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How
to get into law
Are you interested in
pursuing a career in law but have no idea where to start? TBI Law, experts in dental
negligence claims, has created this guide so that you can begin setting out
an effective career route into the law industry without delay…
Considerations
when choosing your A-Levels
The first thing to
highlight when it comes to A-Levels is that you do not need to take law at this
stage of your educational life if you have a desire to pursue a career in the
law industry. In fact, universities and potential employers will treat it the
same as any other A-Level on your application form and so it should only be
chosen if you have a particular interest in the subject.
However, you should
choose A-Level subjects which put you in the best possible position to showcase
that you can cope with the intellectually challenging subject and profession
that is associated with law jobs.
With this in mind, opt
for A-Levels which you’re interested in and confident that you’ll be able to
achieve high grades from. They should also enable you to work on the skills
that you need to be successful in the law industry, such as developing your
analytical, communication and research skills — English, history, maths, and
science are all great subjects for this.
Also bear in mind that a
lot of universities will exclude A-Levels in general studies and critical
thinking when tallying up their A-Level entry requirements, so these subjects
should always be regarded as extras as opposed to your core list of A-Levels.
During your time studying
your A-Levels, be aware too that the following UK universities will require you
to take a National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT) when applying for their
undergraduate law programmes:
University of Bristol
Durham University
University of Glasgow
King’s College London
University of Nottingham
University of Oxford
SOAS University of London
UCL Faculty of Laws
The LNAT is set up for
two reasons — it allows a university to see if a candidate will be able to cope
with the demands that they will be subjected to when studying a law degree, as
well as help the student themselves to decide if law is indeed a wise career
route for them.
Once
18, should I choose a law degree, a non-law degree or an apprenticeship?
After you’ve secured your
A-Levels, you will have a few choices available to further your education and
take that vital next step to enjoying a career in law.
One option is to study
for a law degree. This is specifically designed to educate you on the areas of
law that you are most likely to come across once you’re a qualified lawyer and
settled into your dream job. You will also be taught useful skills to enhance
your knowledge regarding critical thinking, analytical skills, logical
reasoning, and problem solving.
However, you shouldn’t
think that you must study for a law degree if you want a career in law. An
alternative option is to study something that you have a passion for and that
you’re confident will result in you achieving high grades, before completing a
one-year conversion course. Otherwise known as a GDL — short for graduate
diploma in law — this course condenses what’s taught in a three-year law degree
into a single year.
On top of the degree
options, both paralegal and articled apprenticeships are also becoming popular
as routes into law. Deemed advanced level apprenticeships and introduced in
2014, these school leaver schemes often lead to basic law qualifications being
achieved through the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) and can
result in a full-time job being secured as a paralegal.
On-the-job
training to bear in mind
Even after you have your
A-Levels and university degree or apprenticeship secured, you will not be able
to walk straight into a job if you have ambitions to become a solicitor or
barrister. This is because on-the-job training will be a requirement.
If you dream of becoming
a barrister and have your degree or GDL, the next step will be to complete the
Bar professional training course — BPTC for short — and then pursue a one-year
pupillage at a barristers’ chambers, where you’ll be known as a pupil
barrister. Qualify from this and you’ll become a tenant and be aiming
eventually to become a QC — short for Queen’s Counsel.
For a career as a
solicitor, you will be required to complete the postgraduate course titled the
legal practice course (LPC) after graduating with your degree or GDL. Once
you’ve completed the LPC, you’ll go through a two-year training contract at a
law firm. You’ll be known as a trainee solicitor at this point, though upon
qualifying, you will work to be an associate and then have the end goal of
eventually becoming a partner.
Choosing
your preferred law job
While we have touched on
solicitors and barristers as being two careers in law, there are a variety of
jobs available once you have the appropriate qualifications. See which of these
appeals most to you…
Solicitor
A solicitor has the
responsibility of providing clients with expert legal advice and support,
whether that client is an individual, a group, a private company, or a
public-sector organisation.
Expected
salary
Between £25,000 and
£40,000 when a starter, increasing to between £40,000 and £90,000 when
experienced and to £100,000 or more once highly experienced. Take note that the
salary will vary depending on the type of work carried out and the location of
a job.
Jobs
available*
Indeed currently has
13,757 jobs related to the search ‘Solicitor’ — check them out here.
Legal
Executive
Legal executives will be
trained to the same level as solicitors in England and Wales, but with the key
difference being that they will only specialise in one area of law.
Expected
salary
Between £15,000 and
£28,000 when a starter, increasing to between £35,000 and £55,000 when
experienced and up to £100,000 once highly experienced.
Jobs
available*
Indeed currently has
5,183 jobs related to the search ‘Legal Executive’ — check them out here.
Barrister
As a barrister — or an
advocate if your career route takes you to Scotland — you’ll be tasked with
providing specific and specialist legal advice while representing both individuals
and organisations in courts and during tribunals.
Expected
salary
Between £12,000 and
£45,000 when a starter, increasing to between £30,000 and £200,000 when
experienced and up to £250,000 once highly experienced. Take note that the
salary will vary depending on the type of work carried out, the firm you work
for and the location of a job. Employed barristers also generally earn less
than those who work in a private practice and can pay their own overheads.
Jobs available*
Indeed currently has 509
jobs related to the search ‘Barrister’ — check them out here.
Licensed Conveyancer
Licensed conveyancers are
property lawyers. They will be responsible for dealing with all the paperwork
and finances which are required to buy and sell property or land across England
and Wales.
Expected salary
Between £16,000 and
£20,000 when a starter, increasing to between £25,000 and £40,000 when
experienced and up to £60,000 once highly experienced and a partner.
Jobs available*
Indeed currently has 736
jobs related to the search ‘Licensed Conveyancer’ — check them out here.
Paralegal
A paralegal’s role will
be to conduct research and prepare legal documents. They will also have the
responsibility of providing their clients with legal advice.
Expected salary
Between £14,000 and
£25,000 when a starter, increasing to between £30,000 and £40,000 when
experienced and to £40,000 or more once highly experienced.
Jobs available*
Indeed currently has
4,177 jobs related to the search ‘Paralegal’ — check them out here.
*Jobs available logged as
of February 27th, 2018.
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