Law Degree: Graduate Prospects?

BCD

I am considering doing an Access course with the intent on studying law at uni'. The aim of this would be to become a solicitor, initially.

I am 31.

What employment prospects are there for law graduates who are looking for jobs in the law profession?

Thank you.

Oldernotwiser

The majority of law graduates do not go on to work directly in the legal professions and it can be extremely difficult to get a training contract or to support yourself when doing a Legal Practice Course after graduation.

Have you thought of doing your LLB with the OU, enabling you to save money towards your LPC.

BCD

The OU route is a good idea. I'm not sure how I'd cope with studying from home, though. Can you get funding for OU study?

davelewis

I did the Law Conversion Course at the age of 30 then the LPC. Three years later I am working as a law 'support' role in local government.

Think very carefully - training contracts are like gold dust! The Legal Executive route seems a little more sensible in that you work throughout your studies in a legal environment and then do the LPC to qualify - no training contract.

If I had my time again I would do the Legal Exec route...

crackerberry

Other than OU the other option is to do it part time. That's how I did mine- attending uni two nights a week (6pm-9pm) for four years.

Depending if a uni near to you offers it, you can also do the legal practice course part time too - two years instead of a year. A un i that offers the BVC part time is rather rarer to find however.

busterian

OP, I am a Practice Manager in a Solicitors with responsibility for recruitment. As davelewis states already - training contracts are like gold dust but there are some out there. Training to become a Solicitors is a long, hard slog and some might say not actually worth it. My boss did law in his mid 30's, part time whilst working full time and providing for a family - it can be done! Good luck whatever you decide to do.....

jazzyjustlaw

I embarked on an access course in the later 90's then I did a law degree however, I could not get a training contract. So I got a job in a law firm as a secretary pa whilst I qualified as a Legal Executive. I was not willing to do the LPC without a training contract, I did not need to complete the whole of the Ilex course as my law degree exempted me from most of it. The result was I got a law degree which grounded me for my legal career no huge debt and I worked whilst training.

You could however, just work in law and study ilex or do what you were going to do and if you dont get a training contract do what I did. I am a filex now and soon I hope to do my LPC and no training contract required and no huge debt - yippee.

Oldernotwiser

BCD wrote: »

The OU route is a good idea. I'm not sure how I'd cope with studying from home, though. Can you get funding for OU study?

Funding is based on household income; details on OU website.

poet123

Training contracts are difficult to find, but they are out there, many firms give prefernce to candidates with degrees from Russell Group Universities, so where you study can be vital.