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Mature study and retraining

Talk to other Mumsnetters who are considering a career change or are mature students.

Original poster

Law conversion degree

94 replies

Katherina198819 · 22/09/2025 15:16

I’m 38 years old and hold a BA, Master’s, and PhD in History. As academia has become a shrinking field, I’d like to retrain. I’ve always been interested in law, so I’m considering doing a law conversion degree.

I’m leaning toward the solicitor route, as I know becoming a barrister is extremely competitive and securing pupillage is difficult.

My questions are:

Do I need to secure a job in law before applying for a conversion course?

I’m happy to pay for the degree, but I don’t want to finish and end up with no job opportunities.

I’ve already applied for paralegal and legal secretary roles, but most postings ask for prior experience—which, ironically, no one seems willing to provide.

Has anyone here completed a law conversion degree? What’s the best way to approach it, and how can I realistically get my foot in the door?

OP posts:
Fruitlips · 22/09/2025 15:17

Well paying for the degree is one teeny tiny step in the process op

Fruitlips · 22/09/2025 15:20

so you have been working in academia? Or studying?

secureyourbook · 22/09/2025 15:23

Someone I know did a law conversion.

No, she didn’t have any law work experience beforehand but had some temping experience in an office environment. She’s finished the conversion and is now working as a paralegal whilst applying for training contracts (which is where you do need the experience)

onwards2025 · 22/09/2025 15:24

See if your existing degrees mean you are eligible for the law essentials course for the sqe, that way you don't need to do a full conversion. Then get a job first, anything in a law firm then look to move over to a paralegal role asap, try and get on a SQE pathway if you can so can get some funded, but either way then (if eligible) do the law essential course, sqe 1 and sqe 2 courses and then once you have 2 years qualifying experience as a paralegal you will be qualified as a solicitor. Be warned though the sqe exams aren't nice, particular sqe1 has a high fail rate.

Original poster
Katherina198819 · 22/09/2025 17:06

Fruitlips · 22/09/2025 15:17

Well paying for the degree is one teeny tiny step in the process op

know. I just don’t want to end up in a situation where I study for another 2–3 years and still don’t get hired for basic paralegal jobs. I don’t mind paying, studying, or even working for little money, as long as I can get my foot in the door and have opportunities for progression.

OP posts:
Original poster
Katherina198819 · 22/09/2025 17:09

Fruitlips · 22/09/2025 15:20

so you have been working in academia? Or studying?

I was working in academia but didn’t have a permanent contract. Now that I have two little ones, I’m looking for a part-time job—hopefully as a legal secretary. It’s so frustrating, because I have extensive experience with research, data collection, and other very transferable skills, yet I keep getting refused for lack of direct experience. How am I supposed to gain that experience if no one will hire me?

OP posts:
Original poster
Katherina198819 · 22/09/2025 17:10

secureyourbook · 22/09/2025 15:23

Someone I know did a law conversion.

No, she didn’t have any law work experience beforehand but had some temping experience in an office environment. She’s finished the conversion and is now working as a paralegal whilst applying for training contracts (which is where you do need the experience)

Yes, I’m planning on something similar. It’s good to know that the person managed to get a paralegal job after the conversion course—that’s what I’m hoping to do as well.

OP posts:
PrincessofWells · 22/09/2025 17:11

It's tough getting a training contract. It took me five years to secure one but that was 15 years ago - if anything its become .ore difficult. Any legal experience is helpful, CAB volunteer, or volunteering at an immigration centre, just working at a solicitors as a legal secretary it will all help.

It can be a very rewarding career but it's not particularly well paid except toward the top end.

Original poster
Katherina198819 · 22/09/2025 17:12

onwards2025 · 22/09/2025 15:24

See if your existing degrees mean you are eligible for the law essentials course for the sqe, that way you don't need to do a full conversion. Then get a job first, anything in a law firm then look to move over to a paralegal role asap, try and get on a SQE pathway if you can so can get some funded, but either way then (if eligible) do the law essential course, sqe 1 and sqe 2 courses and then once you have 2 years qualifying experience as a paralegal you will be qualified as a solicitor. Be warned though the sqe exams aren't nice, particular sqe1 has a high fail rate.

Thank you so much for this! I didn’t know that a law essential course was an option. I’ll definitely look into it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Katherina198819 · 22/09/2025 17:17

PrincessofWells · 22/09/2025 17:11

It's tough getting a training contract. It took me five years to secure one but that was 15 years ago - if anything its become .ore difficult. Any legal experience is helpful, CAB volunteer, or volunteering at an immigration centre, just working at a solicitors as a legal secretary it will all help.

It can be a very rewarding career but it's not particularly well paid except toward the top end.

Thank you. Unfortunately, now that I have a family, volunteering isn’t really an option anymore. I used to volunteer in the heritage sector for almost 15 years because I believed it would help me build job security—but I was wrong. There are barely any jobs left in that field.

That’s why I’ve been considering moving into law, hoping there might be more opportunities. I’m fortunate financially, so a high salary isn’t my priority. I’d be happy to take a lower-paid role as long as I enjoy the work.

Since there are so many areas of law to specialize in, I’d love to hear your perspective: in your experience, which fields are most in demand?

OP posts:
BlissfullyBlue · 22/09/2025 17:20

It’s a very tough process to get a training contract and it is only going to get harder - the vast majority of paralegal, trainee and junior solicitor jobs are going to get wiped by AI in the next few years.

I am steering every young person I know/care about away from law (including my children).

I say this as a partner sitting on a law firm’s AI committee.

Jamesblonde2 · 22/09/2025 17:23

Good luck getting a training contract or equivelant. Law is absolutely saturated. There are over 25,000 university places for law degrees each year which tells you how many people are doing it. Your previous work on your CV won’t give you a leg up either.

I’d rethink.

PrincessofWells · 22/09/2025 17:25

I'm probably the wrong person to ask as I've been out of it for a while.

Original poster
Katherina198819 · 22/09/2025 18:17

Jamesblonde2 · 22/09/2025 17:23

Good luck getting a training contract or equivelant. Law is absolutely saturated. There are over 25,000 university places for law degrees each year which tells you how many people are doing it. Your previous work on your CV won’t give you a leg up either.

I’d rethink.

Unfortunately, most jobs are like that. I can’t really rethink it because there aren’t any better options.

OP posts:
Original poster
Katherina198819 · 22/09/2025 18:22

BlissfullyBlue · 22/09/2025 17:20

It’s a very tough process to get a training contract and it is only going to get harder - the vast majority of paralegal, trainee and junior solicitor jobs are going to get wiped by AI in the next few years.

I am steering every young person I know/care about away from law (including my children).

I say this as a partner sitting on a law firm’s AI committee.

Thank you for this. AI is taking over so many areas, so unless I go into plumbing or something practical, I’m not sure any field is completely safe.

In your opinion, do connections matter? I come from a family of lawyers and judges, so in my country I would likely have no problem securing a training contract. However, I don’t know many people in the UK outside of my own field, and moving back home isn’t an option.

If connections are important in this field to get a foot in the door, I have no chance.

OP posts:
BlissfullyBlue · 22/09/2025 18:27

It used to be a thing that partners could foist a family member or friend of a friend onto an open day or vacation scheme, but beyond this made no difference to actually getting a job.

However the last few years have quite rightly clamped down on nepotism so it is very rare these days for connections to make a difference at any stage. Everything has to come through the formal processes which are carefully vetted for bias.

May be different in smaller firms however?

HEC2746 · 22/09/2025 18:33

Connections are far less important nowadays in the bigger firms, they want quality candidates.

With your background though, there are moves into the legal sector that don’t initially require the conversion. Have you looked at Bus Development or law librarianship? The latter might be perfect for you.

NikkiPotnick · 22/09/2025 18:39

I'm a solicitor. The old route, so I don't understand SQEs and the like. I had no connections whatsoever, but this is going back 20 years.

I was going to say do some volunteering before shelling out for a law conversion, but I see you've ruled that out already. TBH, if you can't do that I wouldn't risk several years of my life. People's ideas about what the practice of law involves don't necessarily bear any resemblance to what it's actually like, and if you've not volunteered at all then all you have to go is your vague abstract idea. You might not even want to do law, once you have a vaguely informed opinion on it.

Is there really no way whatsoever for you to volunteer at all? No CAB anywhere near you that does an out of hours service or Saturdays?

user1497535565 · 22/09/2025 18:40

Where are you based OP?

Original poster
Katherina198819 · 22/09/2025 18:56

HEC2746 · 22/09/2025 18:33

Connections are far less important nowadays in the bigger firms, they want quality candidates.

With your background though, there are moves into the legal sector that don’t initially require the conversion. Have you looked at Bus Development or law librarianship? The latter might be perfect for you.

Thank you! I will look into the law libarianship. It is definitely something that I would enjoy!

OP posts:
Original poster
Katherina198819 · 22/09/2025 19:00

NikkiPotnick · 22/09/2025 18:39

I'm a solicitor. The old route, so I don't understand SQEs and the like. I had no connections whatsoever, but this is going back 20 years.

I was going to say do some volunteering before shelling out for a law conversion, but I see you've ruled that out already. TBH, if you can't do that I wouldn't risk several years of my life. People's ideas about what the practice of law involves don't necessarily bear any resemblance to what it's actually like, and if you've not volunteered at all then all you have to go is your vague abstract idea. You might not even want to do law, once you have a vaguely informed opinion on it.

Is there really no way whatsoever for you to volunteer at all? No CAB anywhere near you that does an out of hours service or Saturdays?

There’s one near me, so having it locally wouldn’t be a problem. I could find the time, but I feel a bit disheartened because all the volunteer work I’ve done in the past hasn’t really helped me.

OP posts:
Original poster
Katherina198819 · 22/09/2025 19:02

user1497535565 · 22/09/2025 18:40

Where are you based OP?

Newcastle. I know there are plenty of law firms around, but I’m not sure how easy or difficult it is to get a position in one. I’ve already applied for legal assistant jobs, but they all said they need someone with prior experience. So, I’m not really sure where to go from here.

OP posts:
NikkiPotnick · 22/09/2025 19:14

Katherina198819 · 22/09/2025 19:00

There’s one near me, so having it locally wouldn’t be a problem. I could find the time, but I feel a bit disheartened because all the volunteer work I’ve done in the past hasn’t really helped me.

Show quote history

If you could find the time, I really would try and prioritise it before giving over years of your life and a big chunk of money to something you don't have practical experience of. I did history before the conversion too, and while the analytic skills are transferrable, the conversion and practical law exams are different to academia, and being in practice even more different again.

I found CAB volunteering pretty useful just in my own life too, you pick up loads of tips!

BlissfullyBlue · 22/09/2025 19:29

Hmm. It costs us a couple of hundred grand - more perhaps - to train someone up. It is essential that they know what the job involves and we’d expected them to beg steal or borrow any kind of experience they could get their hands on. We’re also looking for resilient self starters, so someone turning up for an interview saying that they were put off by previous experiences wouldn’t go down well. Won’t necessarily get you a job but would stop us from ruling you out PDQ.