Become a Solicitor – A ‘How To’ Quickguide
Many new law firms in the UK are opening on a daily basis as it expands its dominance in Europe and internationally. The UK’s legal market is already large and is increasing in size on a daily basis. If you are interested in becoming a solicitor in the United Kingdom but do not have a law degree you can still do so. In fact, only about 50% of solicitors actually have a law degree. The rest have non-law degrees and/or transferred from a different career.
A law degree is obviously designed to give law students a basic grounding in the main legal subject areas. For non-law students, however, there is a requirement to undertake a law conversion course in order to learn these legal basics. The law conversion is done via a Graduate Diploma in Law or the Common Professional Exam. These are one year full-time study courses or two years if done on a part-time basis and they qualify non-law graduates to go on to take the next step in training to be a solicitor.
After completing a law degree or a law conversion course students then undertake the Legal Practice Course, which was created to equip trainee solicitors with the ability to practice law in the UK. It takes a year to complete the Legal Practice Course if attended full time and two years if attended part time. This is the final course trainee solicitors must attend before starting their training contract.
The training contract is the last thing that must be done before qualifying as a solicitor. The training contract is where trainee solicitors gain practical working experience in the legal profession and also includes the Professional Skills Course. The training contract format will depend on the law firm, but larger law firms are often more structured than smaller ones. However, both large and small law firms offer good experience for trainee solicitors and each has their own advantages.
All law firms that accept trainee solicitors must have a training principal that will select useful, sufficient work for trainee solicitors to do. Their other job requirements are answering questions, providing guidance, and supplying feedback of trainees performance. They also have to keep detailed records to prove trainees are meeting all of the necessary requirements of the training contract.
Trainee solicitors will work in various departments during their training contract in order to receive a more well-rounded work experience. They are required to complete work in three different areas of law throughout the course of their training contract.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority are taking steps to change the process to qualify as a UK solicitor. They are planning work based programs that will merge training contracts with study to a greater extent.
In order to be chosen for a training contract, trainee solicitors just have to complete an application at the law firm of their choosing. Other criteria to be met or documents to be included in the application will depend on the individual law firm. It is vitally important that students remain in good scholastic standing in order for their training contract application to be approved at the law firm they choose.
Information and resources for students considering becoming a solicitor. For more information the necessary career path of a solicitor click here: Become a Solicitor.
