Through the years, legal dramas have been regular offerings on TV and at the cinema. Atticus Finch, Perry Mason, Ally McBeal, Denny Crane and Harvey Specter are just a few of the characters to have entertained millions and inspired many to pursue careers in law.
The first route into the legal profession many people think of is qualifying as a Solicitor, but the fees are hefty, and it takes a significant amount of time. To qualify as a Solicitor, you should plan on it taking five to six years and you need to be prepared to spend £27,000 on a degree and just under £5000 for the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQE).
It is similar story if you wish to qualify as a Barrister: a law degree (£27,000) plus the Bar Professional Training Course (£15,000 - £19,000).
That’s a significant investment (in terms of both money and time), particularly if you are a career changer. However, there are other options.
Legal Secretaries
The role of a Legal Secretary is an important one, providing administrative and clerical support to Solicitors, Barristers, or Legal Executives, and Legal Secretaries are often very familiar with legal procedures and terminology. Legal secretarial training, recognised by law firms and recruiters throughout the UK and internationally, is provided by the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs. Their distance learning and online courses are less than £1000.
Many Legal Secretaries develop strong knowledge and skills that allow them to transition into Paralegal work.
Paralegals
Paralegals can be highly qualified and can much of the same work as Solicitors, but at a much more affordable rate. This makes it a growth area with lots of potential for qualified, competent people.
To qualify as a Paralegal, you do not necessarily need to gain a law degree (although if you already hold one, there is a Paralegal qualification for Graduates). The only Ofqual awarding organisation specialising in bespoke Paralegal qualifications is NALP – and qualifications can be completed within two years at a reasonable cost (less than £2000). Studying can be done full time, or part time to fit around your other commitments, and Centres (across the country, and abroad) offer courses with classroom, blended and remote learning options.
The benefit of achieving a NALP qualification is that once you have gained sufficient experience, you can, subject to eligibility, gain a Licence to Practise and offer legal services in your chosen specialist area(s) direct to consumers. In other words, you can set up your own private paralegal practice. At this level, a Paralegal can offer similar services to that of a Solicitor (with the exception of a few ‘Reserved Legal Activities’ as defined by Section 12 of The Legal Services Act 2007).
Legal experience or legal job roles do not have to be limited to within a law firm or in the legal sector. Most companies and organisations have legal departments or at least an element of legality to what they do on a daily basis, whether it be in HR dealing with employment contracts or matters, or whether it be drafting or checking commercial contracts. This means that there is a broad spectrum of potential employers in a wide range of sectors that require specialist legal skills, some of which will also be willing to train you to deal with their own specialist legal requirements. NALP has Paralegal members working in a range of sectors including Premiership football clubs, oil companies, the Ministry of Defence, fashion houses, car manufacturers, local councils and the police.
Apprenticeships and Internship
Another method of gaining entry to the law sector is apprenticeship. Currently, there is a Level 3 Paralegal Apprentice Scheme where you learn while working, and your studies will be sponsored by your employer. There is also a Level 5 Paralegal Apprentice scheme coming soon which may be suitable for more mature apprentices.
Applying for a legal internship may also be an option but most organisations will require you to have a law degree or equivalent legal qualification. Internships give you an opportunity to gain experience within a legal framework (law firm or in-house legal department) for anything up to about a year. Legal reform charity Justice has a well-established internship programme which is worth taking a look at.
Summary
There are lots of different ways to work in the law, and you don’t necessarily have to spend tens of thousands of pounds, or many years of your time, gaining a qualification as a Solicitor. With so many organisations, in a variety of sectors needing employees with legal knowledge, it really is a question of choosing a sector in which you believe you can make a difference.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amanda Hamilton is the Patron of the National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP), a non-profit membership body and the only paralegal body that is recognised as an awarding organisation by Ofqual (the regulator of qualifications in England). Through its Centres around the country, accredited and recognised professional paralegal qualifications are offered for those looking for a career as a paralegal professional.
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