Reality check
There are a few things worth mentioning as a reminder that starting a legal career is competitive and expensive. So, without wanting to detract from the exciting and challenging career on offer, here follows some food for thought…
Finances We cannot stress this enough – with up to £9,250 per year undergrad fees, plus
Academics There is real competition for training contracts and pupillages. You must be getting strong
postgrad study in 2021-2022 costing up to £17,500 for the LPC and up to £18,500 for the Bar course, the road to qualification is not cheap and there are no guarantees of a job at the end of it. In addition, some firms at the smaller end of the market may pay 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. That said, the new Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) can cost around £10,000 in total (the costs of SQE1 and SQE2 exams amount to £3,000-£4,000, while prices for the SQE1 and SQE2 preparation courses vary depending on the provider) but the more extensive SQE preparation courses are closer to the cost of the LPC.
grades from your first year of university onwards. Your A-level grades are also important even though some firms have recently dropped A-level requirements for training contract applications. Anything less than As and Bs may stop some employers considering your application. Most recruiters we speak to say that excellent academics are a given, so make sure that you put in the time when studying.
Online Make sure you set up a LinkedIn profile to connect with employers and other contacts you
will be making, and start to build up the ‘professional’ side of your social media presence. Legal Twitter is a great place to learn about the profession and start building your knowledge.
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