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A solicitor's role is to give specialist legal advice and help. As society becomes more complicated the need for the services of the solicitor rises, and the profession's influence expands.
Solicitors are the main advisers on all matters of law to the public. Studying law for a career as a solicitor offers the chance to combine intellectual challenge, interest and variety with the opportunity to work with and for people. Training is very competitive, and anyone intending to become a solicitor should be aware of the commitment which is required.
The Role of the Solicitor
There are over 60,000 solicitors practising in England and Wales and their work varies enormously. A solicitor's job is to provide clients (members of the public, businesses, voluntary bodies, charities etc.) with skilled legal advice and representation, including representing them in court. Most solicitors work in private practice, which is a partnership of solicitors who offer services to clients. Others work as employed solicitors for Central and Local Government, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Magistrate's Courts Service, a commercial or industrial organisation or other bodies. If you become a solicitor, you can choose the kind of environment which suits you best.Private Practice
You will find a solicitor's firm in nearly every town in England and Wales. A solicitor is usually the first point of contact for anyone looking for legal advice. A solicitor's firm can vary from a large organisation with hundreds of partners, thousands of employees and offices all over the world, to a small firm above a shop in a local high street.General Practice
Solicitors in general practice usually work in a small or medium-sized firm, and serve the local community, dealing with the legal problems of the public. They may carry out conveyancing (the buying and selling of houses and land), investigate claims which arise from injury, or advise and represent people in court on their client's behalf in criminal matters. Family law and childcare law are important nowadays, and solicitors often represent clients in court in divorce cases. They make wills and administer the estates of people who have died.Solicitors often advise businesses on such matters as employment laws, contracts and company formations. Solicitors are often at the centre of a local business community.
Specialist Practices
Many large firms, particularly those in the City of London, or the business areas of other large cities, specialise in the large, corporate client who sometimes has urgent, multi-million pound deals. Such firms often have multi-national clients, and may have offices in major financial and business centres throughout the world. Many solicitors and firms specialise in areas of law in which they are expert, and specialisms can include corporate and commercial law, insurance, the registration of patents and copyrights, shipping, banking, entertainment and media law and many others.Legal Aid Practices
Many firms specialise in issues brought by the legally aided client, the client who cannot normally afford a solicitor's fees. Solicitors here will concentrate on such matters as divorce law, welfare benefits, crime, claims when someone has been injured, giving help to clients who are unable to pay their rent, and assisting those who are victims of medical negligence.Meeting Clients
Solicitors with good communication skills, whether they are written, verbal or interpersonal, are in demand. Intending trainees should be aware that a high standard of literacy is required. Some solicitors spend a lot of time with clients but others in big commercial practices may very rarely have direct contact with the source of their work. You should think carefully about which area of the law you want to enter. Although the training for all solicitors is the same, many will specialise after qualifying.Other Opportunities
Not all solicitors work in private practice. It is possible for solicitors to work as in-house legal advisers to a commercial or industrial organisation, to a government department or a local authority. The largest employer of lawyers in England and Wales is the Crown Prosecution Service, which advises the police about prosecution and prosecutes cases in the courts. Other opportunities include the Magistrates' Courts Service, law centres, charities, voluntary organisations and even the armed services. Many qualified solicitors, therefore, are in the enviable position of choosing when and how they work and the kind of work they wish to do.The qualification is also recognised as a route of entry to wider business careers. The skills learnt whilst on a law degree and on the Legal Practice Course, enable students to be flexible. Most want to go into the solicitor's profession, but some will branch out into other areas, which require the range of techniques that you can gain with a legal background. It is important that you are aware of the alternatives at each stage on the route to qualification, and once you are qualified, as this will keep your career options flexible.
How to Qualify - Studying Law
The quickest and most common route to qualification is by means of a qualifying law degree and a list of institutions offering them can be found on this site. It does not matter which subjects you take at GCSE level (although employers will look for communication and numeracy skills), but you will need a good academic record, as competition for places is strong. You should aim for three 'A' Levels or equivalent, in any academic subject of your choice, and you should obtain good grades.If you decide to take a degree in a subject other than law, you will have to complete a one-year full-time (or two years part-time) course leading to the Common Professional Examination or the post-graduate Diploma in Law. These courses are offered at a number of institutions, but you should aim for a good class of degree, as competition for places is intense. A good lower second-class degree (IIii) is required by most firms and many demand an upper second or first class degree. The course will give you the basic grounding in law, which you need to qualify as a solicitor.
After successful completion of the law degree, or CPE, or Diploma in Law, you will have to undertake the Legal Practice Course, which is the professional training for solicitors. This course takes one academic year, or two years if studying law part-time. Again, competition for a place on the LPC is very tough. Good academic grades are essential. The course teaches the practical application of the law to the needs of clients, and is offered by a number of different colleges and universities.
Having successfully completed the Legal Practice Course, you will enter a two-year training contract with a firm of solicitors or other approved organisation (such as a local authority or the Crown Prosecution Service), gaining practical experience in a variety of areas of law. At this stage, you will be paid a salary and will be a trainee solicitor. It is important that you arrange a training contract as early as possible. You can begin to apply in the final year of your degree.
Legal Executives
For those who do not wish to take a degree, it is possible to qualify as a solicitor by obtaining employment in a legal office, joining the Institute of Legal Executives and taking the examinations to qualify as a member and subsequently a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives. This can be a stepping-stone to qualifying as a solicitor.The process is lengthy, demanding and academically difficult, but enables the non-graduate to qualify as a solicitor. Further information about this, and a career as a legal executive, can be obtained from the Institute of Legal Executives: www.ilex.org.uk/
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