Question for anyone working in law

[Bimblin]

I have one dc aged 2 and am working f/t in marketing. I would really like to start doing a p/t law conversion at the local uni whilst working with the aim of finishing training in 4 years (when I'll be 35). Is it realistic to think I could make a start as a solicitor then? I am hoping to do my child bearing whilst studying then then be ready to start the profession as they're going to school, so I'd be able to be f/t then. Any advice for late starters would be great, as I need to decide within a couple of months....

[funkimummy]

I (was - am not now!) a legal secretary, and my boss - who happened to be the owner of the firm I worked at, didn't start her degree till the kids were older. She qualified as a solicitor in her thirties, and is now a well-paid 50+ who goes on lots of nice holidays a year, runs her own business and seems very happy!!!

Go for it.

[funkimummy]

Have a look on the law society's website as well. That will give you lots of info.

My Law A-Level teacher didn't qualify till she was nearly 40!!

Are you going to do the full works - bar exam and articles as well?

[Plibble]

I'm sure that my mother has a friend who became a solicitor as her second career. She went to a firm in the home counties and has been very succesful and was made a partner very quickly. I assume that her pre-law experience was very useful.
I also know a woman who qualified in her 40s. No idea where she trained (somewhere outside of London), but when I knew her she was working for one of the top 5 firms. Her children were grown up by then.

No idea what it is like studying p/t, but I think to get firms to take you seriously you'd need to appear committed, enthusiastic,interested, all of the usual things that apply to any applicant. I think being older can be an advantage as you are likely to want to be a lawyer, and not just be applying because your parents told you to! Anyway, you are in marketing - I am sure you can present your circumstances well!

Getting the training contract is likely to be the hard bit. The best thing to do would be to scout about ASAP - many firms recruit 2 years in advance of the start date. Once you have qualified, things become easier. HTH.

[MamaG]

Go for it Bimblin, at my firm they tend to employ older fee earners anyway. Have you thought of studying to be a Legal Executive?

[Bimblin]

Oh that's great you're all so positive about it. I had place at law school when I finshed uni but I didn't take it up as I was being a flaky 21 year old. But in the last year buying a house and taking two banks to the small claims has fired me up. Plus the thought of wanting to send the kids private...

A couple more questions:

MamaG: Is a legal exec the same as a paralegal?

Plibble: should I definitely go for a training contract? I guess I thought as I'll be doing it over 4 years they'd mainly give them to people doing the 2 years.

Funkimummy: yes I'd like to do articles and qualify

Thanks everyone

[MamaG]

No, LEgal Execs have to do training and get qualifications. Have a look on the ILEX website

[fridayschild]

Bimblin, don't know what the Law society rules are on being part-time while you are doing your training contract - you should look on their website. If you want to be a PT trainee that will cut down the range of firms, and all the feedback from older trainees is that getting the training contact is the hardest of all. Otherwise you could train as a legal exec and then become a solicitor after that. Sorry, this sounds really negative, but good luck!

[Judy1234]

You need to apply at least 2 years in advance to get a training contract. You get paid during that training contract period and the big firms will pay your course fees and maintenance fees for the legal practice course and sometimes the year before that - GDL/conversion course. If you are being paid maintenance whilst studying you may feel you can do the 2 years study full time rather than 4 years part time in that case. The training contract full time rates in London are about £30k a year but I'm not sure about part time.

[Bimblin]

I meant that I'd be p/t whilst doing the PDL (so I could support myself) and then possibly the LPC, though if I got a training contract which covered the LPC I'd happily go full time. And full time after that.

I didn't expect to get a training contract to cover the CDE though.

[Bimblin]

Sorry - CPE

So if I started the GDL part time in Sept 07 (carrying on working for my own maintenance) and applied for the training contract two years in advance for when I'd be starting the LPC (Sept 09), that would be a better move?

I'm out in the SW, so not too many big London firms down here, plus can't see I'd move for a while.

[Plibble]

You need to apply for training contracts two years before you want to start work. So, students apply the summer before their third year of a law degree or the summer before they start CPE (or whatever it is called now). Some firms (all of the bigger ones, so I guess some others too) pay for their future trainees to do both CPE and LPC (fees and some maintenance - a few grand or so to cover the rent).

If you were doing part time CPE over more than one year then you should apply when you have one year of that plus LPC to go. Hope that helps.

[piglit]

There are lots of good firms in the SW so there won't be a shortage of places to apply. I used to live in London (before babies) and worked at a mahoosive City firm for 11 years. I absolutely loved it. However, they didn't have any older trainees IIRC. Almost all of them were straight out of uni/law school. Also, the hours were pretty relentless - certainly not family friendly - so I think sticking in the SW would be best anyway.

[Judy1234]

Yes, B and what Pb is right. Also in terms of timing people often do vacation placements at the firms before they apply so the firms can assess you over a few weeks so that is before you apply for the trianing contract 2 yeras in advance and it's a bit over 2 years by the way more like 3 years because if you're non law degree you're usually aiming to have job offerfor a traning contract in say Sept 2008 when starting full time GDL to start in Sept 2010 so you apply Autumn 2007 having done placements in summer 2007 (or Christmas 2007). That would be the best advice to most students, not that my daughter seems to have taken it. But who listens to their mother anyway.

[Bimblin]

Thanks everyone, your advice has been really helpful. I shall get onto some local firms in Bath/Bristol and see what they can generally offer and whether they'd be less interested in me doing the studying p/t. Cheers - enjoy your friday nights....

[Judy1234]

Good luck.
Burgess Salmon Bristol, an example..

"Our trainees are amongst the highest paid outside London, and as such, trainee salaries are substantially in excess of those recommended by the Law Society:

• 1st year trainee solicitors: £24,000 per annum
  
• 2nd year trainee solicitors: £25,000 per annum
  
• On qualification: £37,000 per annum
  
  Tuition Fees for PgDL and LPC will be paid at the institution of choice. In addition a maintenance grant of £6,000 is paid to LPC students and £12,000 (£6,000 per annum) is paid to those students studying for both the PgDL and LPC.
  
  As well as a highly competitive salary and sponsorship package, we also offer a range of benefits which include:
  
  
• A firm wide bonus scheme with an annual bonus payment linked to salary and the performance of the firm;
  
• Membership of a Group Personal Pension Plan with a matching contribution from the firm of up to 5% of salary;
  
• Annual holiday entitlement of 24 days, increasing to 25 days on qualification. An additional day is awarded after three, six and ten year's service with the firm;
  
• Private Medical Insurance;
  
• Life Assurance (multiple of four times salary);
  
• Professional subscriptions paid;
  
• Interest free season ticket loans; and
  
• An active sports and social club which includes a number of benefits including subsidised events throughout the year and discounted local gym memberships. "

[Bimblin]

Thanks Xenia, that's really useful