Top grades are required throughout your academic studies to become a solicitor or barrister. The quickest route into the profession is to get top marks in GCSEs and A-levels, at least a 2.1 law degree at University and then professional training for two years. This would take 5 or 6 years from beginning University depending on the qualification you want.
The further training depends on whether you wish to become a barrister or solicitor. For barristers, the one-year Bar Vocational Course (BVC) followed by at least a 12-month pupillage in chambers is necessary. Pupillages are divided into two six-month periods, commonly referred to as 'sixes'. Solicitors take the one-year Legal Practice Course (LPC) followed by a two-year training contract, usually with a firm of solicitors, or the legal section of a commercial firm or government department.
The LPC and BVC courses are offered by colleges and universities throughout the country, and involve training on theory and in practice. BPP and College of Law are well known institutions offering these courses.
Graduates of a non-law degree subject can still qualify as a solicitor or barrister by taking the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) before embarking on the LPC/BVC, which is an extra year's study. The GDL prepares non-law graduates for a legal career as it covers the foundations of law, namely contract, tort, criminal law, equity & trusts, EU law, property and public law.
Timetable
It pays to be organised: the law is a profession that recruits years in advance (many employers recruit during the penultimate year of the law degree), which means it's never too soon for students to plot their path from school to university to a firm or chambers.
School and College
Aspiring lawyers should get ahead of the pack by focusing on getting the best academic results possible. Most University law courses require at A and B grade GCSEs and a minimum of 3 good A-level grades (note that some firms and chambers won't accept an A-level in General Studies).
In addition, under graduates should seek out informal work experience opportunities, firstly through their sixth form or college. If this is not possible, it's time to network - that is, use existing contacts such as family or friends to find employers in the profession who are willing to offer a week or two weeks work experience.
University
Students set on a career in law need to continue getting good grades throughout university. First and second-year exam results are taken into account by firms and chambers when considering candidates for work experience, as well as training contracts/pupillages. Most will want to see a steady stream of 2.1s and Firsts.
Applications for training contracts and pupillages should be made from the second year onwards.
Using a Specialist Legal Recruitment Consultancy
A legal recruitment consultancy will be able to advise you throughout your career and can be a valuable source of career information. A recruitment consultancy will be able to help once you have a minimum of 6 months’ fee earning experience. A recruitment agency will not be able to help you get a training contract. (See the useful links section below for contact information for law firms)
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