Welcome to your school leaver legal advice hub. Here you’ll find all of the advice and information you need to start your career in law.
If you’ve decided to take the university route, we’ll help you choose the right law degree at the right university. We’ll also guide you through the daunting process of completing your law personal statement, taking the LNAT and tackling the university interview.
We’ve even got essential info on university funding, the specific career options available to you in law and your next steps once you’ve embarked on a law degree.
If you’re considering an apprenticeship, you’re in the right place too! We’ll give you the lowdown on what it takes to secure an apprenticeship in the legal industry. We’ll also help you assess your options and figure out if you want to become a solicitor, a legal executive or a paralegal.
Law Degree
Choosing a law degree or about to embark on an LLB? We’ve got tip top advice on everything you need to know about undergraduate law degrees.
Choosing a university is one of the most important decisions you will make: for you and your law career. Forget “eeny, meeny, miny, moe”; take a look the information below.
Putting together a law personal statement is no easy task. After all, you’ve only got 1,400 characters to knock the socks off an admissions tutor. Here are some tips and advice to make the painful process just that little bit more enjoyable.
If you’re looking to study law at certain universities, odds on you may have to take the LNAT. It’s nothing to get in a panic about, but you might want to take a look at our handy hints on how to prepare for the LNAT and give it your best shot.
Your knees might be knocking together at the thought of a law university interview, but, with the right preparation, they are really nothing to get in a tizz about. Settle those nerves with the handy tips below.
Aside from a house, your university education is probably one of the most expensive things you’ll ever own. The good news is that there is plenty of funding out there, meaning that everybody should be able to afford university.
You might have seen the epic movie court battles, the judges in wigs, the witty repartee between lawyers on TV shows, but what does it take to become a lawyer in real life? Get yourself a cuppa and have a browse of the articles below.
Think of entering the legal profession and you might envision going to university and coming out the other side with a wig on your head. But there are ways to have a career in the legal sector without a university degree and the associated student debt.
Legal apprenticeships are having a bit of a moment. If you want to avoid the cost of university and pursue a legal career, then an apprenticeship in law might be just the ticket.
So you're considering a legal apprenticeship... but what exactly do you have to do to get one? There are a few things that you should consider before starting your legal apprenticeship, including the types of legal apprenticeship available, what each apprenticeship involves, and whether the apprenticeship style of learning is right for you. If all this seems overwhelming, there's no need to worry, as we're here to help you figure it out! This section has advice on all of the law apprenticeship basics: the different types of apprenticeship, the requirements for each apprenticeship, and the way to get yourself an apprenticeship in law.
The common misconception about becoming a solicitor is that there's only one way to do it: by attending university. The recent spike in the popularity of apprenticeships means that they have now taken the legal world by storm. It's possible to become a fully qualified solicitor by doing a Solicitor Apprenticeship, earning a wage and working at a firm, all while being trained. Interested in this route into law? Have a read of our advice section on the Solicitor Apprenticeship!
Legal executives are trained professionals who have the capacity to perform certain legal duties. While they are not solicitors, and do not have the same duties, legal executives often work alongside solicitors on similar cases and with the same clients. It's possible to become a legal executive by completing a Legal Executive Apprenticeship - this means you'll be trained and assessed on your abilities within the field, all while earning a wage and working at a real law firm. Want to know more? You're in the right place - have a read of our advice on Legal Executive apprenticeships!
While the job title "paralegal" can mean anyone who works in a law firm who isn't a lawyer, the Paralegal apprenticeship is a little more specific. It will give you a strong grounding in all the skills you need to work within a law firm, assisting solicitors and other legal professionals as they act for clients and take on cases. If you're not keen on becoming a lawyer but you're interested in how the legal sector operates, this career path could be for you. Do some more research into Paralegal apprenticeships in our advice articles below!
Law firms can be huge, and while solicitors, paralegals and legal executives are essential components, so too are IT, HR and recruitment professionals, as well as a variety of other roles. If you're set on working in a law firm but would rather not pursue a specifically legal apprenticeship, there are a number of other career options for you. Have a read about the other apprenticeships you can do that would enable you to work in a law firm. Best of luck!
