The legal profession has always been one of the most attractive ones and not without reason. The lawyers and solicitors have a lot of employment opportunities. You can work in a law firm, in a company or in a government agency. The salaries in the legal sectors are among the highest in London and in the rest of the United Kingdom. The opportunities for career development are also many and different. The job is labour-intensive, but this should not be a problem for those who have strong commitment. You should definitely consider becoming a lawyer in the UK. Here is how to do this.
You have to have a bachelor’s degree in law. The majority of universities that offer such courses have relatively high requirements for entry. You need to have very good grades in you’re A-levels or an equivalent high school degree program. If you are a foreign national, you can be accepted to study law in a UK university provides that you have excellent English language skills. However, you might not be able to practice in the country due to certain immigration regulations. Furthermore, you may not be able to become a lawyer in your country if you have studies United Kingdom law. For these reasons, you have to consider and research your future career prospects very carefully.
Graduates in law with 2:1 honours degree or higher have the best chances to become lawyer. However, individuals with bachelor degrees in other field of study have this opportunity as well. There are additional training courses available for those who want to pursue a legal career. The most popular and most widely recognized conversion degrees are the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and the Common Profession Examination (CPE). The available courses are full-time and have one year duration. It is possible for you to study part time, but this option is recommended only to those who need to be employed during their studies.
Individuals with 2:2 honours degree also have the chance to become lawyers or solicitors in the UK. Generally, the work experience is highly valued in this profession. If you were not a good student, you can readily secure a position if you have worked as a legal assistant or paralegal. This type of work experience is recommended to all individuals who want to become lawyers. Apart from acquiring valuable organizational, administrative and legal skills you will also have sufficient income. This will certainly be useful for the funding of the next phase of your training for becoming a lawyer.
All graduates have to take the Legal Practice Course (LPC) in order to become lawyers in the UK. The full-time study lasts one year, while the part-time training can be two or three years long. The cost of this course varies, but it is usually between 5,000 and 10,000. It is possible for you to secure sponsorship from a lay firm or a company, but you should definitely consider other alternatives such as working as a paralegal.
Upon the successful completion of the LPC, you have to secure a two year training contract. You will have to get practice in all four main areas of law. Then you can become a lawyer or a solicitor.