If you're a lawyer,

[Okki]

What was your undergraduate degree and what area of law do you work in?

I didn't go to uni, so I'm a bit clueless about what's out there as DD is thinking about all of this now and careers advice has been fairly dire.

Do you have to go to Uni or can you get an apprenticeship?

Yes I will Google, but I also like to hear about actual experience people have. Thank you

My daughter did musical theatre first. Did a few roles then COVID hit so went back to do a law degree online. She's just finished her diploma and has a traineeship starting in September. She's just turned 30

History (3 years)
Conversion course (1 year - only needed if you didn’t do a law degree)
LPC (1 year - everyone had to do this, law degree or not. This is for solicitors - barristers would do 1 year at bar school instead)
2 years training in a law firm, a couple of exams, and then qualified.

As someone had said there are some apprenticeships now, which didn’t exist in my day.

Also some large companies offer the 2 years training, instead of via a law firm.

The system for solicitor has just changed by the way so do check the latest information, not what is posted online.
I did an LLB (law degree). My lawyer children did a different degree first and then a law conversion course (PGDL). Law firms still like an LLB or PGDL from their future solicitors.
Barristers (who are NOT most lawyers) qualify differently.

For potential solicitors during your degree you can apply for a training contract (2 years of paid training once your exams are over) which in bigger firms might be paid at about £40k a year. The firm would also pay for your professional courses and exams too but these are very very competitive to get even if you are an Oxbridge first. Some people will find it hard to obtain any training contract and work as a paralegal after their law exams for a few years to obtain a job.

I (solicitor) do commercial/business law in London as do my 4 lawyer children.

I would start by looking at you daughter's GCSE and potential A level results. The bigger law firms tend to like at least AAB A level grades and a good university degree and look at your barks even year 1 of your degree.

If your daughter did a 3 year LLB and applied for a contract whilst on her degree, the firm would pay for her SQE1 and 2 courses and exams and then she would start a 2 year paid contract with the firm - ie working. That is one route. The London City Consortium firms eg. set out their scheme here https://www.slaughterandmay.com/media/rs2jvepv/the-city-consortium-solicitor-training-programme.pdf

It is also possible to do an apprenticeship for 6 or 7 years from age 18 after A levels (and also a new kind of graduate apprenticeship once you have a degree) to become a solicitor - see https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/career-advice/becoming-a-solicitor/qualifying-without-a-degree/apprenticeships You still need to pass the same exams - SQE1 and 2 to qualify if you go the apprenticeship route. Most solicitors do not start through that route as apprentices however and it can be quite useful for life experience to leave home, make friends, go to university for 3 years etc in the usual way.

Business management degree and I am an employment solicitor.

My husband was managing partner at his large firm. He did law at Oxford, but said he liked it when a candidate had a non law degree - if they studied something that really interested them. Of course they would have to have done very well, but he felt they were more well rounded. But if your passion is law (as his was), then law it is!
He was an IP lawyer.

I think law is actually pretty flexible once you are qualified. I was told at the start of my career by a recruitment person that you can’t change disciplines. Nonsense! I have done it all - high street / magic circle international corporate / back to private client working for myself. Also in house or even not in law but similar my neighbour trained as a lawyer but never qualified she’s a senior planner v good career. So it can be a good “base”.

Honestly lawyers come from all sorts of academic backgrounds. Thinking about my friends, they have undergraduate degrees in classics, history, economics, art, maths, law. Most did the law conversion course. I don't know anyone who didn't do a university degree of some kind though - it's a basic requirement

The apprentice route is a serious one now. A girl at dds school turned down an offer from Durham to do the law apprenticeship with the best local corporate firm. I think this will become more common and not “looked down on” as it used to be. She was a top candidate.

That said I would be abit sad if mine missed out on going to university….but financially it makes sense for sure

@Thea Law degree from Durham is a passport beyond a local corporate firm. Depends what she wants of course!

Also barristers really do not change their specialisms. If anyone wants to swap from family to corporate- good luck! Solicitor or barrister.

I did 😀

I did a law degree, not sure whether I would if I had my time again.

I practice in civil litigation and although I have switched subspecialty I wouldn't want to change area altogether.

I'm am in house lawyer (mainly tech/commercial) and did a law degree. Sometimes I wish I'd done something else (probably languages) but since moving in house the law degree does help me with all the random stuff I get asked - I may not have the up to date answers as my degree was a long time ago but at least I have a starting point!

Law - commercial litigation

DH - Law and Politics - corporate

friend - nursing - clinical negligence

friend - biological science - property finance

friend - geography - commercial property

friend- classics at Cambridge - commercial litigation

As above MC etc type firms will filter by A level grades possibly A*s.

Others ie decent regionals will want AAA/AAB at least.

The easiest way is still to apply for summer internship and be offered a TC with funding for SQE1 and 2 prep courses and some offer maintenance too.

SQE by yourself and with paralegal work as work experience can be done but again unless high grades at regarded uni (per Chambers link above) will just force a bottle neck when looking for NQ job unless for minimal pay in a provincial style high street practice rather than a regional.

There will always a be a story of someone with low grades from a uni not fitting the mould but this is very much the exception not the rule still.

Agree. We are advising our Dd that if she doesn’t get top grades she should opt for something else (maybe Eng lit that she loves) and not law. It’s just too competitive and if your grades are lower you risk not getting a training contract after all that study..

Really irked me when friends last year would confidently announce that GCSE grades “don’t matter”. Sadly they do if you’re heading for law - you need to be realistic.

@TheaBrandt Are you a barrister who has switched specialism? That’s unusual due to intense nature of law knowledge required and the years it takes to be recognised and build up a practice.

Totally agree about GCSEs. They really do matter. It’s always best to err on the RG plus side for university too. Often a first degree that is not law is to enable the student to do well in their choice of subject. However an academically recognised one is best.

I did an LLB law degree, then the LPC and trained with a big international law firm. I secured my training contract before doing the LPC so I got sponsorship as it was c.10k and my family couldn't afford that, nor was I willing to get a loan. Training at a big law firm was incredibly hard work - late nights, stress, demanding colleagues clients and partners - but it did set me up very well for what I do now (working for a boutique international firm which is much friendlier).

I think things have changed now and the qualification routes are different with the SQE. Apologies I don't know too much about it but I think it is intended to make things more accessible by allowing relevant experience to count rather than requiring a training contract. However, if I had my time again I would still go to a big and reputable firm at the beginning of my career, as it opens doors for you even if you change speciality or want something less intense.

I studied English, then later did a career change and did the GDL, now work in tax. I've mentored someone through the CiLEX process (an alternative route to law).

Scotland. Law degree. Work in house. I find some NQs aren’t great. There is always room for graduates who are bright, capable and hard working. It’s a good degree and in industry plenty move into more business focussed roles.

I am not particularly ambitious nor hard working so moved out of private practice as soon as a I qualified. It’s much more interesting in house anyway