I want to become a Solicitor. Can it happen?

The_Moog_2

My primary specialism was wills and probate, which touched on tax from that perspective, but I'm not sure if there was a dedicated tax course within it. I suspect it would be one of those areas of law where you study it once you are qualified.

Certainly two of the lawyers I currently work for are now undertaking personal training from our tax partner.

Credit-Crunched

2:1 LLb Hons

Distunction LPC

5 years legal secretary experience

6 months training contract

Still not able to find a firm to complete training contract, now training to be a plumber

OP forget law its a dying (apart from those who know someon) area to work!

embob74

How depressing.
Am now wondering what the point is of studying law courses with the OU!!

I was aware it is obviously a very competitive area but I was hoping to gain employment as a legal secretary to be able to put on my CV but Credit-Crunched has just blown that idea :mad:
Ah well....I knew a solicitor job was a pipe dream and while I will work towards that I just enjoy gleaning a little more knowledge.
I've never been to mainstream Uni so I don't know how it compares but the course does involve a fair bit of independent research. You could probably get away with not doing any but then I guess it depends on how well you want to score.
And info I was given only allowed an extension on one assignment - I would like to think if it was really necessary a brick uni would allow the same?

theblessedone

Credit-Crunched wrote: »

2:1 LLb Hons

Distunction LPC

5 years legal secretary experience

6 months training contract

Still not able to find a firm to complete training contract, now training to be a plumber

OP forget law its a dying (apart from those who know someon) area to work!

I think that's the nail in the coffin for me. Looks like I'll just stick to finding a trade. As if that's any easier! :wall:

Credit-Crunched

embob74 wrote: »

How depressing.
Am now wondering what the point is of studying law courses with the OU!!

I was aware it is obviously a very competitive area but I was hoping to gain employment as a legal secretary to be able to put on my CV but Credit-Crunched has just blown that idea :mad:
Ah well....I knew a solicitor job was a pipe dream and while I will work towards that I just enjoy gleaning a little more knowledge.
I've never been to mainstream Uni so I don't know how it compares but the course does involve a fair bit of independent research. You could probably get away with not doing any but then I guess it depends on how well you want to score.
And info I was given only allowed an extension on one assignment - I would like to think if it was really necessary a brick uni would allow the same?

Please dont give up!

Each person is different, some of my mates got jobs straight away 1st class honours helps!

It is hard to get into however its more than just not getting employment for me, i wanted a more hands on job hence the switch!

Keep at it and I am sure you will succeed!

skintandscared_2

embob74 wrote: »

I was aware it is obviously a very competitive area but I was hoping to gain employment as a legal secretary to be able to put on my CV but Credit-Crunched has just blown that idea :mad:

Out of interest, are you a secretary now? I was very lucky and my first break as a legal secretary came via a director at the furniture company I worked for who had a brother who was a partner in a law firm and they gave me a job there. But that was 26 years ago and I had a Private Secretarial Certificate with A Levels to get that. These days you do need experience to get into legal secretarial work and a friend with 20 years experience has had real problems getting a new position after a short break travelling. Unless it was a very junior secretarial position (where I'd be looking for a college leaver), I wouldn't interview someone for my team who didn't have legal (or possibly medical - similar level of accuracy required) secretarial experience.

Nicki

embob74 wrote: »

How depressing.
Am now wondering what the point is of studying law courses with the OU!!

I was aware it is obviously a very competitive area but I was hoping to gain employment as a legal secretary to be able to put on my CV but Credit-Crunched has just blown that idea :mad:
Ah well....I knew a solicitor job was a pipe dream and while I will work towards that I just enjoy gleaning a little more knowledge.
I've never been to mainstream Uni so I don't know how it compares but the course does involve a fair bit of independent research. You could probably get away with not doing any but then I guess it depends on how well you want to score.
And info I was given only allowed an extension on one assignment - I would like to think if it was really necessary a brick uni would allow the same?

sorry to have depressed you. A law degree is always worthwhile though, even if you aren't able to go on to practise as a lawyer. It shows good analytical skills and is always respected in a business setting. And as ONW has said many employers will look extra favourably on an OU degree because it shows you can combine study with work, and are a motivated person. Just not lawyers!

When you finish your degree, there is no harm in applying for training contracts but I wouldn't put your life on hold waiting for one, and would also apply for other appropriate professional jobs too. I wouldn't invest the time and money doing the LPC though unless you have an offer for a training contract in your hand. I am afraid though, as I said earlier in the thread, that it may be an uphill struggle to secure a training contract, but if you don't at least try applying, you will always wonder what might have happened.

shegirl

embob74 wrote: »

How depressing.
Am now wondering what the point is of studying law courses with the OU!!

I was aware it is obviously a very competitive area but I was hoping to gain employment as a legal secretary to be able to put on my CV but Credit-Crunched has just blown that idea :mad:
Ah well....I knew a solicitor job was a pipe dream and while I will work towards that I just enjoy gleaning a little more knowledge.
I've never been to mainstream Uni so I don't know how it compares but the course does involve a fair bit of independent research. You could probably get away with not doing any but then I guess it depends on how well you want to score.
And info I was given only allowed an extension on one assignment - I would like to think if it was really necessary a brick uni would allow the same?

People on my courses with OU were given extensions left right and center for any reason,brick unis whether on campus or through distance learning with them only give them in certain circumstances and require formal requests and documentation to prove why you need it...that's the difference there.

If you want it try as much as you can,get your foot in the door and study hard (I have no idea what the LLBs are like with OU it could be different to the presentation of most of their degrees,but you would need to work hard).You do need to stand out and there is still elitism in law,but hard work,good grades and experience are worthwhile,there are no guaruntees but if you want it...

heretolearn_2

I'm just starting my 4th year OU (not law) and I'd never asked for any extensions before but last year just got behind for all sorts of silly reasons, and ended up asking for extensions and getting them on 3 assignments, no questions asked really, email the tutor and ok, you got it! It may just have been that tutor though, as I have heard of people with quite serious issues being refused extensions.

I think you can breeze through an OU degree without a lot of independent thought or study, but you can do that at a brick uni as well if you want to. But if you want the good grades you need to do extra work and put in effort. OU has an extensive academic library all students can access, for example, same as other unis. But they can't drag you in there... My current course doesn't start till next week but students are already arranging local study groups and group research trips. I've been on trips with other students to museums and galleries that we arranged ourselves. So while there are some students who just read the course books and no more, there are also lots of opportunities to take things much further.

I don't know how an OU law degree stacks up with law firms. I suspect that the majority of firms are quite traditional and they do look for a 1st or 2:1 from certain universities. Even then, competition is really tough for those training contracts - I know someone with a 1st from a top uni who is getting interviews, going off on several day assessments, but hasn't yet been successful. He's an intelligent, well presented young man determined to become a solicitor - but so are all the others.

hawk30

Unfortunately law firms are still quite elitist and most will look for outstanding qualifications from a higher ranked university. I have both, yet it took me two years of applications to get a training contract (back in the days when they were slightly more available). Training contracts are like gold dust and the traditional route is not what I would advise anymore. (I have to admit to an interest, as I teach ILEX courses).

ILEX, however, does offer the opportunity to enter the legal profession at a lower level and work your way up. Fellows of ILEX can now becomes partners in law firms and become judges. So it is certainly getting more recognition than it used to. I note that cost is a concern, but with ILEX the idea is that you work in a firm and study part-time. This is getting harder to do because there are so many law graduates flooding the market, but there are still opportunitiess available. For example DWP has just launched an apprenticeship scheme for school leavers to train as legal executives.

Tax law is not a standard subject and is not taught as a stand alone subject on law degrees or through ILEX. It will be taught as a component in some subjects, e.g. wills and probate or company law, but it would be limited to what it neccessary for that subject.