Types of Lawyer
Becoming a Solicitor
The various stages to becoming a solicitor explained
Firstly, it is important to understand the difference between a solicitor and a barrister and what each role entails. Although their roles are very similar and there are a lot of interchangeable skills between the two branches of the profession, there are a few clear distinctions.
A solicitor will give general advice and is the first point of contact for clients. A barrister specialises in certain issues and the client in court, with a solicitor liaising with both barrister and client.
Upon qualification, you would usually work with a firm of solicitors either in a high street, national or international outfit. There are various other organisations that you can work for, from the Crown Prosecution Service and the Government Legal Service to Legal Aid organisations and NGOs. The requirements Pursuing a career as a solicitor must not be taken lightly.
It is a very difficult and expensive process, with literally thousands of other worthy candidates in the same position. There are many attributes needed to be a successful solicitor, all of which you will have to demonstrate to recruiters during the application process. Firstly, you must have excellent social and interpersonal skills as much of your work will be spent liaising with clients, colleagues and a host of other professional people.
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"Due to the nature of the work, you must be able to absorb large amounts of information in a short period of time..."
Firms need to trust that you will be able to represent the outfit in a respectable manner, therefore communication skills are of the utmost importance. There may also be the possibility of advocacy within certain areas of law, however it is most likely that you will instruct barristers upon this matter.
Even so, public speaking skills are vital within the everyday realms of a solicitor’s job, therefore you must be comfortable speaking in front of large groups of people. Due to the nature of the work, you must be able to absorb large amounts of information in a short period of time, whether it is in preparation for a court appearance or for a presentation to a high-profile client.
One of the most important qualities needed in a candidate is energy and stamina, as late nights are a common occurence and all-nighters equally possible.
It must be noted that training as a solicitor is not cheap. Undergraduate fees are now around £10,000 and the Legal Practice Course is from £6000 to £9000. If you are a non-law student, expect to pay an extra £6000 to £9000 for the CPE/GDL, commonly known as the law conversion course.
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The Academic stage
If you are a non-law graduate you will firstly have to complete the CPE/GDL, a one year full-time course. For more information on this please view our Non-law student section. Once you have completed a law degree or law conversion course the next stage of academic training is the Legal Practice Course (LPC).
The course is comprised of four key areas, these being core subjects, compulsory subject, optional modules and skills training. There core subjects encompasses the foundations of legal practice, these being ethics, practice skills, trusts, taxation, EU law, administration of estates and probate law. The compulsory subjects are taught in 10 week blocks through a system of lectures and tutorials in both the autumn and spring terms.
The subjects are business law and practice, conveyancing, litigation and advocacy. Students will also be required to study two optional subjects selected from a variety of areas. If you have already been offered a training contract then it is likely that your firm will advise you upon which areas to take.
Dependent upon the school, you can normally choose from corporate finance and advanced litigation,employment, commercial, landlord and tenant, housing, family and client in the community law. Finally, ‘Skills’ normally takes up a quarter of the course, providing training in interviewing, advocacy, negotiating, drafting and legal research.
20-09-2009
