To ask if it is too late to do something law related at my great age

[tisrainingagain]

I am 49.

No experience of law, but a lot of involvement recently due to protracted divorce and now house transfer.

I think this is what I should have done or tried to get into as a career . The processes are satisfying, the way the language all relates to real situations and people (however possibly archaic or in need of reform the particular law), but has to be deciphered and put together like a jigsaw puzzle. The fact that you have to be meticulous, methodical and organised. Also that you are helping people in some capacity. I think I would have been good at it. Not a mover and shaker commercial type of lawyer, but crime or family maybe.

So in what capacity could I now do something law related? I have a first degree but not a good one. I have worked in admin or schools (either doing TA work or TEFL). I know that it is too late to do a law degree and get a traineeship to be a solicitor. What else could I do?

[tisrainingagain]

Just bumping in case anyone has any suggestions .

[HollowTalk]

Quite honestly, I think it's probably the last thing you should do! Haven't you heard about all the law graduates who are struggling to find work that pays well? (Apart from those high fliers in London and the SE, of course.)

I don't think lawyers see themselves as helping people, do they?

You're 49 now. Could you do something else and then apply to be a magistrate when you're retired?

[Peachesandcream15]

You can get into law without a law degree but it takes a long time and you'll be starting at the very very bottom.

But honestly? I'm a paper pusher, I'm badly paid, you deal with people at the most stressful time of their lives so you can do the best job in the world and they may not be very grateful at the end of it. It's not that great, and is frequently quite stressful.

There is often a thread here about how awful solicitors are!!

[MillieMoodle]

I wanted to be a solicitor because I wanted to help people. I still like helping people, but it didn't take me long to realise that there are a lot of people who don't really want your help or advice, much less do they want to pay you for it. It's easy to become disheartened.

You could do ILEX but I wouldn't bother going into law if I were you - it's long hours, stressful, the pressure is ridiculous and it's not as well-rewarded as everyone seems to think. Sorry to be negative but I wouldn't advise either of my DC to go into law.

[NiceCardigan]

Have you thought of working in an area like welfare rights or housing advice. I’ve done both previously and a knowledge of the processes and the law behind them is helpful. You would be helping people then.

[TestingTestingWonTooFree]

You don’t have to be retired to be a magistrate. A friend of mine has been one since he was about 30.

There are probably voluntary opportunities in law. Family/crime would be an expensive hobby.

[Mc180768]

What an interesting thread. I too am 49 and looking to enter a different career.

However, what I am in the process of doing is setting up a legal clinic that covers housing, welfare rights, family law. Our local CAB has closed and there is a need in our locality following a consultation.

What this entails is getting locall services as part of their CSR to 'donate' supervision to third year LLP students from universities.

With the welfare reform changes, welfare rights and housing is huge. As a PP has stated that's where a large chunk is required.

I think, OP, given the advice above, and your skill set that your local community may well offer you the answer.

[HollowTalk]

I know you don't have to be retired to be a magistrate, but the OP needs to earn some money from the sound of it.

[Singlenotsingle]

I agree with Millie. It's a long hard slog and a lot of years to qualify in law. Then it's bloody hard work, long hours, stress and rubbish pay. I often wish I'd done something else!

[Amateurish]

How about doing something admin related in a law firm and trying to develop your skills from there? I had a secretary who did a part time cilex course then became a fee earner...

[pyramidbutterflyfish]

Law can be a great career. Your jigsaw analogy is spot on. Or in a disputes centred role, card playing would be apt.

Legal analysis is intellectually challenging and satisfying. And I’m a commercial lawyer, but still very much see my role as fundamentally helping my clients.

Other posters are right that larger firms are competitive, and High Street firms are difficult places to work.

I’d approach it laterally and look for a legal role which doesn’t require a legal qualification. That could include being a lay magistrate; lay member of a tribunal (there are loads, see the HMCTS website); procurement/contracts manager in the public sector; welfare advice in Citizens Advice or similar; something connected to a coroner’s court.

None of these are full time jobs, but they will give a way in to the profession and can be done around school hours.

Btw I don’t think you are too old to qualify and know people who have done so successfully in their 50s. But I’d try to get some practical experience first.

Good luck!

[KC225]

A friend of mine has recently trained to be a financial ombudsman. She works from home and is given cases to work on. She has a fine eye for detail and has held analytical position but not legally trained. She has a group that she can refer to and gets to go on updates and training. Maybe something like this would appeal.

[KC225]

Forgot to add, she is your age.

[Graphista]

www.gov.uk/become-magistrate/can-you-be-a-magistrate

You could be a "appropriate adult" volunteer.

As pp have said there's DESPERATE need for advisers on welfare and housing (cab, shelter and your local housing association are the obvious potential employers).

Actually given the areas you say you enjoyed have you considered accountancy? For a charity?

[EdithDickie]

I don't think lawyers see themselves as helping people, do they?

I do! Mostly anyway! I am an injury lawyer (yes, yes, I chase ambulances ) and I specialise in abuse cases and catastrophic injury cases. It's incredibly satisfying to be a part of helping people rebuild their lives.

I qualified via the cilex route and am pretty well paid. I do work long hours and it is really stressful a lot of the time. DH works term time and part time so does all the heavy lifting at home and with DC. It would be so much harder without him as, as so often is mentioned on these threads, it's not the most family friendly job. I do get to work from home attached least once a week but you most probably wouldn't have that when starting out.

I think in your circumstances you could do something like being an assistant or paralegal. Basically assisting the fee earners with organising things, gathering documents, drafting documents etc. It's a really good "in" and a route that everyone in my department took to fee earning (paralegal plus cilex). Secretary then paralegal is also a common route in my firm if you have secretarial skills. The bad thing is the pay. Paralegals in my place are on about £15-18k (in the south west).

[trojanpony]

Ergh I hate to be negative but I agree with this

Quite honestly, I think it's probably the last thing you should do! Haven't you heard about all the law graduates who are struggling to find work that pays well? (Apart from those high fliers in London and the SE, of course.)

[Nowisthemonthofmaying]

Definitely look into being a magistrate - I've been doing it since I was in my twenties and I love it. Obviously it's not a career option as it's unpaid and part-time, but it definitely satisfies that law craving for me! I went into it after deciding against retraining as a solicitor, for all the reasons given above. It's a fascinating thing to do, sometimes difficult but you do feel like you're helping people and giving something back to your community.

[eternalopt]

It is a long hard slog to get into law... if you want to be a lawyer. Depending on your wage/career expectations, think about a paralegal job. You could try it out that way and see if it's for you. If you wanted to progress from there, then think about further qualifications. Stay away from the big firms who treat paralegals as photocopying dogsbodies. Our paralegals have their own files, close supervision and come to us from uni with no other legal qualifications and not necessarily a law degree - just any old degree, and a good heap of organisation and common sense. Crap money though

[CaveMaman]

I don't think it's too late. There's a man at my work who's just finishing a law degree, he's in his 50's I'd guess. From the sounds of things he's doing really well at it too!

[tisrainingagain]

Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas - much appreciated.

I think I should make a concerted effort to get into legal admin and see where that takes me (if anywhere). Even that is quite hard as firms seem to want someone who has already been a legal secretary for at least a year if not more.

There are a lot of interesting ideas here that I had never thought of - I had never thought about the possibility of being a magistrate.

[MerryDeath]

the best thing to do would probably be CILEX but you aren't making life simple for yourself!

[trojanpony]

Magistrate is a great idea but I don’t think it pays brilliantly if I recall correctly

[TestingTestingWonTooFree]

Magistrates aren’t paid at all. I think their expenses are covered.