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Lawyer

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Primary Secondary Post-16

Being a lawyer in the UK means you help people and organisations understand and apply the law. It is a very responsible and interesting job where you could be advising clients, writing legal documents, or representing people in court. There are different types of lawyers, like solicitors and barristers. Solicitors often work directly with clients, providing advice on a wide range of issues, from buying a house to starting a business, or helping with family matters. They might prepare cases for court and act as the first point of contact for someone needing legal help. Barristers, on the other hand, specialise in advocacy, which means representing clients in court. They wear special wigs and gowns when they appear in court. Both roles require excellent communication skills, a strong sense of fairness, and a keen eye for detail. You would need to study law at university, then complete further professional training to become qualified. It is a challenging but very rewarding career where you can make a real difference to peoples lives and uphold justice.

Lawyer

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📊 Statistics

Average Starting Salary

For newly qualified solicitors outside of London, salaries can range from 25,000 to 50,000 pounds per year. In London, particularly at larger firms, this can be significantly higher, sometimes starting from 60,000 pounds or more.

Experienced Lawyer Salary

With a few years of experience, a lawyer in the UK can expect to earn between 45,000 and 100,000 pounds. Highly experienced or specialist lawyers, especially partners in firms, can earn well over 100,000 pounds annually.

Number of Practising Solicitors

There are over 200,000 practising solicitors in England and Wales. This shows it is a large and important profession, with many opportunities across different areas of law.

🚀 Careers in this path

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Paralegal Assistant

Imagine helping lawyers by doing lots of important research and organising documents. You'd be like their super organised assistant, making sure they have everything they need for court cases. It's a great way to see how the law works from the inside!

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Court Usher

This job is all about making sure the courtroom runs smoothly. You'd help people find their way, call out names, and pass messages. You'd be right in the middle of all the action, seeing different kinds of cases every day, like a helpful guide in a big show.

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Legal Secretary

Do you like writing and being organised? A Legal Secretary types letters, emails, and important papers for lawyers. You'd be using computers a lot and making sure all the communication is perfect, helping keep the whole legal office in tip-top shape.

Build Your Foundations

Excel in School

Focus on subjects like English, History, and Religious Studies (RS) which will help you develop strong reading, writing, and analytical skills.

Achieving good grades in a wide range of subjects, especially those that require critical thinking, essay writing, and debate, will be incredibly beneficial. English is crucial for communication, History for understanding past events and precedents, and RS for ethical reasoning.

Develop Key Skills

Join clubs like debate, drama, or public speaking to improve your communication and presentation skills. These are vital for a lawyer!

Communication skills, both written and verbal, are paramount in law. Joining a debate club will hone your ability to construct arguments, think on your feet, and speak persuasively. Drama can help with confidence and presence, while public speaking clubs will refine your delivery and clarity.

Explore the Legal World

Read news articles about legal cases, watch documentaries about law, or visit a local Magistrates' Court to see how it works.

Understanding how the legal system operates is a great start. Reading about current legal issues will give you insight into different areas of law, from criminal to family law. Visiting a court when cases are being heard (many are open to the public) can provide a real-life glimpse into the courtroom environment.

Higher Education & Training

Study Law at University

After school, you'll typically need to get a university degree. The most common path is a Law degree (LLB), but you can also study another subject and then do a law conversion course.

An LLB is a three-year undergraduate degree specifically in law. If you choose to study a different subject, such as History or Politics, you would then need to complete a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), which is a one-year intensive conversion course, to gain the necessary foundational legal knowledge.

Choose Your Path: Solicitor or Barrister

Once you have your law degree, you'll decide if you want to be a solicitor (who advises clients) or a barrister (who represents clients in court). Each has different training.

To become a solicitor, you'll typically complete the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) alongside qualifying work experience. For barristers, you'll need to complete the Bar Course (formerly BPTC) and then undertake a 'pupillage' – a year of practical training with an experienced barrister.

Gain Work Experience

Look for internships, 'mini-pupillages', or work experience placements at law firms or chambers. This is crucial for applying your knowledge and building contacts.

Work experience is vital for understanding the day-to-day realities of legal work and for demonstrating your commitment to the profession. Many firms offer summer internships or insight days. 'Mini-pupillages' are short placements (usually a few days) with barristers' chambers, giving you a taste of life at the Bar. It's also a great way to network and make connections.

Start Your Legal Career

Complete Professional Training

Finish your practical training, whether it's the SQE and qualifying work experience for solicitors, or the Bar Course and pupillage for barristers.

For solicitors, the SQE is a two-part assessment that tests legal knowledge and skills. It must be combined with two years of 'Qualifying Work Experience' (QWE). For barristers, pupillage is a year-long apprenticeship, split into two six-month periods, where you learn directly from a senior barrister and begin to take on your own cases.

Secure Your First Role

Apply for 'trainee solicitor' positions at law firms or seek a 'tenancy' in barristers' chambers after pupillage. This is your first step as a qualified legal professional.

Competition for these roles can be strong, so excellent academic results, strong communication skills, and relevant work experience are key. As a trainee solicitor, you'll rotate through different departments to gain broad experience. For barristers, a 'tenancy' means being offered a permanent place in chambers after successfully completing pupillage.

Continuous Learning and Development

The law constantly changes, so you'll need to keep learning, attending courses, and staying updated with new regulations throughout your career.

Lawyers have a professional obligation to undertake continuing professional development (CPD) to ensure their knowledge and skills remain current. This might involve attending seminars, reading legal journals, or undertaking specialist courses. It's how you stay sharp and provide the best advice to your clients.

🎯 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

A lawyer is most closely aligned with the role of a solicitor in the UK, as both are qualified legal professionals who provide advice, draft documents and represent clients. The solicitor route involves completing a law degree (or conversion), followed by professional training and admission to practise via the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

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:

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