The Beginner’s Guide to a Career in Law

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The Beginner’s Guide to a Career in Law sponsored by The University of Law

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Your non-law student hub

You don’t need a law degree to become a lawyer - visit LCN's non-law student hub!

Your non-law student hub

Education hub

Find your undergraduate or postgraduate law course

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Discover your options

Find out about the various legal apprenticeships on offer

Kickstart your career in law

Welcome Your non-law student hub Education hub Discover your options

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The Beginner's Guide to a Career in Law

Your essential first step to a career in law

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Key law career questions

Find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about a career in the legal sector

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Key law career deadlines

Discover several key events and deadlines that you need to diarise

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Reality check

Without wanting to detract from the exciting and challenging legal career on offer, here are some things to bear in mind

Beginner's Guide

First steps checklist

Here's what you can do even before you start university

First-year checklist

Find out what you should be doing in your first year at university as a law or non-law student

Meet the Lawyer

Read how today's lawyers went from student to qualified lawyer

Legal career paths

Take a look at our simple career timetable

Solicitor versus barrister

What's the difference and which career would suit you? Use this guide to get you started

Meet the Lawyer

David O'Donovan

David O'Donovan talks about the importance of work experience for training contract applications, his work in the renewable energy sector at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (UK) LLP and more in this Meet the Lawyer profile.

Meet the Recruiter

Amy McCarthy

Find out how you can ace your Akin vacation scheme application with advice from the firm’s graduate recruitment manager Amy McCarthy.

Meet the Lawyer

Matt Maciejewski

Matt Maciejewski, an associate in A&O Shearman’s private equity and M&A team, speaks about the important role non-legal work experience had on his legal career, the work/life balance at the leading London law firm and how to find out if a legal career is the right choice for you.

Meet the Recruiter

Alana Bathgate

Find out about Addleshaw Goddard’s placement scheme, what the firm wants to see in your applications and how it’s adopting the Solicitors Qualifying Exam in this Meet the Recruiter interview.

Videos

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LawCareersNetLIVE London 2023: trainee panel

Five top tips for FIRST YEAR LAW STUDENTS

First steps for those considering a LEGAL CAREER

Masterclass | Legal apprenticeships

Vacation Scheme Insiders

University of Oxford

Law

Summer 2023

Vacation Scheme Insiders

Amber Fisher

University

Queen Mary University of London

Subject

English and European law

Started

Summer 2022

Vacation Scheme Insiders

Jason Crooks

University

London Metropolitan University

Law

Summer 2023

The Law Apprenticeships Guide 2025

"Where should I start?"

Practice areas

Find out what life is like in practice

Becoming a solicitor

Find out what becoming a solicitor involves

Becoming a barrister

Find out what becoming a barrister involves

Becoming an in-house lawyer

Find out what becoming an in-house lawyer involves

Useful content!

Feature

Your guide to the legal profession 2024/25

In this guide we outline some of the key issues facing the UK legal profession, as well as headline-grabbing cases and mergers – are you in the know?

Ask the Oracle

How law students can get ahead over the holidays

I’m a second-year law student, how can I get ahead in my search for legal work experience or a training contract/qualifying work experience (QWE) during the winter break?

LCN Says

Olivia Partridge - Five tips for becoming a barrister

Olivia Partridge

There are many things you can do to help you on your way to becoming a barrister. Read LawCareers.Net’s five tips – whether you’re just getting started, have finished university or are thinking of a career change, take note of this advice and consider what you can put into action.

About the legal sector

What lawyers do

Learn more about the branches of the legal profession, areas of law, and practice areas

Types of lawyers

Read our table of key facts to help you distinguish between the different types of lawyers

Paralegals

Find out about this distinct group of legal professionals

Work experience

Find out about the various work experience opportunities available for aspiring lawyers

News

UK government to increase legal aid funding by 12%

On 19 December the UK government revealed plans to increase criminal legal aid rates for solicitors by a further 12% to improve access to justice. An initial 6% rise will follow a consultation in early 2025, with a further 6% committed by the end of parliament. This will result in a total boost of £92 million.

News

BARBRI partners with UK universities to embed SQE tech into master’s programmes

Legal education provider BARBRI has collaborated with top UK universities, including the University of Derby and Liverpool John Moores University, to embed its cutting-edge Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) preparation technology into master’s degree programmes.

News

BSB announces barrister apprenticeship standard

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) and the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education have revealed the barrister apprenticeship standard, which sets out the skills, knowledge and behaviours required to become a successful practising barrister in England and Wales.

News

Apprenticeship data suggests reducing higher learning funding risks growth

Higher and degree apprenticeships have been found to be critical for skills supply, according to data released on apprenticeship trends earlier this week. This comes amid concerns that reduced funding for level 7 apprenticeships could harm growth.

Beginner's Guide to a Career in Law

Beginner's Guide

Videos

"Where should I start?"

Useful content!

About the legal sector

More insights

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