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Law and related work
From The Student RoomTSR Wiki > Careers > Career Options > Law > Law and related work
Among young people, especially those hoping for high grades, legal careers are a popular move. This is in spite of the fact that working hours can be long, training expensive and much of the work routine - never mind the negative stories about lawyers appearing in the media! Maybe part of the attraction is that the law is constantly changing. Legislation, for instance, has recently been introduced concerning human rights and the prevention of discrimination against people with disabilities. Other changes have included the merger of various law firms. Some of these mergers have resulted in huge international firms which has meant opportunities to work abroad but also the need for individuals to become specialists.
Opportunities availableOpportunities in law are available at all levels. Some jobs involve assisting people and organisations with legal problems or queries (such as solicitors, barristers, advocates and legal executives). General support and background roles are also possible, such as legal secretary and court usher. Depending on the job, people can work for many types of organisations, including private companies and local and national government but self-employment is also possible for some areas (barristers are mostly self-employed).
Entry requirementsMany legal jobs require at least a few GCSEs or Standard grades and, because competition can be strong, high grades don't do any harm. Some work areas require degrees (barrister, advocate and solicitor – though a very few people make it via the legal executive route) and then further courses and training. Legal secretaries often have relevant secretarial qualifications but employers are also concerned with typing speed and accuracy.
Future trendsWork will probably become increasingly specialist, cases of people suing (as in the USA) are more likely and training positions may become harder to find.
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