Regardless of what type of background you come from, opting to quit your boring and mundane 9 to 5 job and retraining in a profession that actually interests you is always going to be a good move, especially at this time when traditional income stability no longer exists. Those of you with enthusiasm for the importance of law and order might consider becoming a solicitor, or even a barrister, as both of these occupations are extremely rewarding both financially and in a personal sense.
Even so, the road to reaching this goal is long and fraught with difficulties, which means you’ll need some expert advice from the outset to ensure you make the right moves at the appropriate time – that’s where I can help. Thanks to a long history of legal representation by numerous family members, I actually understand the process rather well, and so am the perfect person to point you in the best possible direction.
The Academic Bit
Presuming you’ve already got the appropriate A-levels, the first thing you’ll need to do is apply to enroll on a university course in law. The specific area you choose to cover will be down to you, but the main options available are public, criminal, property, contract, tort, European and equity and trusts. Depending on which interests you most, and which you feel the most affinity with, the total duration until your qualified will be somewhere in the region of three to five years.
The Vocational Bit
Once you’ve obtained your degree qualification, the next step is to engage in vocational training made up by an LPC (legal practice course) and a PSC (professional skills course) – both usually last for two years.
The LPC course is designed to build upon the knowledge you already have and prepare you for the real training. Most students find this to be particularly easy, but still it’s very important that you apply yourself at all times because entering the working world inadequately adjusted could cause serious issues.
By the time you start the PSC course, you should be involved in some sort of training contract with a reputable firm. Whether this is a law office in Aberdeen, a credible solicitors in Maidstone or any other type of employment, the importance of getting your head down and learning from the experts is incredibly significant to your eventual success.
The Working Bit
Now you’re completely 100% qualified and ready to go; it’s time to look for work, but unfortunately you probably won’t be earning £120 per hour just yet. Before that sort of wage can be achieved you’ll have to work your way up, starting as a trainee solicitor. The average wage is only around £18,000 per year in the UK at the moment, but this can increase notably if you manage to nab a vacancy at one of the top firms in London.
So that’s how you move into a career in law. Now you’ve read all the information and know how to go about it, do you think you’ve got what it takes?
