To become a solicitor?

[Spid3rpig]

To cut a long story short, I did a Law degree around 5 years ago (2:1, top 5 uni) and decided when I graduated that I didn't want to become a solicitor. I then went into a completely unrelated job for a few years and in the last year decided that I hated it and actually did want to be a solicitor after all. Since making that decision I've left the other job and am now working as a Paralegal for a nice local firm. The course I'd need to complete to be a solicitor is around £15,000 and I'd need to fit it in around work and looking after a young child. There potentially could be a training contract for me where I'm working now but not sure this could be guaranteed. I don't feel like applying to a firm which funds the LPC is a realistic option right now because the job wouldn't really fit around looking after a small child. So AIBU to throw 15 grand at becoming a solicitor without a guarantee of a job at the end and, at 28, am I too old? Or should I just stay working as a Paralegal for the rest of my career? I'm genuinely stuck on this one

The other good thing about sponsored LPC is that you have a whole year to spend with your child (oh and study of course, but the LPC is not that taxing...). Fitting study around full-time work and childcare would be brutal. The last thing you want to do in the evening after a long day is crack open the civil procedure rules. Plus if you applied now, most firms recruit 2 years in advance, so in fact you would have 2 years before it started and your child would a little bit older (and maybe even in school?).

running I have worked for one of those forms and trainees with children did really struggle. My family seat was one of the worst for hours.

I worked with legal execs there who were getting paid the same as solicitors and definitely not living with their parents. For a law graduate the qualification process is much quicker than 7 years and the training salary will be higher than your friend is getting paid now. I know the West Country doesn't have the best reputation for salaries but I think your friend is very exploited (or is in a very small firm).

Agree with AndrewofGG.

It's tougher than tough out there in law right now. I receive many hundreds of CV's around TC time. (I am a partner in a biglaw firm). Frankly, 90% of them are more impressive than mine was 20-odd years ago when I got my TC. Most of the people that would have sailed into a TC in the Magic Circle back then are now paralegalling in not-so-great firms. The paralegal stint almost seems to be an unofficial part of the training. There are few TC's and even fewer jobs and the market outlook is bleak because there is massive oversupply.

I wish you the very best but I would think very carefully about jumping into the already teeming pond unless you are absolutely stellar (academically and extra-curricularstuff)! I know nothing about CILEX but it sounds lower risk.

I don't think your age is a barrier at all. I suppose because you are in London there are more options available to you. I'd rule out any publicly funded work (unless you're GLS or public sector). I'd investigate CiLEX and then talk to your current firm.

I think most of what I would say has already been said but I was wondering if you graduated five years ago your "qualifying law degree" had expired? The rules might have changed but back when I qualified you had to do your LPC/bvc within a certain time of your law degree.

I worked at one of the firms running mentioned. It did not encourage a good work life balance.

In response to a couple of posters, I work 9-5 now on a 4 day week. Overtime is paid or I get time off in lieu. Quid pro quo for that is that I am earning about half of what I could earn in private practice and about third of what I would earn in the city for an equivalent role (ie senior associate).

To the op, if you can find a public sector training contract (they do exist) that might suit you better. Or in-house. Otherwise I think you just have to accept it will be difficult to have much control over your time until you qualify - although it really really varies.

Lastly I recently heard about an associate at one firm who has 10 children! Apparently she gets up at 4 every morning. Not for me but can be done!!

eurochick, that rule was abolished fairly recently, so the OP is OK.

And it does not take 7 years to qualify under the CILEx route, even if you do the non-graduate route. (Some people might take that long, but a lot of people do it much quicker.)

Yes, there will be long hours, but I think that there will be long hours wherever you train. I mentioned regional firms because it does tend to be slightly better work/life balance there. But at the end of the day, if you truly want good work/life balance and flexibility, becoming a solicitor is not the way to go. Especially not at the beginning of your career.

I mentioned the firms I did because the OP expressed an interest in family law. As a pp pointed out, family legal aid is virtually dead in the water now and many smaller firms are really struggling to get private work. If she does want to go into it, it may be worth targeting the leading firms.

I remain dubious as to there being as many opportunities and equivalent salary prospects with CILEX. Yes, my friend is at a small firm but it is normal for legal executives to be paid quite a bit less than solicitors and I don't think her salary is out of the ordinary for the region. If the only reason the OP is doing it is because the training is cheaper, then she needs to think carefully about it.

I think at the end of the day, there are different reasons for pursuing careers. If the OP wants to stay with her firm in the long term, they offer her a training contract and there are good prospects for progression, then she could self-fund the LPC or do CILEX. However, if she is not particularly wedded to her firm, she needs to think about things like future career prospects and salary.

amummyatlast I have just spoken to Rosemary and she's given me more information about the Legal Executive route. It sounds like that could be a plausible alternative but I need to do some research. I have some reservations about how the qualification would be viewed within the industry and if it would be considered inferior.

Ideally I'd like to train at the firm I'm with now but I'll take onboard the advice not to pay for the LPC until/if I have a training contract secured.

The alternative if that doesn't happen would be to apply for bigger firms and accept that the hours won't be anywhere near 9-5.

Thank you to everyone for the advice so far.