Introduction to the Legal Profession

Transcription

1 Introduction to the Legal Profession What s interesting about Law? It s everywhere around us every day and not always in the most obvious places 1

2 Benefits of becoming a lawyer? It is intellectually challenging Your work will be varied and interesting You can help people/businesses and make a difference There is a broad range of career options International travel is possible Your earning potential can be very high! Your work might even make the news Different types of legal careers Solicitor Barrister Chartered Legal Executive (ww.cilex.org.uk) Paralegal Court Clerks / Ushers Legal researcher Legal secretary Company Secretary Patent or Trademark Agent 2

3 Solicitor v Barrister Salaried More support & security Greater conformity More involvement with clients Defined career path Competition strong Self-employed A willingness to take risks Greater independence Less close to clients Competition fierce Different areas of law Corporate and Commercial Property Criminal Family Dispute Resolution Personal Injury Wills, Trusts and Probate Human Rights/Public law Copyright and patent law 3

4 Facts about solicitors Currently 133,367 solicitors (65,147 female) practising in England and Wales 2.3% increase on previous year (Over 165,000 solicitors on the roll) Approximately 6,000 qualify each year Over 18,500 solicitors from ethnic minority groups (15.5%) a 4% increase on previous year 91,000 solicitors work in private practice in approx. 9,400 firms currently operating in England and Wales Over 15,000 are employed in house within commercial and industrial organisations Over 6,000 work in local and central government and the CPS Solicitors also work in (more than 500) licensed ABSs Facts about the legal graduate recruitment market 9.1% growth in UK law firm graduate vacancies 2014/15 Number of training contracts registered increased to over 5,457 in 2014/15 52% of vacancies filled by graduates who had prior contact with the employer 91.7% trained in a law firm but 221 trained in commerce & industry (increase) 2015 saw the highest retention rate of trainees on qualification since

5 Facts about Barristers Latest figure is 15,899 barristers in practice 10,239 male and 5,660 female. (Total of 15,714 in previous year) Approx. 400 were in pupillage in 2014/15 80% of barristers are self employed and work in offices called chambers. Only 23% of barristers work outside of London. 34.9% of pupil barristers obtained a 1 st in their degree and 54.5% obtained a 2:1 Around 1 in 5 students who complete the BPTC are successful in gaining pupillage. What skills do you need to succeed as a lawyer? Ability to organise and prioritise Attention to detail Commercial awareness Communication Interpersonal skills Problem solving Research and analysis Self-motivation and initiative Team work 5

6 Routes to Qualification Traditional routes into a career as a Solicitor or Barrister Qualifying Law Degree OR Other degree any subject Graduate Diploma in Law 1 yr. full-time 2 yrs. part-time 6

7 Pathway to the profession Solicitor Barrister Law degrees There are 139 different providers offering courses in law. Options include: Full-time single honours courses (e.g. Law LL.B) Full-time joint honours courses (e.g. Law with Business) Part-time courses Accelerated courses (i.e. 2-year degree programmes) Some universities offer work placements or years abroad as part of their programmes 7

8 Factors to consider when selecting a law degree Is it a qualifying law degree? Do I want to do straight law or study it with something else? How long does the course last? Do you meet the entrance requirements? What optional units are available? Should I do a law conversion instead? Do I want to work in law? What will you study? Compulsory subjects for qualifying law degree: Contract Law Land Law Criminal Law Public Law European Union Trusts and Equity Law Tort Optional subjects vary by institution, but common examples are family, employment, commercial, sports law, human rights, and many more. 8

9 The University of Law LL.B Ranked 1st for student satisfaction in 2016 NSS survey Learn in a professional, realistic context Created by law firms themselves Taught by solicitors and barristers Small group workshops Timetabled employability sessions A choice of 7 different locations Entry requirements BBB / DDM Next steps. Get strong grades in all your exams Look into scholarships Participate in as many extra-curricular activities as possible and take on positions of responsibility Get some law-related work experience Sign up to our Future Lawyers Network and follow us on Twitter Take a look at for advice from current law students Good luck! 9

10 Questions? 10