PgDL changing career in my 30s

[Rehoming123]

I did a PGCE & worked for a year before having my 3 children young and being a SAHM for the best part of a decade. My youngest is a baby and I am starting to think ahead about going back to work or retraining in the next year or 2. I always wanted to be a solicitor but a lack of confidence put me off and now my DH is encouraging me to retrain and be able to do something I have always wanted to do.

I am in my mid-30s, have a 1st class degree from a red brick university (more than 10 years ago).

I wondered if anyone could give me any advice!

• PgDL at the University of Law?
• How difficult is it to get a training contract?
• We can afford to self finance the PgDL and SQE but with my lack of experience and years out of education, I’m worried I’ll never get a job!

So grateful for any experience anyone can share!

My undergraduate was in something unrelated. Average grade ( pissed around too much) from an average uni.
Went onto do cpe and lpc. Spent a great deal of money. Couldn't find a training contract. This was back in the early noughties so things may be different now
Most of my class didn't qualify either but lots of reasons why.
I'd seriously consider it unless you cam afford it. I'd look into other options to qualify if I were you, more than one way now.

There are far more prospective solicitors than training contracts. You'd also be in competition with all the paralegals who couldn't get TCs.

You don't need a law degree or conversion course to do SQE.

Do you have any work experience with solicitors? What is it about becoming a solicitor that appeals to you? Presumably not timesheets and billing targets. It's very salesy working in practice and may not live up to the dream.

If you don't have any work experience or current contacts to discuss the reality, I think you need to get some before embarking on this. Otherwise it could be lots of stress, time and money sunk only to be disappointed and stressed.