Reality check
In the spirit of full disclosure, there are a few things worth mentioning as a reminder that a legal career is not all triumphant court victories and champagne-fuelled deal celebrations. So without wanting to detract from the exciting and challenging career on offer, here follows some food for thought…
Academics
Nothing but the best will do in this competitive market. You
need to be getting excellent grades from your first year of university onwards – arguably, your A-level grades are just as important when it comes to applying for training contracts and pupillages, as anything less than As and Bs may prevent you from getting past the first application hurdle. Most recruiters we speak to say that excellent academics are a given, so make sure that you tick this very first box. Study and study hard.
Finances
We cannot stress this enough – with £9,000 per year undergrad fees, plus postgrad study in 2016-17 costing up to £15,255 for the LPC and up to £19,040 for the BPTC, the road to qualification is not cheap and there are no guarantees of a job at the end of it. In addition, the minimum trainee salary has been abolished, so some firms may be paying
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Competition
The numbers are stacked against you – there are many fewer training contract and pupillage places than there are people with the necessary
trainees no more than the National Minimum Wage. Your ability to afford the courses and a potentially low starting wage must be a factor in deciding whether to pursue law as a career.
qualifications. You have to find a way to stand out among thousands angling for the same job, so make sure you shine through by being resourceful, determined and committed to the profession and a career in law.
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