Law

[cimeow]

Anyone studying Law at the OU or anywhere else whose a single mum?

themuppetmuggle is studying law,
here or in chat maybe? hth x

Hey I'm studying Law, working part time and am a single mum

What questions do you have??

I'm studying Law as i want to be a Legal Executive Fellow, and specialise in probate law.

What year are you in?

How do you juggle law and work?

Hopefully going back to work, poss full time, plus studying Law with French and trying to get some research on a business venture so that I may work part time later on.

So do you have a strategy?

I want to do criminal and Housing law for the moment. Why are you specializing in probate law?

Hi,

So have you any background in Law? or just thinking of starting now?

I'm in my first year. Its a Career change, although something i always wanted to do, just never got round to doing it when i left school.

As i study full time, i fit part time work around it and the school day, plus i have my family to help with childcare if needs be.

I've had lengthy discussions with my lecturer who is also head of dept about my choosen path, and i'm doing this course which is an ilex course called law & IT. Next year i'm doing my Alevels in Law, History & Critical Thinking, all which surround Law. I would work in a solicitor office for a year, and go back and do my level 3 & level 6 ILEX course to qualify me as a legal executive, i then become a member of Institute of Legal Executives and have to have to have some qualifying employment to make me a fellow.

I want to specialise in Probate Law or possibly corporate law, because thats where the money is, people are always drawing up wills & trusts etc. Corporate law well speaks for itself really.

Criminal Law - i don't want to do because theres no money in it, and i couldn't defend anyone who was guilty of a serious crime iykwim

Conveyancing Law - is okay but the way the economy is at the moment its not worth it tbh, and one of my lecturers used to be a conveyancing solicitor, and said was pretty boring to lol.

Sorry for the long post!!!

Yeah i agree, I'm not fully settled on what type of law as yet, but really want to fully be briefed via criminal law, even if i don't practice it, as its protection i want as well, do want to do housing law especially social housing, yep even if there's no money in it, conveyance no way u don't even have to be a lawyer,

I like contract law, as i've used some of it for myself and friends to fight breaches of duty, but we haven't done much on probate law as yet.

plus EU Law really like as already, i an see what i can challenge etc

Ilex is good in the way that u can work as part of it due to the modules,

anyway thanks and goodluck.

To become a solicitor or Legal Exec you also have to cover the same 2 courses CPE & LPU which will cover the EU laws, land law, goes more in depth on criminal law, then you pick which subject you specialise in.

How are into your Law degree are you??

I don't have to do a levels i can progress straight into the work place and then onto my next ilex course etc, but i've chosen a levels so i have extra qualifications as it all helps iykwim.

anyway good luck

Really like studying Law, when i was younger never thought i would be able to do it etc...

its hard work my LLB Law but i do luv it .....plus i luv the support and commodore there is with other lawyers and students who are all about the LAW.

Unfortunately i have nooo help except a nursery for childcare, so at least, i can when not working visit some courts etc for practice , nevermind huh i'm still pushing through.

ciao, ciao

thats good that you love the subject and that you have help at nursery

Hello
I'm not a single mum but instead have 4 dcs, finished my CPE and LPC and worked part time as a paralegal for last 3 years.
I would say that as long as you are willing to work full time and in the case of my firm around 15 hours over time each week then you will have the rewarding career you are looking for.
Sorry to sound depressing but wanted you to be aware of the reality of working in a law firm AND having any family life!
Worked in Probate which is really interesting work and Commercial Property which is definately more than just boring conveyancing.

Sincerely wish you both lots of luck but make sure you get some work experience in different firms to make sure that it really is for you.

Feel I'm going to be unpopular.....

Tacky thanks

I'm in process of looking for work experience at the moment, and its not going well

I found this really hard too.
In the end I learnt how to touch type and wrote to firms offering my typing skills undercutting the temp agencies. This seemed to get a really good response and 3 out of 1st 5 wanted to see me.
In fact one of those firms offered me a part time paralegal job as I just happened to be there at the right time.

Law firms are completely driven by costs; either making money out of clients or cutting their staffing costs. You need to appeal to this side of them IMO.

Even a week would do. I found the offices i've worked in quite diff to law courses which are extremely interesting and topic based. In the office you may be filling in a lot of forms and chasing clients for money until you are much more experienced. Also worth trying diff firms to see how their cultures differ. Mine was very hierarchical and you had to bow and scrape to the boss which you either have in you or not.

Thanks hun.

I can manage 50wpm on a good day lol.

I can ask for things if i need to hehe!

I'm going to keep working on it, i'm running out of firms to apply to tho - so if you know anyone in the portsmouth area would be grateful

Sorry, I am miles away from Portsmouth , more midlands and south west.
Can you beg any friends who have used Solicitors to give you any personal contacts or ask tutors at college.
I wrote to an individual Solicitor and said how I admired his work (blah) and the letter will get to them even through their Secretary rather than the HR people who just see that there are no jobs on offer.
Could you work part time as a legal secretary? There really is no magic to it - just need to be keen and being quick will be a real bonus for you.

Good luck to both of you.

Thanks - i'm have a letter written etc - saying about myself & qualifications so far!

But no one wants to help me learn and gain experience and its soooo frustrating lol xx

I am also going to look around for a part time job as a legal secretary - thats a good idea thank you

Good for you.

Once you have cracked getting your feet through the door you can start to charm all the right people.

Best way to worm in I think is as a Secretary, even as an office junior filing as you can always 'help' with some typing filling in where necessary.

Most Solicitors are run off their feet (avoid Conveyancers and commercial stuff at the mo) and always need 'cheap' help.

It does seem disheartening at the beginning but Portsmouth must have plenty of opportunities. Just remembered that I volunteered at Citizens Advice Bureau before got paralegal job. they do a fab training course and had to give them one day a week of my time (you even get annual hols), but looks good on your CV (legal exp AND voluntary work). Some bureaus may only want a long morning?

I don't want to specialise in conveyancing, i want probate or family law.

I'll send lots of letters off in next week

I'm off to the Old Bailey with my course tomorrow which should be fun - all except the travelling (i'm travel sick)

wow- old bailey sounds fab!
travel sickness is foul isn't it?

yep - i have tablets and lots of mints at the ready, and my ipod is charged so i'm ready to go, good thing is my lecturer is letting me sit at front of minibus with the driver

ha ha. the threat of someone throwing up always gets results doesn't it.

Enjoy your day out.

yep hehe!!

And also means i don't have to sit in the back with the children, one who is barely 16 and proud that she has fallen pregnant and keeps on about it! so means on the journey there we will never hear the end of it - sooo glad i have my ipod! lol

good grief - anticipating lots of rolling of eyes.

well she acts like such a child herself, how she'll be able to look after a baby i will never know. Shes so happy and thinks it will be a breeze. she sat in lecture on thursday afternoon, and said she'll still be drinking occassionally and taking the odd joint of green!

I wanted to slap her silly.

Im not a single mum.. but i am pregnant and doing my second year in feb.. im really excited but not totally sure how ill manage when the bambi comes along.. But i really enjoyed the first year.. what year is everyoe else on? x

I'm on my first chick. only a few more to go lol.