THE LEGAL PROFESSION AND HOW TO GET INTO IT Career paths in the legal profession Professional training courses and funding Who employs lawyers? What to do and when to do it The slides from this presentation are available at www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm

SOME CAREER PATHS IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION Solicitor Barrister Legal executive Paralegal Licensed conveyancer For more detail on these and other roles in law, see the Legal Sector Briefing at www.prospects.ac.uk/links/LegalSB

Solicitor or barrister? Law Careers Seminars MAKING DECISIONS Solicitor or barrister? Both require: Proven intellectual ability Excellent communication skills Analytical skills Organisational skills Commercial awareness Determination and commitment Jenny Keaveney

WHAT DO SOLICITORS DO? Work directly with clients to advise them on a wide range of legal matters Prepare cases – researching, drafting, liaising with other parties in the case, etc Attend court, and may represent clients in court

WHO EMPLOYS SOLICITORS? Law Careers Seminars WHO EMPLOYS SOLICITORS? Law firms – employ 76% of practising solicitors) Large international firms Large UK-focused firms National/regional firms Specialist (“niche”) firms “High Street” firms In-house legal departments in: Business and finance (9%) The public and voluntary sectors (12%) Magic Circle - Allen & Overy (A&O), Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters. Silver circle firms Ashurst, Macfarlanes, SJ Berwin and Travers Smith National firms such as Halliwells, Hammonds, Osborne Clarke, Pinsent Masons and Shoosmiths 28% of women work in-house as opposed to 21% of men Jenny Keaveney

THE SOLICITORS’ PROFESSION – SOME STATISTICS Law Careers Seminars THE SOLICITORS’ PROFESSION – SOME STATISTICS 108,407 practising solicitors 42% of these work in London (where 27% of firms are located) 43% of practising solicitors are women 9.5% of practising solicitors are from ethnic minority groups Law Society Annual Statistical Report, July 2007 http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/secure/file/174971/e:/teamsite-deployed/documents/templatedata/Publications/Research%20Publications/Documents/asr2007report.pdf 42% of firms located in South-East (including London) Jenny Keaveney

WHAT DO BARRISTERS DO? Independent specialist legal advisers and advocates The majority are self-employed but work together in sets of chambers Others are employed in solicitors’ firms, business and public sector organisations Need outstanding all-round communication and intellectual skills

THE BARRISTERS’ PROFESSION – SOME STATISTICS Law Careers Seminars THE BARRISTERS’ PROFESSION – SOME STATISTICS 15,030 practising barristers 80% of these are self-employed 66% men; 34% women; 11% from ethnic minorities Approximately two-thirds of barristers are based in London 2007 stats Jenny Keaveney

WHAT THE SOLICITORS PROFESSION OFFERS Law Careers Seminars WHAT THE SOLICITORS PROFESSION OFFERS A more structured career path Greater security Greater support, including continuing professional training Greater involvement with clients and demands Commitment to a firm and its culture Team working skills Sociability; adaptability; willingness to conform Jenny Keaveney

WHAT THE BAR OFFERS Greater independence More opportunity for advocacy Law Careers Seminars WHAT THE BAR OFFERS Greater independence More opportunity for advocacy Variety and demands … Greater personal confidence A willingness to take risks High-level presentational skills Flexibility and tolerance of stress Jenny Keaveney

MAKING DECISIONS Talk to practising solicitors and/or barristers Law Careers Seminars MAKING DECISIONS Talk to practising solicitors and/or barristers Get work experience Use law careers publications and websites Use the Careers Advisory Service! Jenny Keaveney

BECOMING A SOLICITOR OR BARRISTER Law Careers Seminars BECOMING A SOLICITOR OR BARRISTER Solicitors ? ?? QUALIFY ASSISTANT SOLICITOR LPC TRAINING CONTRACT LAW DEGREE ? ??? ? BVC CALL TO THE BAR TENANCY PUPILLAGE Barristers Jenny Keaveney

PROFESSIONAL LAW COURSES Law Careers Seminars PROFESSIONAL LAW COURSES Legal Practice Course/Bar Vocational Course Skills-focused: preparation for practice Coursework, practical assessments and written exams Last for one academic year Available throughout England & Wales Must have the 7 exemption subjects for entry Apply at the beginning of your final year Fees range from approx. £6700 to £14000 Available throughout England & Wales - 28 LPCs; 8 BVCs Exemption subjects: Obligations I & II; Criminal; Constitutional; Equity & Trusts; Property; European Law £6710 -LPC at Wolverhampton 2007-8 £14150 - BVC at BPP Jenny Keaveney

THE LEGAL PRACTICE COURSE Law Careers Seminars THE LEGAL PRACTICE COURSE Stage One 3 core practice areas (compulsory): Business law and practice; Litigation (civil & criminal); Property law and practice Conduct & Regulation (including accounts) An overview of Wills & Tax Skills Research; Writing; Drafting; Advocacy; Interviewing & Advising Stage Two 3 vocational electives Electives usually help you to focus on a specific area of practice, e.g. Corporate (Public Companies and Equity Finance; Debt Finance and Banking – Nottingham/Kaplan); Private Client (Childcare Law; Law & the Elderly Client) or specialist (Sports & Media Law – De Montfort) Jenny Keaveney

THE BAR VOCATIONAL COURSE Law Careers Seminars THE BAR VOCATIONAL COURSE Seven core skills (60% of the course) Legal research; Fact management; Opinion writing; Drafting; Conference skills; Negotiation; Advocacy Three “knowledge areas” Civil Litigation; Criminal Litigation; Evidence Background and Pervasive subjects Professional Ethics; Human Rights; Accounts and Revenue; Business Associations Options Options cover, e.g, pro bono and tribunal practice; immigration (College of Law); employment, family (City); Chancery practice; European competition; sale of goods and credit (NLS) Jenny Keaveney

HOW DO STUDENTS FUND THEIR LAW COURSES? Law Careers Seminars HOW DO STUDENTS FUND THEIR LAW COURSES? Fees are just the beginning: will also need to pay, for example, Inns of Court or Law Society membership fees; accommodation, clothes (a dark suit for dining and role-play exercises), travel expenses Minimum training salary: £17110 (London); £15332 elsewhere (July 2007) c£31-36K in City firms ( more in US firms) Newly-qualifed salaries £50-90K Inns scholarships range from £165 ( to cover admission and Call fees) to £18000 (figures from Target Law 2006 p. 174) Commercial & Chancery sets may offer £25-30K for 12 months (2 Temple Gardens & 3 Verulam Buildings offer £42K!) All pupillages must now be funded to a minimum level of £5K for 6 months. Pupillage is a "contract for education and training", NOT a contract for employment. Therefore, pupils are not paid the minimum wage, they are paid whatever the Bar Council says is the minimum amount of pupillage funding (or above). Reasonable travel expenses are paid in addition to the pupillage award Jenny Keaveney

OTHER ROUTES INTO LAW Legal Executive Paralegal Licensed Conveyancer Notary

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING NOW Working hard and aiming for a good degree! Thinking about your options Researching different careers and employers Thinking about what you have to offer Starting to apply for vacation work experience Noting deadlines for training contract, pupillage and course applications

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING NOW Career planning guides for: Potential solicitors Potential barristers The undecided can be downloaded in Word format from the “Career Planning Timetable” for law students at www.kent.ac.uk/careers/law.htm#timetable

USEFUL INFORMATION SOURCES www.kent.ac.uk/careers/siteslaw.htm Target Law/Target Work Experience Law The Training Contract & Pupillage Handbook Prospects Law Lawyer 2B magazine

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