How To Become A Lawyer
Are you thinking about how to become a lawyer? Are you unsure of the different career options and paths you can take? Navigating these questions is an often arduous and complicated task, but lucky for you, I have compiled a step-by-step guide on how to become a lawyer. A traditional law degree isn’t the only way to get your foot in the door you know!
How To Become A Lawyer: Understanding The UK Legal System
As I’m sure you know, the United Kingdom is comprised of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, what you may not be aware of is that Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own legal system and courts, while England and Wales share one. If you want to know how to become a lawyer in the UK, you should be aware that each jurisdiction has its own distinct legal procedures, accepted professional titles, and regulatory bodies. The exception to this is the Supreme Court in London, which is the highest court appeal in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Many people who wish to become a lawyer in the UK are often referring to England or Wales, which is what I will cover.
How To Become A Lawyer: Is Law The Right Career For You?
It goes without saying that the route to becoming a lawyer, not to mention being a lawyer, is very demanding (despite what Legally Blonde may have you believe). It is a highly respected profession and can be extremely rewarding. If you are wondering how to become a lawyer, consider first if you have what it takes. Do you enjoy working closely with clients, planning legal strategies, researching documents and having a busy lifestyle? If the answer is yes, then this might be the career for you!
How To Become A Lawyer: What Is A Lawyer In England And Wales?
If you wish to become a lawyer in the UK, there are two distinct professions you may take; solicitor or a barrister. Both require different skills and mindsets, and more importantly different legal paths. The reasons for this division are predominantly historical, as opposed to a conscious effort to split the profession into two separate parts. The Bar Council (through the Bar Standards Board) regulates barristers and the Law Society (through the Solicitors Regulatory Authority) regulates solicitors. I will explain what each job entails, as well as the routes you need to take to become them.
How To Become A Lawyer: Solicitor Traditional Route
I am sure you have all heard of a solicitor, but do you know what they actually do? In short, a solicitor is someone who is a qualified legal practitioner responsible for preparing legal documentation, representing and/or defending a client’s legal interests. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a university degree to become a solicitor. While this may be the most common trajectory, it is by no means the only one. I will start by explaining the standard university route, followed by the legal apprenticeship route. Note: The way in which solicitors will train and qualify is likely to change once the new Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) takes effect in autumn 2021.
Complete a Law Degree or Graduate Law Diploma (GDL)
There are a wide variety of law degrees you can choose to undertake, so make sure you choose one that will allow you to qualify. These will involve taking a specific number of compulsory modules such as tort and criminal law.
If you decide halfway through your non-law undergraduate degree that you want to pursue this career, then all hope is not lost. You can simply complete an additional year of study known as the GDL, or more colloquially, the ‘law conversion course’.
2. Legal Practice Course (LPC)
After you have completed your undergraduate law degree or your GDL, the next step is to take the LPC. This one-year vocational course will allow you to apply everything you learned at university in a real-life setting. It is worth noting that this doesn’t come cheap which is why the most assiduous candidates will have this paid for by a law firm. In order to do this, you must start the process of applying to training contracts as early as the second year of your studies.
3. Period of Recognised Training (2 years)
Commonly known as a training contract, this involves gaining work experience full-time for two years at a law firm where you will undertake several seats in different legal departments. Some of the more competitive firms will start the recruitment process in the second year of university so it’s important to start weighing up your options early on.
You will receive on the job training and a true understanding of what it takes to be a solicitor. On top of this, you will also have to take additional mandatory training to make sure that your legal skills are up to standard by the time you qualify.
4. Registering as a solicitor
Once you have completed all the above steps, you must apply to the Solicitors Regulatory Authority for admission to the roll. Once this has been approved, you may officially certify yourself as a solicitor!
Overall, this process will take a minimum of six years.
How To Become A Lawyer: Solicitor Apprenticeship Route
In short, the Solicitor Apprenticeship is a six-year, Level 7 programme aimed at post-A-level students, paralegals and chartered legal executives. It covers all the content of a law degree and LPC while enabling you to gain a law degree and LLM (Masters). As a legal apprentice, you will spend around 20% of your working week studying and the rest of it working full-time in a law firm. The firm will decide how your 20% is spent, but most decide to give their apprentices one day a week to do the course. Once you have completed the apprenticeship and passed the SRA’s centralised assessment, you will qualify as a solicitor.
How To Become A Lawyer: Barrister
Did you know that there are approximately 16,000 practising barristers who are either self-employed or employed in England and Wales? Here’s how you can be among this elite group. Firstly, let’s start with what a barrister is. The Bar Council defines barristers as the following:
“Barristers are specialist legal advisers and courtroom advocates. They are independent, objective and trained to advise clients on the strengths and weaknesses of their case. They have specialist knowledge and experience in and out of court, which can make a substantial difference to the outcome of a case.”
#1 Complete a Law Degree or Graduate Law Diploma (GDL)
The first step to becoming a barrister is the same as a solicitor.
#2 Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT)
This is fundamentally an aptitude test, which must be taken int he summer before you start the vocation component of your training.
It is 55 minutes in total and consists of 60 multiple choice questions, all designed to put your critical thinking to the test. You must be adept at identifying different perspectives and also distinguishing facts from opinions and assumptions.
In order to pass, you must answer at least half of the questions correctly. Results are released as soon as you have completed the test. If you fail on your first attempt, you may re-sit the test a further two times in any one calendar year.
#3 Joining an Inn of Court
Once you have joined one of the four Inns of Court (Inner Temple, Gray’s Inn, Middle Temple and Lincoln’s Inn), you will be required to take the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), over one or two years for Vocational Training.
Once this has been successfully completed, the Inn “Calls” you to the Bar. You are now an unregistered Barrister but you can’t officially practise until you have completed the final stage.
#4 Work experience with an experienced barrister
This is an extremely competitive stage of the barrister process.
After you have spent one year under the supervision of the barrister, you are officially ready to work as a barrister. All you need to do now is apply for a Practising Certificate, followed by a ‘tenancy’ for a set of Chambers (a group of Counsel who shares the costs of premises and support staff, while remaining individually self-employed.)
