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AIBU?

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Original poster

To tell ds he may be too old to go into law

64 replies

User700800 · 12/05/2018 15:36

Ds1 will be 24 when his a levels are finished and would like to go into law. Wouldn't he struggle a lot more to get into this insdusty?

OP posts:
EssentialHummus · 12/05/2018 15:58

Ex-lawyer here. It's not too old but he needs to work very hard (as all would-be lawyers do) to get relevant work experience now and throughout his further studies. What has he been doing until now?

missbattenburg · 12/05/2018 15:58

Too old at 24. Blimey. Perhaps he'd best just retire Grin.

Loads of jobs for people with law degrees, even if they don't end up as lawyers. Tell him to go, go, go for it!

More people should be able to study for whatever qualifications they want at any age. But then, I am doing a BSc in Canine Behaviour at 38 so perhaps I am biased...

saltandvinegarcrisps1 · 12/05/2018 16:00

FFS! I honestly thought you'd come off gransnet to say your son was 60 and starting a law degree! Tell him to go for it!

R2G · 12/05/2018 16:02

It's not old at all. The key is to gain relevant work experience

MrsBertBibby · 12/05/2018 16:07

If he really wants to study law he should go for it. It's a tough degree if it isn't something you love though. I read English, which was my absolute love, and then did a post grad conversion to law, as at 16, I wasn't really convinced about being a lawyer, and the law degree looked really dry to me.

It's a pretty miserable profession these days, tbh. I'm sure there weren't so many absolute arseholes in it 20 years ago.

LuckyTwiglet · 12/05/2018 16:10

No he's not too old but the thing to understand about legal training and the work itself, from studying it through to getting a training contract / pupillage, to the job, is that massive amounts of perseverance, long hours, and stamina are required. So if he still suffers from ill health in any way, then it might not be the right career to pursue. Saying that, there may be other things that a law degree could lead onto that are less draining, that he could think about. As someone else has said, most law graduates don't end up qualifying as lawyers and that is not just because competition for the next stage is fierce, it's also because a law degree is a great entry into many roles.

LuckyTwiglet · 12/05/2018 16:11

Also agree with MrsBertBibby that it's a pretty miserable profession these days.

Sprogletsmuvva · 12/05/2018 16:12

Your DS might want to think about the kind of job/ environment he wants to work in, if his health is a bit fragile.

Ex had some friends who went to work in some of the prestigious London firms. The hours they were expected to keep were bonkers: ex would get emails at gone midnight from one (mentioning no names, but the “slaughterhouse “ was the nickname of one company). OK if you’re generally in good shape, not so much if you have health issues. (Admittedly this was best part of 20 years ago, so not sure if this culture still the same.)

SheGotBetteDavisEyes · 12/05/2018 16:13

Law firms also quite like unconventional routes in

Agree with this ^^. Less so with certain areas of law and magic circle firms/similar, but this attitude is true elsewhere.

DeputyBrennan · 12/05/2018 16:14

Absolutely no bloody way is 24 too old to begin a law career, or any other. Whether your son would be able to achieve success in it is another matter (I don't mean that in a rude way - I just mean that I don't actually know your son and his abilities/drive), but his age in and of itself is in no way an issue.

LanguidLobster · 12/05/2018 16:16

saltandvinegercrisps me too! If he enjoys learning and is suited to it he may well get many years mileage :)

MumofBoysx2 · 12/05/2018 16:25

Good for him! My stepson is 30 next year and doing a Doctorate. I don't think he's too old at all.

QueenDoris · 12/05/2018 16:27

Most High Court Judges are old and crusty, so the older the better. If anything he is probably too young

CheesecakeAddict · 12/05/2018 16:30

My brother started his GCSEs at 24, got into some fiercely competitive universities and is now in a law career. It is a competitive field but I don't think you can be too old

aaarrrggghhhh · 12/05/2018 16:41

Ludicrous thing to say. He's a baby. He's got plenty of time to do law, get a career in law, become disillusioned with law. Hate law. Find something else to do.

No seriously. Some people do like law. He isn't even remotely too young.

justanotheruser18 · 12/05/2018 16:44

You're never too old to retrain or train. Keep motivating him.

littlepooch · 12/05/2018 16:49

I retrained to become a lawyer at 29. Did my conversion, lpc and training contract and now a qualified lawyer.

Hes not too old but must be aware that law is so competitive these days. Fewer training contracts mean competition for places is hardcore. So that means good a levels, degree from a good uni and law training at an excellent provider

KatherinaMinola · 12/05/2018 16:54

Opened thread expecting him to be in his forties. Of course he's not too old at 24! It's almost an optimal age for studying.

His health might be barrier though - a lot of studying and long hours at work ahead.

He should look into vacation placements, get other relevant voluntary work too, asap.

Catstar123 · 12/05/2018 16:57

Not too old at all. I’m a barrister. It’s becoming less common for people to come straight from university to the Bar. Far more normal to have done extended study, other career - anything that shows some life experience. I was 27 when I was called to the Bar.

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 12/05/2018 16:57

24 is in no way old

nellieellie · 12/05/2018 16:58

I did a law conversion course and started my training contract at 30 years old. So no, he’s not too old.

Singlenotsingle · 12/05/2018 16:59

No of course not. There will be mature students, much older than him doing law!

OliveOrTwist · 12/05/2018 17:02

Definitely not too old. A friend of mine finished his law degree last year at 33.

NordicNobody · 12/05/2018 17:03

My friend did the GDL at 24 and got a training contract straight out of law school. She had a very average 2:1 in English from an OK but not amazing university, and then a few years teaching English as a foreign language. The other people I met on her course had similar backgrounds - mid 20s, ok degrees, nice hard working people but not super impressive oxbridge types. And they all got training contracts right away. Not saying law is easy, they all worked hard on the course, but none of the lawyers I know had much trouble finding work.

Ilovewillow · 12/05/2018 17:06

Regardless of age it won't go to waste even if law isn't for her m when he graduates. My husband has a first class law degree and now owns his own investment company and has never been in practice!

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