Law
This page has been designed to give a starting point for those looking into careers in Legal and related occupations and includes information for graduates with or without Law qualifications.
What are careers in the law?
The justice sector is one of the key determinants of the social environment. There are three different legal systems in the UK: Northern Ireland and Scotland have separate systems from England and Wales. These differences give rise to different training requirements and routes to employment (source - Prospects). There are around 45,800 employees in the Justice sector in the South East.
Skills for Justice
Skills for Justice is the dedicated Sector Skills Council and Standards Setting Body for the Justice sector. You will find a comprehensive careers section detailing industry trends as well as qualificaitons and financial help.
www.skillsforjustice.com
Prospects
Prospects is a graduate careers website with job profiles for a rnage of roles withih the legal profession
www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_legal_profession
Prospects also has the following section:
www.prospects.ac.uk/links/LawDeg
Targetjobs
A graduate careers website with the following sector information:
Law - Barristers
Law - Scotland
Law - Solicitors
The Law Society
A Career in Law from The Law Society
www.lawsociety.org.uk/becomingasolicitor/careerinlaw.law
Chambers and Partners Student Guide
This site includes salary guides, CV and application advice.
www.chambersstudent.co.uk/
LawCareers.net
For anyone considering a career in law. Sign up to MyLC.N and create a peronalised account to track your jobsearch, create a library of your researched information and record your impressions of employers. You can sign up to receive an e-newsletter that contains information on all things Law; employer profiles, jobs, news, pupillage and placement opportunities and more.
www.lawcareers.net/LCNWeekly.aspx
Barristers
The Bar Council – General Council of the Bar
The site includes details on qualifying as a barrister and contains profiles of barristers and their work.
www.barcouncil.org.uk
Faculty of Advocates
Advocates in Scotland perform the same role as barristers in England and Wales and Northern Ireland, although the law and practice in the three separate jurisdictions of the United Kingdom are quite different. www.advocates.org.uk
Institute of Barristers' Clerks (IBC)
Careers information on becoming a barristers clerk. Includes vacancies
www.ibc.org.uk
The Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX)
Contains information on career opportunities and training.
What is a legal executive?
Other
Law for non-lawyers
Information on the paralegal profession, part of ILEX
www.ilexpt.co.uk
Launchpad to Law: careers information for non-law students
Are you considering a career in law but are coming from a non-law degree background? Understanding how, and on what timescales, law firms operate is essential. Launchpad to Law - A career in law with your degree. Available in online magazine format via the front page of www.lawcareers.net
Law Careers Forum
The Law Careers Forum is a biennial event hosted by the Careers Centre and Brighton Business School and offers students the opportunity to find out from professionals in the field about the routes into the legal sector and what it is really like to work in a legal profession.
Find out more about the Law Careers Forum
How do I get into it?
UK Centre for Legal Education
Directory of legal education in the UK and information on qualifying as a lawyer with links to law schools and institutions providing courses for the academic and vocational stages of legal education.
www.ukcle.ac.uk/
Barrister
There are four main stages to becoming a Barrister. Information on this process is available from www.legaleducation.org.uk/
Becoming a solicitor
The shortest route to becoming a solicitor is by studying for a degree in law. Graduate's in a subject other that law must undertake one of the following:
- Common Professional Examination course (CPE)
- Graduate Diploma in Law course
- Senior-status degree in law
All candidates then undertake a Legal Practice Course (LPC). This provides professional instruction for prospective solicitors. On sucessful completion candidates enter into a training contract with a firm of solicitors (or other organisation) authorised by the Law Society as a training establishment. Competition is fierce – it is advisable to begin applying for contracts in the second year of a law degree. More information on this process including courses and funding is available from the Law Society: www.lawsociety.org.uk/becomingasolicitor.law
More than the law - skills that future employers will value
LawCareers.Net article on employability skills for a careers in law
http://www.lawcareers.net/information/Features/Detail.aspx?r=1325
Law Society of Ireland
Careers and training information for Solicitors in Ireland.
www.lawsociety.ie
The Law Society of Northern Ireland
Guide to training
www.lawsoc-ni.org/
Law Society of Scotland
Information of qualifying as a lawyer in Scotland.
www.lawscot.org.uk
Trainee Solicitors Group (TSG)
Lots of information on training and education for solicitors.
www.tsg.org
Prospects Community - Law
A detailed career guide for anyone considering a career in Law, plus training contract opportunities.
www.prospects.ac.uk/law
Legal Executive
On a day to day basis the work of a legal executive is similar to that of a solicitor - so much so that vacancies often specify that a legal executive or an assistant solicitor is required. Although being a legal executive is a career in its own right, it is possible to continue the ILEX training route to become a solicitor. An added advantage is that Fellows are exempt from the two years training contract which is required before admission as a solicitor. See the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) for more information on how to qualify as a Legal Executive
Council for Licensed Conveyancers
Contains information on becoming a Licensed Conveyancer.
www.conveyancer.org.uk
Law Costs Draftsmen
The usual method of entry to the profession is via a Solicitors office where a general legal knowledge can first be obtained. Many law costs draftsmen are self employed but rarely employ untrained assistants.
www.alcd.org.uk
Applying for law courses
Central Applications Board Information on LPC and CPE courses.
www.lawcabs.ac.uk
Opportunities for non-law graduates
www.lawsociety.org.uk/becomingasolicitor.law
What can I do?
This is a guide to volunteering opportunities available in the criminal justice system.
www.whatcanido.org.uk
Look for courses at the university
See the courses databases for the University of Brighton courses in this area.
http://courses.brighton.ac.uk
Finding a job or employer in this sector
Barristers
Chambers and Partners
This site includes application information as well as jobs database searchable by region
www.chambersstudent.co.uk/
Pupillages Portal
Comprehensive site providing you with access to all pupillage vacancies in England and Wales.
www.pupillages.com
Solicitors
The Lawyer Jobs Section
Simply Law Jobs
Legal Executive, Paralegal, Solicitor, Partner, Practice Manager, Temporary and Locum, Legal Accounts, Legal Secretary/PA, Barrister positions.
www.simplylawjobs.com
Legal executives
Legal Executive Recruitment
www.legal-executive-recruitment.com
Clerks
Clerksroom
www.clerksroom.com
All legal professions
The Law Society Gazette
Legal Jobs1
Advertises vacancies nationwide. Part of the One Job Group.
Legal Week
Legal Executive Journal
The Lex 100 on Facebook
The students' guide to the top 100 UK law firms now has a page for discussions on the search for a training contract.
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Lex-100
National Law Journal
Opportunities
Public sector jobs database
www.opportunities.co.uk
Civil Service Employers include:
- Court Service www.courtservice.gov.uk
- Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) www.fco.gov.uk
- Government Legal Service www.gls.gov.uk
- Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) www.cps.gov.uk
- The Financial Services Authority (FSA) www.fsa.gov.uk
- The European Commission http://ec.europa.eu
Legal Week Graduate Job
Legal Week Jobs is a specialist website for all types of jobs in law including Paralegal, Legal Executive, Trainee Solicitors & Graduate Vacancies.
www.legalweekjobs.com/
Legal Job Spot
A job listings website specialising in legal jobs. Includes vacancies within law firms and other legal organisations for solicitors, legal secretaries, and legal support staff.
www.legaljobspot.com
BCL Legal
BCL Legal offers a comprehensive legal recruitment service for lawyers, law firms and businesses at all levels, across all disciplines and across all sectors.
www.bcllegal.com
Total Jobs
This jobs board website contains a comprehensive Legal Jobs section.
www.totaljobs.com/IndustrySearch/Legal.asp
Legal Services Commission
The Legal Services Comission has an online resource to address questions about working in Legal Aid. Also contains links to other careers and professional websites: www.legalservices.gov.uk
Further information and useful links
Barristers
The Bar Council
The Bar Council is the regulatory and representative body for barristers in England and Wales. Contains an extensive links section.
www.barcouncil.org.uk
Bar Council and Bar Library of Northern Ireland
The Bar Council of Ireland Law Library
The Irish Bar aims to provide its clients with a high level of expertise in all areas of law combined with skilled advocacy by persons of integrity and independence.
www.lawlibrary.ie/default.asp
Faculty of Advocates
Website of the Scottish Bar.
www.advocates.org.uk
Solicitors
The Law Society
Regulatory and representative body for 116,000 solicitors in England and Wales.
www.lawsociety.org.uk/home.law
Law Society of Ireland
Educational, representative and regulatory body of the solicitors' profession in Ireland. Includes training vacancies
www.lawsociety.ie
The Law Society of Northern Ireland
Governing body of the Solicitors' profession in Northern Ireland.
www.lawsoc-ni.org
Law Society of Scotland
Governing body for Scottish solicitors.
www.lawscot.org.uk
Scottish Law Commission
Law reform in Scotland
www.scotlawcom.gov.uk
Society of Solicitor Advocates
Suitably qualified solicitors in Scotland can be granted rights of audience in the Supreme Courts in Scotland as well as in the House of Lords and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
www.solicitoradvocates.org
Law Society - Junior Lawyers (TSG)
Represents PGDL, LPC and CPE students, all trainee solicitors, paralegals up to two years post-completion of the LPC and newly-qualified solicitors up to one year post-qualification.
http://juniorlawyers.lawsociety.org.uk
Property law
Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC)
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) is the regulatory body for Licensed Conveyancers who are qualified specialist property lawyers.
www.conveyancer.org.uk
International law
The Court of Justice of the European Communities
www.curia.eu.int
International Court of Justice
Paralegal groups
Institute of Barristers' Clerks (IBC)
The Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX)
ILEX is the professional body representing over 22,000 members and is a leading provider of legal education.
www.ilex.org.uk
Scottish Paralegal Asscociation
Charities
The African Caribbean and Asian Lawyers Group
c/o The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1SX. Tel: 020 7242 1222
The Legal Action Group
National, independent charity which campaigns for equal access to justice for all members of society.
www.lag.org.uk
Society of Black Lawyers
Winchester House, Cranmer Road, London SW9 6ES. Tel: 020 7735 6592.
Information sources
ELIXIR (European Lawyers' Information eXchange & Internet Resource)
Project based at The University of Birmingham Law School with information on the different legal systems in all the EU countries, including training requirements, and an introduction to the EC Law on Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications in EU countries.
elixir.bham.ac.uk
Legal 500
International Centre for Commercial Law produce information on major law firms in Europe including the UK
www.icclaw.com
The Law Society
Extensive legal information including details of policy, training advice on dealing with solicitors.
www.lawsociety.org.uk
The Lawyer online
The Lawyer.com is the leading online information service for the legal profession. Delivering news, analysis, jobs and training.
www.thelawyer.com
University of Kent
Legal information on the Internet
library.kent.ac.uk/library/lawlinks/default.htm