
Do note, since you are thinking of doing a PGDL, you would likely need to fund it yourself - it's not a course that Student Finance pays for (see:https://www.allaboutlaw.co.uk/school-leaver-law-careers/university-funding/funding-the-law-conversion-course#:~:text=The%20PGDL%20is%20not%20eligible,for%20a%20Postgraduate%20Master's%20Loan.). The typical tuition fees range from £6k to £12k. See: https://www.thelawyerportal.com/study-law/gdl/gdl-costs-gdl-funding/
Likewise, law isn't a subject that Student Finance would fund you to study at undergrad level if you already have an undergrad degree. See: https://www.heinfo.slc.co.uk/resources/guidance/courses-management-service-user-guide/eligibility/equivalent-or-lower-qualification-elq-exceptions/
In other words, you won't likely be able to get student loans for your PGDL or degree.
I would try to get into law without doing further qualifications first (especially if you intend to become a solicitor). If you can't, then see if your employer is willing to help fund you for your PGDL (or find scholarships for it). If not, then you would either have to work for a whole year or 2 and save up every penny or do something drastic to get the funds that you would need.
What I do recommend people to do is to try to get work as a paralegal at a law firm to see if it is something you actually want to do (you don't need a lot to work as a paralegal, and A Levels + GCSEs are plenty: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/paralegal). If you don't like legal work, then it's not worth the time or investment to do law qualifications or try to get into the sector - it's very competitive and you have to invest a lot of money and time to get qualified (your most difficult challenge isn't the degree or qualification, it's to secure a training contract as a solicitor or barrister; law graduates are a dime a dozen, but the training contracts available are few and far between).

I wonder where the recurrent myth about the letters LLB comes from.
It is a myth. A BA in law has the same standing as an LLB.
When you say "training contract as a barrister", I assume that you mean pupillage.

First of all, thank you for such a thorough answer and all of the helpful links you have provided!
As I commented on another persons response to my original question, I did not know that law is somewhat of a saturated field and I would thus have to gamble rather a lot on myself and my own ability, which I am not 100% sure I would be able to do given the amount of time and money I would likely have to put into any postgraduate course. The money side is massive, if I have to self fund fees, and any sort of accommodation and general living costs if I were to opt for a university further from home, it makes this whole thing somewhat of a no go. I maybe should have looked more into this myself before posting on this forum. I think I may just sit tight until a more feasible/sensible idea comes along.

It is a myth. A BA in law has the same standing as an LLB.
I am not necessarily saying a BA in Law doesn't have the same standing as an LLB (there are a number of BAs in the link of qualifying degrees to confirm this), but a BA in Law does not necessarily allow one to work in law without a PGDL on top - this is verified by those who I know in law as well as those in TSR forum.
When you say "training contract as a barrister", I assume that you mean pupillage.
Yes, I should have been more specific about this.