Creating Career Path...

Finding Further Careers...

Law & Legal Services

Lawyer

View this career for different education levels:

Primary Secondary Post-16

Imagine you are a detective, but instead of finding who did something, you help people understand and follow the rules of our country. That's a bit like being a lawyer! Lawyers help people with lots of different things. Some lawyers help people who have been hurt, some help families going through difficult times, and some help businesses make sure they are following all the rules. They listen very carefully to people's stories, read lots of important papers, and then explain the law in a way that everyone can understand. Sometimes they even go to court to speak up for their clients, like a superhero for justice! Being a lawyer means you need to be very good at listening, reading, and talking. You also need to be a really good problem-solver, because every case is like a new puzzle. Lawyers work in offices, sometimes in courtrooms, and they spend a lot of time researching to make sure they know everything about a case. Their main job is to help people navigate the law, whether it's by giving advice, writing important documents, or representing them in front of a judge.

Lawyer

Flag Media

Please select a reason for flagging this content.

📊 Statistics

Average Starting Salary

For new lawyers, especially those training in London, you might expect to start earning around 40,000 to 50,000 pounds a year. Outside London, it could be a bit less, perhaps 25,000 to 40,000 pounds.

Experienced Lawyer Salary

Lawyers with more experience and special skills can earn much more, sometimes over 100,000 pounds a year, especially if they work on big cases or for large companies.

Number of Lawyers in the UK

There are lots of lawyers in the UK! For example, in England and Wales, there are over 150,000 solicitors and barristers working to help people with legal problems.

🚀 Careers in this path

Flag Media

Please select a reason for flagging this content.

Barrister

Imagine you're a detective for words! A Barrister stands up in court and talks to the judge and jury, explaining why someone is innocent or guilty. They wear special wigs and gowns and are brilliant at speaking and remembering lots of details.

Flag Media

Please select a reason for flagging this content.

Solicitor

A Solicitor is like a super-smart problem-solver who helps people outside of court. They give advice, write important letters, and help people understand rules about houses, jobs, or new businesses. They're good at listening and helping people make fair decisions.

Flag Media

Please select a reason for flagging this content.

Judge

A Judge is like the head teacher of the courtroom! They listen carefully to everyone, make sure the rules are followed, and decide what's fair and just. They have to be very wise, patient, and good at making big decisions.

Learning About Laws

Be Curious at School

Pay attention in subjects like English, History, and PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education). These subjects help you learn to read, write, think, and understand how society works.

Reading lots of different books and stories will make your vocabulary bigger and help you understand how to explain things clearly. History helps you see how rules have changed over time, and PSHE teaches you about right and wrong and how to be a good citizen. These skills are like building blocks for understanding laws.

Ask Questions

If you hear about a rule or a law, ask 'Why is that rule there?' or 'What happens if someone doesn't follow it?'. Thinking about these things helps you understand the world of laws.

Asking 'why' is a very important skill for a lawyer. It helps you dig deeper and understand the reasons behind things. You can ask your teachers, parents, or even look things up in books or on safe children's websites about how our country is run and the laws we have.

Join a Debating Club (Later On)

When you're a bit older, joining a club where you discuss different ideas and learn to argue your point nicely can be very helpful. Lawyers need to be good at talking and explaining.

Debating clubs teach you how to listen carefully to what others say, think quickly, and then explain your own ideas in a way that makes sense. You learn to speak in front of people, which is something lawyers do all the time in court or when talking to clients. It builds your confidence too!

Studying at University

Go to University to Study Law

After school, you'll need to go to university to study for a special degree called a 'Law Degree'. This is where you learn all the important laws and how they work.

A Law Degree usually takes three years to complete in the UK. You'll study many different types of law, like laws about crime, laws about owning things, and laws about families. You'll learn to read big law books, write essays, and discuss complicated ideas with your classmates and teachers.

Practice Your Writing and Reading

University involves a lot of reading, writing, and understanding complex information. Practise these skills by reading different books and writing clearly.

Lawyers spend a lot of time reading long documents and writing reports or arguments. Being able to read carefully to understand every detail and write clearly so everyone can understand you is super important. This will help you succeed in your law degree and in your future job.

Get Work Experience

Try to spend some time in a law office or a court to see what lawyers do every day. This is called 'work experience' and helps you understand the job better.

Even just a few days in a law office can teach you so much. You might see lawyers talking to clients, preparing documents, or even visit a court to watch a trial. This helps you decide if being a lawyer is truly what you want to do and gives you real-life examples of how laws are used.

Becoming a Qualified Lawyer

Do More Training

After your law degree, you need to do more special training. If you want to be a 'Solicitor', you'll do a Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). If you want to be a 'Barrister', you'll do a special course called the Bar Course.

Solicitors usually work in offices, advising people and preparing cases, while Barristers usually represent people in court. Both paths need extra training after your degree. The SQE involves two big exams and then some work experience. The Bar Course teaches you how to speak in court and present arguments.

Work in a Law Firm

You'll then work at a law firm to gain practical experience. This is like an apprenticeship where you learn from experienced lawyers.

For Solicitors, this is called 'Qualifying Work Experience' (QWE) as part of the SQE, which usually lasts two years. For Barristers, it's called 'pupillage', and you shadow an experienced barrister for a year. This hands-on experience is vital for learning the day-to-day skills you need as a lawyer.

Get Your Licence to Practise

Once you've finished all your training and practical experience, you'll get a special licence that says you are a proper, qualified lawyer and can help people with their legal problems.

For Solicitors, this means registering with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). For Barristers, it means being called to the Bar by one of the four Inns of Court. This licence is like your official badge, showing everyone that you have successfully completed all the tough training and are ready to be a professional lawyer.

🎯 View Apprenticeships

Explore relevant apprenticeships that can help you kickstart your career in Lawyer. Apprenticeships offer hands-on experience and training while earning a wage.

🎓 View Apprenticeships

Career Progressions

This page showcases various career options and the pathways to reach them. Each career listed here shares transferable skills and knowledge, making it easier for individuals to transition between them.

Your current career is highlighted to help you see how it fits into the broader landscape of potential career choices. By clicking on any career, you can learn more about it, including the training and education required to pursue it.

Remember, progressing in your career often involves further learning and training. This page provides insights into future career options as well as those that can lead up to your current one.

These career progression decisions are informed by comparing the skills and knowledge needed for different occupations, along with data on how people move between them. Explore the possibilities and discover the exciting journey ahead in your career!

Sample Qualifications

Solicitor is the core UK legal professional that most closely matches the general term 'Lawyer'. Both typically require a qualifying law degree (or GDL) and subsequent professional training (LPC or SQE) plus practical experience before practising, and they are authorised to advise, draft documents, and represent clients in legal matters.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • the traditional solicitor qualifying route until 2032

University

To qualify as a solicitor, you must:

Though your degree does not have to be in law, you will need some legal knowledge to pass the SQE.

To study law at some universities you'll need to pass the Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT).

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 3 A levels or equivalent

More Information

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Solicitor Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship to start on the path to qualifying as a solicitor.

This route includes the completion of a law degree and usually takes around 5 to 6 years. You'll need your employer's support to join it.

You'll also need to pass the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), which has 2 parts, and do 2 years' qualifying work experience.

The apprenticeship will prepare you for the SQE exams.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths
  • 3 A levels or equivalent

More Information

Work

You could start with a legal firm and do on-the-job training like the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) Level 6 Professional Diploma in Higher Law and Practice.

You would then need to:

Another option is to complete a Paralegal Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship then move on to the solicitor degree apprenticeship route.

Other Routes

If you started a qualifying law degree, Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) or Legal Practice Course (LPC) before 2021, you will be able to continue to qualify as a solicitor by the traditional route until 2032.

More Information

Career tips

Competition for solicitor roles is strong so you need to show that you have consistently good grades as you progress through your education.

Getting work experience in different types of legal settings can help you to stand out and show your commitment. There are diversity work experience schemes to encourage under-represented groups into the legal profession.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join The Law Society for professional development, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.

Further information

You can find out more about the training routes to become a solicitor through:

Interested in More Career Paths?

Explore other careers or use our AI to discover personalised paths based on your interests.

Browse All Careers Generate New Career Path

Stay connected

Join our newsletter to stay up to date on features and releases

Address
Developing Experts Limited
Exchange Street Buildings
35-37 Exchange Street
Norwich
NR2 1DP
UK

Phone
01603 273515

Email
[email protected]

Developing Experts

LessonsAboutResearchReportingPlans & Pricing

Legal

GDPRPrivacy PolicyTerms and ConditionsCookie Policy

Contact Us

Get in touchRequest SubscriptionChildren's CodeAbout UsCareers

Copyright 2025 Developing Experts, All rights reserved.