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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Original poster

DS wants to do Law, I think he's unrealistic.

70 replies

EastwickWitch · 05/09/2013 18:30

He's always wanted to do it. Did a weeks work experience in a big firm & loved it. We have several lawyer friends who have been trying to dissuade him without success. They've told us there are too many law graduates for the small number of jobs.

He's just starting A levels; Eng Lit, French, History & Philosophy.
BUT I keep reading that unless he get exceptional A levels & into a RG uni the chances of getting a job are slim.
He got 4 A* 6 A & B at GSCE so he's quite bright but not exceptional.
He'd like to do French & Law together on a 4 year course.

He's looked at the summer schools for next summer but he would only qualify on a few points & I suspect he'd be lucky to get on.

I don't want to rain on his parade but I do want him to be realistic. Any lawyers out there that can advise?

OP posts:

Leeds2 · 16/08/2015 23:30

I love updates like this!

Well Done to your DS, and hope he enjoys his degree course.

FreeCoffee · 17/08/2015 01:26

Brilliant update.

BrockAuLit · 17/08/2015 01:36

That's wonderful. I did exactly the same (London-based) some 20-odd years ago and loved it.

You must be so very proud of him. Makes it all worthwhile

SolasEile · 17/08/2015 01:53

If it's what he loves then let him do it. Law is a good degree regardless of what future career path he goes for. I wanted to do law but was dissuaded on that same basis that there weren't many jobs, had to know someone to get a traineeship, long hours and low pay for the first 10 years etc. I regret listening to all the negativity now. I would have made a great lawyer (so I'm told ) and even if I hadn't it's a good basis for any future career.

SolasEile · 17/08/2015 01:55

Ah just read update - great news. And well done to your DS for not gettinh ground down by the negativity around careers in law!

Stingingthistle · 17/08/2015 02:06

Good luck to him. Great to have a language and he's achieved excellent results. I'm sure he will do well.

GloriaRev · 17/08/2015 02:21

So may I just tiptoe into this thread and ask lawyers amongst you (So sorry to hijack OP)
My Ds has got a place at a decent university to do history. At the moment (and it might change ) he would like to be a lawyer. He would love to be a barrister. Has he buggered up by not doing Law undergraduate ? (He does know conversion course would be required )

Oh and Eastwick - congratulations - that sounds fantastic.

Heels99 · 17/08/2015 12:36

Gloria - work experience , vacation placements and mini pupillages will be key.

atticusclaw · 17/08/2015 12:43

Gloria a law degree is not essential at all. Loads of lawyers do a different degree and then do a conversion course.

RandomFriend · 17/08/2015 12:58

What a lovely update! His GCSEs were excellent, btw, by any standard.

takeinyourhen · 17/08/2015 12:59

To be honest, my advice would be to get him on a typing course so that he can work his holidays in a firm and actually be useful rather than just shadowing people.

Good luck to him!

momb · 17/08/2015 13:03

Well done to him! You must be so proud!

eurochick · 17/08/2015 13:07

Lovely update! Well done him.

eurochick · 17/08/2015 13:08

Gloria, lots of lawyers do non-law degrees. It's really not an issue.

Stingingthistle · 17/08/2015 22:33

Gloria - non-law degree absolutely fine.

Hen - typing course?! I doubt there is a teen in the land who would need this... I learned to touch type very quickly when I was young due to using the Internet a lot, and that was years ago when Internet use wasn't as widespread as it is now! I'm sure all teens these days are fully able to type.

Heels99 · 18/08/2015 08:20

I too am not sure that having done a typing course makes you a great recruit for a summer job at a law firm. It's not one of the criteria my husband considers when recruitingto vacation schemes, it's assumed they can all type. Most lawyers do a lot of their own typing as they go along, there is not vast amounts of dictation.

Stingingthistle · 18/08/2015 09:55

YY Heels and any dictation there is generally goes straight to a secretary or typing pool in any case. Not really something a vac schemer would need to be involved with.

JanetBlyton · 23/08/2015 16:29

Good A levels and nice to have an update. Good luck to him. Plenty of us practise law who post on here and love it.

fastdaytears · 23/08/2015 16:41

Yep another lawyer here! Lots of congratulations to your lovely son and to you for getting him this far. I hope he enjoys his course (most of it anyway) and uni life.
It's a great career and I'm usually very happy. I find it mystifying how many lawyers want to put others off going into the profession. Yes it's hard on graduates right now but it's hard on many people leaving many degrees. Training contracts go to committed, commercial, personable applicants and that's always been the case.

JanetBlyton · 23/08/2015 17:05

Yes, it's sad when lawyers try to put people off it. If they don't like they should do something else and leave it to those of us who do.

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