Could I be a solicitor?

Rainbow_Butterfly

I am currently doing the first year of a business degree. I have the option to just do business, to do business with law modules , or to just do law.

I have been looking into a LLB degree, but didnt know if it was all pointless.. does having been bankrupt prevent me from being able to be a solicitor or barrister in future? It would take another 6 years to get LLB, then a year legal practice course, then 2 years trainee, so would be a very long time until I was qualified.

I have tried searching on the internet, but bankruptcy and solicitor only brings up bankruptcy solicitors :rotfl:

Also, if I cannot do it, would it be worth doing the business with Law option or would the BR prevent me from being able to do any legal related jobs at all?

Thanks.

LilyBart

Hi Rainbow,
I think there's a partial - not comprehensive - list of professions that are not open to bankrupts on the insolvency service website in the section where it describes what bankruptcy is. There may be some jobs in finance that are open to discharged bankrupts but not to undischarged bankrupts, and you could take a look at the Law Society website?
Lily

Rainbow_Butterfly

I still cant find anything definite, couldnt find the list on the insol service site although I did find this on the law society site.. its a disciplinary transcript for a solicitor who went BR

On 14th July 2005 Penningtons LLP asked the Law Society whether it was aware that the Respondent had been made bankrupt and whether he had applied for the resulting automatic suspension to be terminated. The Law Society had received no such information or application from the Respondent.
6. A check on the Individual Insolvency Register showed that the Respondent had been made bankrupt on 21st April 2005 and that previously an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (“IVA”) had been made on 8th October 1999.
7. The Respondent also contacted the Law Society on 14th July 2005 and followed this with a letter dated 15th July 2005 in which he applied for the automatic suspension of his Practising Certificate to be terminated.
8. By letter dated 21st July 2005 the Regulation Unit formally notified the Respondent that bankruptcy automatically suspended his Practising Certificate and that he could not practise as a solicitor from the date of the bankruptcy order

I presume based on the above then that that does mean that solicitor is not a career option that is open to me now. If anyone could clarify this for definite though that would be great.

xx

Rainbow_Butterfly

Found this old thread

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=349197

There are certain jobs you cannot have if you are an undischarged bankrupt: Company Director (or concerned directly or indirectly in the management of a company), MP, Councillor, Magistrate or Estate Agent. A bankrupt usually can't be a school or college governor and there are restrictions under charity law as to the role a bankrupt can serve on management committees.

Security firms may not wish to employ an undicharged bankrupt, particularly where money is involved. And the same applies to the civil service. The rules for professions such as solicitors and accountants make it virtually impossible for people who've been bankrupted to work in these professions.

For a sole trader the effects can be even greater. Whilst bankruptcy does not necessarily mean the busines will close, continuing to trade will be made more difficult:

If the business needs credit, the requirement for the debtor to disclose that he is an undischarged bankrupt will make suppliers unlikely to provide credit;


The bankruptcy order will be advertisied locally, which could damage the reputation of the business in addition to that of its proprietor;

The debtor cannot trade under a name other than the one under which he was made bankrupt;

If items of business equipment are used by the debtor's employees rather than the debtor personally, exemption from sale cannot be claimed and the trustee may order them sold. This also includes stock in trade which the trustee can sell on behalf of the bankrupt's estate.

LilyBart

Sorry to hear that, Rainbow. Business it is, then! When (if) the economy picks up, I'd imagine that marketing might be a good area to focus on as businesses will find it that much harder to entice customers.

Rainbow_Butterfly

It will still take quite a few years for me to complete degree so hopefully the country will have sorted itself out by then.

Do you think doing the business with law option would be pointless then? I dont know what sort of jobs someone like me would be able to get if they had that one?

Such a pity, I had myself all hyped up about it. Quite sad now, lol. xx