DH wants to retrain in Law (OU) advice welcome!

[KellyKettle]

We've recently had DC2 and I'm planning to go back work next year and DH leave his job and stay home. DH has decided he'd like to use this time to retrain in Law with OU/College of Law.

He's starting the foundation in the New Year and then the 3 year LLB. After that he can do an LPC at the college of Law.

I know absolutely nothing about law so have a few questions I'm hoping someone can help me with.

• is there any point doing the LPC if he doesn't already have a training contract (which seem to be gold dust) lined up?

• if he does LPC does it 'expire'? Does he need to find a TC within a certain time frame?

• Could he realistically expect to get a job in another area related to law if he couldn't get a TC?

We will be paying for this ourselves so won't be getting into debt to fund it but I'd quite like to have realistic expectations of his prospects.

I can't discourage him, he has been talking about it for years & it's his dream. I suppose I'm just worried we'll struggle for years and he'll end up in a low paid job resenting not getting a TC.

I really don't want him to do a job that requires him to be away from us so much. His current job has him working away for a week at a time and away most weeks, it's horrible,

Anyway, DH had read this thread (not overly impressed that I called him Polly-Anna). I think he's pretty much got the idea of what I have been trying to say now. He seems really gutted but has agreed that it is perhaps not the best option. He's going to think again.

Thanks do much for all the honest advice. I hope he thinks of an alternative fairly soon, he was keen to start studying again after Christmas. It might still be possible.

DH has decided to study within his field and specialise more. I'm very relieved!

Thanks all for posting

Wife of solicitor here ,I am accountant.My dh now works for a medium sized provincial commercial firm.(think roughly 45 partners) they are overwhelmed with applications for training contracts and I am afraid an OU grad would probably go straight to the no pile unless they had some obvious niche (doctor retraining for eg to do med neg work)

To give you some idea the receptionist at his place has a "law"degree from a third tier university(ex poly)I use speech marks because that is how any law degree from a non Oxbridge /RG/1983 Group is viewed in many firms.I once challenged by dh on this and he response was that at heart law is an academic profession,you need academic rigour(very true in his field),all the other stuff is useful but a good lawyer is by definition a good academic therefore they go for good academics .

The other thing is that you need to be prepared to work very long hours ,city firms especially and even outside London expect junior solicitors and associates to give blood practically .He may be lucky and land a TC but I have to say the odds are against

Sorry missed the update,glad he has come to a decision but still good to keep thinking of other options maybe law is just not the right one .No one should be that miserable in their work

Thanks MrsWoodenTop I'm am accountant too. I even suggested he look at CCAB qual over law but he wasn't really interested.

He's disappointed but he can always do the degree later for interest but I think his decision to specialise in his current industry is the right one. He is also happier for having a plan

I'm an accountant too. I like the way, with our qualifications, you can work up and all levels have work options alongside, from bookeeping, payroll, accounts production, corporate accounts work as well as the opportunities for fully qualifieds. I suspect it's difficult to get training contract opportunities in this field too but I wonder if the base of opportunities is greater because you can work in companies or practices (or public sector if they ever hire again), whereas with Law then, I assume, law firms are your only option.

Good luck to him. It's so difficult now and I really admire people looking to train when they are older and have so many other demands on their time.

I agree actually Kez I think it is easier in that respect plus you don't have to get a training contract as such, you could get a base of experience by doing unpaid work experience whilst studying and then apply for PQ posts - if you really wanted to career change into accountancy.

I do feel sorry for him, he hates his current job/employer. It does make me realise how lucky I am to enjoy work (although on mat leave that's easy to say!).

I am very relieved he's decided against law though.