The Beginner’s Guide to a Career in Law 2018. Jld-legal-career-presentation-jan14. Jld-thinking-about-a-career-in-law-nov-2013. Getting into Law | University of Leeds Careers Centre Blog. Wanting a Career in Law? Check out this article by our Careers Consultant Julia Ashton to find out what you should know. First things first, you do not need to have a Law degree to get into Law. In fact every year about half the training contracts available are filled by non-law graduates.
The second thing you should know is that it is tough to get a training contract (solicitors) or pupillage (barristers). Last year (2012) saw the fewest number of training contracts registered with the SRA (Solicitors Regulatory Authority) since records began and statistics for aspiring barristers indicate that there are ten students studying for the BPTC (Bar Professional Training Course) for every one pupillage available at the end of it.
This does not mean you should give up on the idea now: It just means you need to be organised and focussed. So, what do you need to know, and what do you need to do, to make sure you are in the running? First Year Second Year Third Year How to impress Like this: First Year. Reality check - Beginner's Guide. In the spirit of full disclosure, there are a few things worth mentioning as a reminder that a legal career is not all triumphant court victories and champagne-fuelled deal celebrations. So without wanting to detract from the exciting and challenging career on offer, here follows some food for thought… Finances We cannot stress this enough – with £9,000 per year undergrad fees, plus postgrad study in 2014-15 costing up to £14,765 for the LPC and up to £18,175 for the BPTC, the road to legal qualification is not cheap and there are no guarantees of a job at the end of it.
In addition, the minimum trainee salary has recently been abolished, so some firms may be paying trainees no more than the national minimum wage. Your ability to afford the courses and a potentially low starting wage must be a factor in deciding whether to pursue law as a career. Academics Nothing but the best will do in this competitive market. Competition Time Experience Online Commerciality. K Law unto itself JA. Do you have the key skills every recruiter wants? - Features. There are a handful of core competencies that the majority of firms/chambers want to see in their recruits. Here we detail (in a light-hearted way) how to identify if you've got them and, if so, how to provide evidence of their existence.
Read on for a review of the attributes you'll need to succeed. It's simple really. Most employers (or at least 'professional' employers - this advice won't get you a job as a roofer) want broadly the same thing. The trick to landing a training contract or pupillage is giving recruiters what they want to see. So let's build up the profile of what a potentially successful lawyer might look like. Inevitably, different roles within the profession will place varying emphasis on the following skill sets, but you can be confident that all are extremely desirable, indeed essential, when you are being assessed for suitability. Academic ability You want to be a lawyer. Drive and determination Accuracy and attention to detail Lawyers do detail. Communication skills. First Year Law Students - First-year law students | LawCareers.Net. How suitable are you and what are recruiters looking for? The road to a training contract or pupillage is smoother for some than others, but before starting to apply you will need to make sure your CV and experiences square with what recruiters demand.
A structured approach to gaining the right experiences and a healthy dose of self-confidence can improve anyone's prospects. Did we mention that competition for training contracts and pupillages is fierce? Did we mention that competition for training contracts and pupillages is fierce? To win yourself one you will need not just an excellent academic record, but a stash of experiences to prove you have the ability to dive into the professional world with greater confidence than your rivals.
Applying directly out of university with one or two interesting extra-curricular experiences under your belt works for some. However, our research has shown that an increasing number of those entering the profession made an effort to gain substantive life experience before starting to make applications. Advice for undergraduates - financial considerations | Junior lawyers division. K LC N Career advisors PowerPoints. Feeling the crunch: Lawyers in the downturn | Junior lawyers division.
As everyone knows, we are now in the grips of a global recession. In the past, law has appeared to be a recession proof industry. However, the true impact of the credit crunch is showing this for what it is; an urban myth. Kat Gibson explores some of the effects of the downturn. The impact of the recession The reality of the times in which we live is harsh. We have spent the last decade in a global economic boom – when demand outstripped supply. 2009 has changed all of that.
Training contracts The market for training contract places was already a competitive and flooded one before the recession's effects. Network with the firms you know to find out about possible openings and subscribe to mailing lists and online job boards (e.g. NQ positions The same issue for students translates to trainees looking for a newly-qualified position. Plan ahead – speak with your supervisor about the likelihood of opportunities and consider alternatives to your current discipline.
Salaries Career Progression. The point of moots: helping you on your way to a successful legal career - Features. Mooting is happening, in a place near you. In just the last week alone, the outcomes of two important mooting battles have featured in LC.N's News section (ie, the ESU competition and the ICLR competition). There are mooting competitions at almost every level, from institutional to international. And mooting is not just for the Bar-bound among you.
Obviously, it develops key advocacy skills, but it also hones skills useful to all in the legal profession - research, communication, teamwork and more. What is mooting? In essence, a moot is a competition that centres on a fictional legal appeal case to either the Court of Appeal or to the House of Lords.
Some of the more well-known UK moots include the ESU/Essex Court Chambers National Mooting Competition, the OUP and BPP National Mooting Competition, and the ICLR Annual Mooting Competition. The National Student Law Society (NSLS) recently launched its own annual moot, with the final due to take place on 16 April 2014 at the Supreme Court. So you want to be a lawyer? | Lumi. 17 January 2014 Husnara Begum, editor, Lawyer 2B So you want to be a lawyer.
Do you know what working as a lawyer actually involves? And are you sure of the steps you have to take to qualify as a solicitor or barrister? If not, never fear, because Lawyer 2B.com contains all you need to know about securing your dream job in the legal profession. Solicitor or barrister? In England and Wales the legal profession is split in two: solicitors and barristers. Traditionally, the type of work handled by solicitors and barristers was very distinct. Why split up the jobs? These days, however, the work of solicitors and barristers is becoming more difficult to distinguish. There is also a third route into law that is gaining increasing recognition. Read more about legal executives Lawyer 2B and its sister title The Lawyer focus on commercial law. Becoming a lawyer The route to qualification is lengthy and demands hard work. Read more about trainee solicitors The Legal Profession - fact and fiction.