Lawyers - would you recommend starting a career in law now???

[cruusshed]

Similar to the Dr thread. DS doing GCSEs this year thinking about a career in law. I have no idea about the profession or how it breaks down - but have picked up negative info in press around too many graduates and not enough jobs. Think I read somewhere that there are only 3-4k training places and 17k graduates each year?

So does this mean unless you go to the very top unis to study law you wont even get a training place?

What is happening in the profession generally?

Is it still the case that you can either do 3 years of law degree, then one year LLB and 2 years articles - or 3 years any degree and 1 year conversion etc.

Very true words Hocus, I would always support DD 100% too. It is rare to hear some good stories with regard to law careers so I appreciate your post red.

I suppose as a parent I would worry whatever path she chose.

I have to say that most lawyers I know don't particularly enjoy their work. Often this isn't just being disillusioned with the work itself, it's the rubbish that goes with it - long hours, client demands, time recording, chasing bills and the politics.

Another parent of a 1st year Law student here, reading with a heavy heart.

sassy and sally DD1 and DD3 seem to be happy with the life although they're young and not jaded.

My DD has a TC in London to start 2017 having graduated from a RG Uni last year with a 2.1. She seems to be I of only a handful from her year to get a TC, really mostly down to luck because they all look virtually the same on paper and no doubt most would make excellent Solucitors. We went to an LPC open evening a few days ago, and it was assumed no one had a TC AND DD was the only one who did. Increasingly we are wondering how she managed to get it.

Incidentally, her boyfriend (2.1 from same uni) has not yet got a TC and spent 6 months before he found a temporary job as a Legal Assistant. Applied for loads of Paralegal jobs but got nowhere. It seems that he would stand a better chance with thee if he self funded his LPC but is holding out for a TC that will fund it for him.

I wouldn't be too worried for your children. Presumably they have researched law as a career thoroughly before embarking on a law degree and so they will know about likely pay levels (most lawyers won't ever earn over 75-80k, even at the top, but clearly that's still a decent salary) long hours and high stress levels. If they've not researched properly and think its all going to be like The Good Wife (or in fact that programmes like that bear any resemblance whatsoever to reality) then they are in for a massive shock