I have heard of the perks and after working within an industry where I feel I keel going above and beyond - I’m just not seeing the benefits/ not reaping the rewards of my hard work and so that’s what’s made me decide I’d rather channel that same energy into a career that actually offers some sort of reward and satisfaction (if you get what I mean).
This is what bothers me about your post. As others have said, the role of a legal secretary is dying out since we (solicitors) do our own typing now, filing is electronic and many of us work largely from home. I think you’re saying you want to start out as a legal secretary and then become a lawyer. Legal secretary is not a role with “perks” although it often pays more than a non legal secretary. That’s generally because they have very fast typing speeds, great attention to detail, good knowledge of legal terminology and the processes/ way things are done and impeccable IT skills in general. Basically they’re at the top of their game in being a secretary or PA.
If you want to be a lawyer then Im afraid the harsh reality is that your chances are very low and you could spend a lot of money “training” and get nowhere. It’s incredibly competitive and that will only get worse since senior lawyers often work for much longer now and so we don’t need as many coming in at the bottom (plus we are struggling to train new lawyers with so much remote working). Almost every person who gets accepted will have impeccable gcse and A Level results and at least a very strong 2.1 degree (many will have a first). You also need very well developed soft skills - excellent writing skills, good communication skills, a way with people, an ability to sell, high confidence levels, excellent public speaking skills, an eye for detail etc. To do well you will also need to present yourself in a certain way. People need to have confidence in you. You could have the fastest legal mind out there but clients won’t instruct you if they don’t have confidence in your ability to do the job and that often comes from a brief first impression.
Then you need to be prepared for the often horrendous work life balance which can come with being a junior lawyer. It simply isn’t compatible with being a single parent to school age children imo (although clearly there will be those who have managed it). After 1-2 years of law school you’d probably have a year of paralegal work and then two years of training before you qualify so that’s five years before you qualify (if you already have a degree). You’re then considered a “junior” lawyer for about another 5-7. Even once you’re very senior, the work life balance is horrible. I’m 22 years pqe and mine is ok ish now most of the time since I’m the boss boss in a small firm so I have a lot of control over what I do (this means I still work 50+ hour weeks but have more flexibility as to when I do the work and what I choose to take on). DH is a senior equity partner in a big firm and works 14 hours most days. It’s not a fun existence. We are permanently exhausted.
You don’t say how old you are or what your academic record is like but reading between the lines it sounds like you might find that the path is long and slow and tricky to navigate. Hand on heart I’d tell you every time to focus the time on your kids whilst they’re young since that’s (imo) far more important. If I could go back in time and work less, I would. My DC are teens and whilst they understand about work, they do feel they missed out on our time - and they’re right.
I know I’ll now get criticised for seeking to dissuade a single mother from bettering her situation but it does nobody any good to pursue unrealistic aims in the misguided hope that great fortunes will follow.