How do you become a criminal solicitor?

[Anonname22]

My DS is in his first year at Cambridge, reading English. He is keen to do a law conversion when he graduates in 2025 and his ultimate goal is to become a solicitor specialising in criminal law. (He knows it is not as well paid as other specialisms but is relaxed about that.)

DH and I have no knowledge of the legal profession or any contacts within it so would welcome any insight - what is the process for converting to law and getting a job? Who funds it and likely costs? Timescales? What work experience should he be getting in the Uni hols etc?

DS will be contacting Cambridge Uni careers service but they are, understandably, prioritising finalists at the mo. If any one can advise in the meantime, that would be wonderful!

It's a two step process. First become a solicitor. Then commit a crime.

He knows it is not as well paid as other specialisms but is relaxed about that

He also sounds pretty relaxed about a career path, too. Who does he expect to fund him through first an English degree, then the legal conversion course and then getting a job?

My first hit on Google, for example, found this from a reasonably reputable source

https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/student-advice/careers/law-degrees-and-law-conversion-courses

https://www.sra.org.uk/become-solicitor/sqe/

This would be a good starting point for info.

There's a good podcast called Talking Law, which speaks to various solicitors etc and talks about their routes into their careers. Not as factual as the other references already noted but it is interesting to hear people's real experiences in the job!

The new route to qualification doesn't require either a law degree or a conversion course, but instead any degree plus passing the SQE.
However, the SQE content is brutal (covers the 7 core modules on most law degrees/ GDL courses, plus the equivalent of the current LPC postgrad year) so some sort of foundation course in law would be advisable. The pass rates are low on the SQE so far, but degree classification is strongly correlated with SQE outcomes.

Criminal law is woefully paid. Legal aid rates are shocking. It's not a reason not to do it, but there's a reason few graduates are entering the field.

Although the new route does not require a law conversion many firms including probably criminal law firms are likely only to hire a newly qualified solicitor if they HAVE done an LLB or law conversion.
Also criminal law firms in most cases (may be not corporate criminal like Peters & Peters) will not pay for his courses and exams - massive difference between big firms and criminal ones.
So although it would be wise to apply in year 2/3 for experience in those firms he likes and for training contracts he will probably need to apply via the Central Applications Board (a kind of UCAS for lawyers) in year 3 of his degree, probably for something like the LLM PGDL with SQE1 which BPP offers which will cover him via student finance England with a student loan for most of the cost of that initial course but not for his maintenance that year. He would still need abotu £4k for the SQE1 and 2 course fees and still need the SQE2 course after that course I suggest. (My twins are currently trainee solicitors who qualify next year and I am a solicitor too although don't do crime).

Loads of students htink they will like crime, don't like it and chance their minds - you clients are criminals who have no money and legal aid is withering on the vine so he probably would earn a tiny pittance doing criminal law but that is his choice. So his biggest issue will be funding his post grad studies and then finding the 2 year training contract/QWE. Actually I don't know if this firm pays for the course and exam fees https://www.petersandpeters.com/careers/graduates/ "How to apply
Applications for the Peters & Peters Training Contract 2024 are now closed. Applications will open early Autumn for the Peters & Peters Training Contract 2025."

If he wants to do law he needs to try to do a lot to do with law during his non law degere, join the law society, get involved in legal things, get some legal work experience.

I'm pre-sqe having graduated in 2006, but I can see others have talked about route to qualification and costings anyway so I'll focus on your work experience question.

Im a solicitor specialising in regulatory crime (health and safety) after doing 10 years in criminal defence. Although crime is known for being the worst paid area, it is still the one that many law students think they want to do, and so is competitive like any other field.

It is not particularly unusual to have done another degree, but the natural first question would be if you really wanted to be a lawyer, why pick something else? As such, I'd agree with previous posters that he needs to get that work experience so that he can confidently answer why English, not law; why crime, not corporate/family/PI etc; why solicitor not barrister? He doesn't have to decide precisely what his career path looks like yet, but if you're going to be so specific then try that and the alternatives.

Magistrates' courts are the stomping grounds of criminal solicitors that are open to the public - go and watch. Ditto crown courts - solicitors can have rights of audience there but he will also see more barristers and see a taste of the scope of work involved. Also look at judicial marshalling - not something which many will consider when looking for work experience so would be a more unusual addition to the CV.