I want to become a Solicitor. Can it happen?

SarEl

skintandscared wrote: »

All I will say is that I've worked for law firms since trainees were Articled Clerks (a LONG time ago!) and applicants without a top degree/head girl or boy/rowing club/debating society/published articles/gold Duke of Edinburgh/gap year spent saving orphans lives on their CV will not even get an interview for a training contract. The legal profession is still MASSIVELY snobbish. Very "them" and "us". I probably see the extreme, working for a firm in the City, and I agree that there is absolutely nothing wrong with an OU degree, but I would be astounded it it would be enough to put the OP above the competition for a training contract.

I must take issue with this. A year saving orphans will certainly not be considered worthwhile unless they are privileged or important orphans But I do recall one of my inteviews at Oxford, back in the mists of time, was a "and what did you do this summer?" type thing. Group activity. I was 17 at the time, and just about everyone had holidays in the South of France (I had barely been out of Yorkshire, never mind out of the country!), Gold Duke of Edinburgh stuff (I did have a short stint in the Guides but I don't settle with paramilitary organisatioons!), yada yada. So it came as a bit of a shock when I described how I had got a summer job in a sweat shop that employed people (all women) in awful conditions for !!!! pay, so I convinced them that they would be better off unemployed (literally!), unionised them and brought them out on strike! Hmmm - got to say. I am not sure I passed that interview, but the four A's and a grade 1 S level was hard to argue with!

The_Moog_2

theblessedone wrote: »

When you say you earned more as a legal secretary, is that just another name for a legal executive?

No, I was (am) a legal secretary who did the ILEX course and technically qualified as a member of ILEX.

However I am still a legal secretary because ultimately having my own life is more important to me than earning the extra money. The lawyers (from paralegal level upward) at my firm work shocking hours. It's just not worth it to me.

shegirl

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

That's interesting because it was Portsmouth that I went back to 10 years ago to do a second undergraduate degree and where I was appalled by the standards. I did languages and Pompey has good OFSTED reports for MFL but I thought that the standards were appalling!

It's interesting to hear all the mixed views.What was it like back then? And why is it called Pompey?:oSeen many different reasons:rotfl:

The_Moog_2

And incidentally prior to my ILEX qualification, my highest qualifications were GSCEs.

ILEX is degree level, you definitely do not need a degree to do it. Unless they have changed the rules though, you do need to be employed in a legal environment during the second 2 years of the course when you take your specialist subjects. The first 2 years are a broad outline of all areas of the law.

Flat_Eric

Original poster - what area of law do you see yourself working in ?

shegirl

theblessedone wrote: »

Thank you all for your informative posts

But with ILEX, the costs are quite breathtaking, I don't want to seem like I want for nothing, but are there any availible grants/student loans I am eligible for? I have never done any college course whatsoever since leaving school, and I'm 21 (22 in 2 months) so I would have thought I am entitled to something to help me along the way.

I could never stump up £7,000 off my own back!

And the same question for the OU if I wanted to go down that route, are there any benefits I am entitled to to relieve the cost of the course.

I know with ILEX you used to be able to get funding for level 3through college but only if on benefits or on a very low income.I don't think there is any funding available otherwise and there would be no college funding for level 6.Although,many law firms will pay for your course and membership if you're already working with them on some level.

With OU you'd be starting from next year onwards and as the fee changes come in it would be student loans

theblessedone

Flat_Eric wrote: »

Original poster - what area of law do you see yourself working in ?

I would like to work in Tax, as I have 5 years experience in Payroll/Accounting and the litigations with regards to corporate Tax is quite interesting and of course is quite critical to companies in saving money. Plus with my experience in Income Tax, I would love to build on that and learn new loophooles etc.

skintandscared_2

SarEl wrote: »

I must take issue with this. A year saving orphans will certainly not be considered worthwhile unless they are privileged or important orphans But I do recall one of my inteviews at Oxford, back in the mists of time, was a "and what did you do this summer?" type thing. Group activity. I was 17 at the time, and just about everyone had holidays in the South of France (I had barely been out of Yorkshire, never mind out of the country!), Gold Duke of Edinburgh stuff (I did have a short stint in the Guides but I don't settle with paramilitary organisatioons!), yada yada. So it came as a bit of a shock when I described how I had got a summer job in a sweat shop that employed people (all women) in awful conditions for !!!! pay, so I convinced them that they would be better off unemployed (literally!), unionised them and brought them out on strike! Hmmm - got to say. I am not sure I passed that interview, but the four A's and a grade 1 S level was hard to argue with!

I wasn't being literal for heaven's sake, I was trying to give examples of the TYPE of thing partners/HR look for on a CV. Something outstanding. From the OP's original post (didn't really apply themself at school) I have an inkling that the exam results won't be outstanding Maybe the OP should post his question on the legal forum Rollonfriday.com. That is made up of lawyers/students/trainees and paralegals. If the OP survives more than 5 minutes on there then he might be cut out for the professional after all. If you think the discussion board on here is scary, you ain't see nothing yet!!! :rotfl:

skintandscared_2

theblessedone wrote: »

I would like to work in Tax, as I have 5 years experience in Payroll/Accounting and the litigations with regards to corporate Tax is quite interesting and of course is quite critical to companies in saving money. Plus with my experience in Income Tax, I would love to build on that and learn new loophooles etc.

Tax law is one of the most specialised and technical areas of the law. We rarely even have first year trainees in our department and charge-out rates are higher than for any other department in the firm. If you have accounting experience could you not get into the tax experts field as an accountant as opposed to a tax lawyer?

Flat_Eric

theblessedone wrote: »

I would like to work in Tax, as I have 5 years experience in Payroll/Accounting and the litigations with regards to corporate Tax is quite interesting and of course is quite critical to companies in saving money. Plus with my experience in Income Tax, I would love to build on that and learn new loophooles etc.

That sounds quite specialist ! I tried the Ilex route which is expensive especially when you factor in the exams but the whole work / life / study balance never really got off the ground for me and I gave it up. I was trying to work full time and study via distance learning. I think if I had been attending college one day a week (working the rest of the week) then things might have been different.

I don't know what the best route for you would be. You certainly live in the right part of the world for tax matters. As other posters have mentioned, training contracts are few and far between - not helped by the current financial climate. Ilex would give you the grounding you need for a career in the law but I am not sure how specialist they go re tax.

Good Luck !

eta - you don't say what you currently do for your job but I would be inclined to look at large accounting firms where they may have their own lawyer on the staff. If you got a job there, you could perhaps assist with a view to (in the long term) studying with Ilex ? (them paying of course !)