AIBU to change career and retrain as a solicitor?

I'd recommend completing a degree with the OU and the considering your options when this is done. I'm just finishing my degree - started when the children were small and now they don't need me around I'm applying for training opportunities that I wouldn't have even considered when they were small and needed me, but as I (in the next few months) have that degree, then doors and opportunities have opened.

Why don't you train to do paralegal conveyancing not in the know but imagine much easier to train up in and get work.

My partner did the SQE when our first was very young. He was very lucky to get a paralegal position at the same time for a firm that he’d worked with in his previous, industry-adjacent role (he wanted to go into a specific area of law). He studied incredibly hard and passed and was offered a job. It’s worked for him but it was very hard with just one small baby. A woman in his office is doing the same thing. She has two small children and has just failed her exams so hasn’t been offered a position. It’s not to be undertaken lightly, if partner hadn’t passed he probably wouldn’t have had the funds or bandwidth to try again.

I've just been reading in the news today that this is one of the first jobs that AI will "take" and law is not being recommended as a degree at the moment. Not trying to scaremonger, just sharing what I read in case it helps you make a decision.

Some unis (ex polys) have very low entry requirements for law, even offering foundation degrees. The providers offering the postgraduate courses will accept 2.2. They will happily take your money but chances of actually going on to qualify are slim.

If you would be working while studying you'll probably need to be part time so as pp said that would 6 years and then you would have to do a diploma I think and then the traineeship so you would be looking at 10 years to become newly qualified and you would have to compete with other NQs for the job and you'd be earning crumbs for a more than full time work week until you could move up the ladder.

The firm I work at wouldn't discriminate on age but you would be expected to be available at odd hours as a trainee for networking events etc and being unable to attend these would reduce your chance of being kept on after training - a traineeship doesn't guarantee a job after. So it's little things like that you'll need to consider.

Have you considered a paralegal career? That can give you access to similar income to a newly qualified solicitor in a much shorter time frame. That will give you a taste of the legal profession while giving you skills you can transfer to other office jobs. Have a look for legal secretary jobs as an in. I'm sure your bakery job has some skills that could transfer to that.

While law is not something I ever considered as a career, it now seems like a better option for me. I think I would enjoy learning a new profession.

Why do you think this? Because your solicitor impressed you, seemed confident, seemed happy? You say you would enjoy learning, but would you enjoy practicing? Would you enjoy being a trainee, will you be able to find a firm in your local area to take you on? I’ve always been under the impression that trainees work long hours.

I think it’s a massive leap to say you’ve never even considered law but now want to use your savings to become a solicitor while being a single parent. I also think the bakery idea is risky. People will often come to support a new local business but when they need to save their pennies for house deposit etc. things like a weekend trip to the bakery would be first to go.

I am very risk-averse personally and not motivated to take big chances, I would try get a public sector/civil service job that gave me flexibility to juggle childcare and parental responsibilities, and I’d make a few cakes etc. on the side to sell locally (birthdays, anniversaries etc.).

Im a former barrister so slightly different. To train from scratch if you don't have a degree is three year undergraduate plus post graduate plus training contract. When you are senior you can achieve flexibility but most solicitors in the first few years work very long hours to get established and not on brilliant pay unless you're at a law magic circle firm working 18 hour days.

Can you afford to support yourself for potentially 4 years?

The other option is to look at degree apprenticeships which do a degree over longer with working alongside. I know someone who recently started one in law and has such great experience compared to her peers.

Good luck!

Do you have the necessary qualifications to be accepted on a course like this ?

It’s very competitive. Beware of outdated advice, it’s recently changed how to qualify. New route to be a solicitor is to pass SQE1 and SQE2 exams plus 2 years qualifying work experience. Pass rates for SQE around 50% mark - SQE 1 is legal knowledge, SQE2 is skills based advocacy, interviewing etc.
You don’t actually need a law degree or law conversion to be a solicitor now but in reality most firms will insist on it and I can’t see how you can pass SQE1 without. Exam fees alone for SQE are £5000.
Some firms are recruiting via solicitor apprenticeships - so work and train on the job over 6 years but very few places and competition is fierce.

I'm a solicitor and whilst I'm now well established in my career, it has been a long slog. In your position I'd pursue the bakery plan.

You may want to browse the Mature Study and Retraining board, here:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/mature_students

What kind of area do you live in? Close to a big city?

A friend of mine in their mid 30s is currently doing a part time law degree (6 years) and then will have to find a law firm to take them on as a trainee, which I’m not sure how long that takes. I think they’re a bit mad.