What experience do you need to be a lawyer?

Mar 11, 2023

Written By Dhevina Maaran

There is not only one route to qualifying and working as a solicitor or barrister. The various pathways into these careers and the work experience needed will be explored below.

Solicitor vs Barrister

A ‘lawyer’ is a general term that refers to those who are qualified to offer legal advice as a professional service. However, the profession itself can be broken down into two main categories: solicitors and barristers.

A solicitor may work in a law firm, in-house as part of a company’s legal department, have a private practice or work in government or court service. Solicitors offer legal support and advice to clients who may be companies, individuals or other organisations. A solicitor may choose to specialise in a specific area of law, such as family, employment, or intellectual property law.

On the other hand, a barrister, in England and Wales, advises and represents clients in court. These clients could be individuals, or they could be companies. A barrister could work for the government and be part of the Government Legal Service (GLS) or the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), for example. However, the majority of barristers are self-employed.

Becoming a Solicitor

To become a solicitor, you may choose to go to university and study law. Graduating with a qualifying law degree (LLB) is a good stepping stone to becoming a solicitor. Following a degree in law, you will need to pass the Solicitor’s Qualifying Exam (SQE). This new qualifying exam replaces the Legal Practice Course (LPC) and the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL).

If you studied a non-law degree at university, you might still have to complete a law conversion course before eventually completing the SQE.

Following the completion of the SQE, you will need to undertake two years of ‘qualifying work experience’. Qualifying work experience is work experience that is grounded in legal work and services. Work experience now includes: training contracts, working law clinics and in-house legal teams and pro bono work. Those who are employed as paralegals may even count their experience towards the qualifying work experience requirement.

This makes becoming a solicitor even more accessible, by giving individuals who have already been working in the legal industry the option to become a solicitor.

You can gain legal work experience at a maximum of four different organisations, including:

- Law Firms

- Legal advice centres

Legal Clinics at Academic Institutions

- Other Appropriate Organisations

According to The Law Society, the purpose of the ‘qualifying work experience’ requirement is to ensure that aspiring solicitors have the opportunity to develop the competencies needed to succeed in the life of a solicitor; while also gaining experience in how to conduct themselves in a professional work environment.

Once you complete two years of legal work experience, your character and suitability will be assessed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), before you are officially considered a qualified solicitor.

Solicitor Apprenticeships

Another route to becoming a solicitor is through a solicitor apprenticeship.

A solicitor apprenticeship is aimed at A-level students, who want an alternative to going to university. A solicitor apprenticeship can take between five to six years, but this period may be reduced if you have any previous work experience.

An apprenticeship might involve doing tasks such as working with clients, research, and finding files. The apprenticeship itself is broken down into 80% work and 20% studying and training. Throughout your time as an apprentice, you will also be working towards passing the SQE. Firms that offer apprenticeships will partner with a law school (eg. the University of Law), which will cover the 20% of the academic portion of your solicitor apprenticeship.

This option makes law more accessible and is the perfect option for those who prefer the ‘earn as they learn’ approach. Apprentices receive a salary while working, and have the cost of their qualifications covered. A solicitor apprenticeship provides the opportunity to gain first-hand experience into the life of a solicitor before qualifying as a lawyer.

Becoming a Barrister

The path to becoming a barrister can be divided into three main stages:

Academics

Starting with GCSE’s is a good way to get introduced to the career as a barrister. Getting good grades, trying to get experience with your local solicitors, and researching more into the career is a great way to get started on the path to becoming a barrister.

At A-levels (or equivalent), you might choose to focus more on analytical and essay-based subjects and check what subject requirements are needed to study law or a specific subject at different universities. Furthermore, try getting a taste for advocacy by participating in debates, and other public speaking extracurricular activities.

At university, you could choose to study law, or you could decide to study another subject. If you don’t study law at university, you can still become a barrister by completing a conversion course (such as the PGDL) after university. This will usually take about a year to complete.

Vocational component

Following university (and potentially a PGDL), you will need to undertake the vocational element of becoming a barrister. This covers a range of elements and skills that will be useful when you become a barrister. This component is satisfied by completing a Bar training course.

To enrol in this course, you must be fluent in English and be a member at an Inn of Court 12 weeks prior to the start of your training. Inns of Court are the professional associations for Barristers, and there are four for England and Wales.

It may be wise to ask the Inn you join if they can provide you with a ‘mentor’. This will mean you may get paired with a practising and experienced barrister, who is able to provide you with practical advice and guidance on your journey to becoming a qualified barrister.

As you finish up your vocational component, you will then take on training courses carried out by your Inn. Upon completion of these courses, you will be Called to the Bar - a highly memorable occasion that resembles a graduation ceremony. This marks the moment you are formally considered a barrister, although though you can only officially practise once you have completed pupillage:

Work experience

The final step in becoming a qualified barrister is the work element. This is known as a Pupillage, and it is work experience involving the practical elements of the job under the supervision of an experienced barrister.

A pupillage can last 12 months, if undertaken as a full-time role, or it can last up to 24 months part-time. A pupillage is divided into two parts: the non-practising period (6 months) and the practising period (6 months). In the practising period, you are eligible to undertake cases under your own care, instead of shadowing the work done by an experienced barrister.

Legal Work Experience