Repeat your LC to do law ???

Brooke01

Ok this year I consider I got around 460 in my leaving cert. And I was hoping for 500 or over but I was speculating is it worth it repeating your leaving cert all over again. I have a good interest in law but still not sure should I repeat my LC all over again, just to get into law. Does it have a major advantage when getting jobs in have a law degree etc even it’s not a solicitor or barrister

Would you do it???

Tom Young

Firstly, 460 is a really good leaving certificate, well done.

Secondly, no there are other options. I've never been an advocate of private education but there are *excellent* qualified soicitors and barristers who have come from private schools e.g., Griffith, DBS, Portobello etc. The downside is the fees!

If you had year heart set on a place in TCD or UCD, I'd weigh up a couple of things: 1. The potential for further fluctuation in the points, eitherway; 2. Your age at this juncture, if you're 16 or 17 you could repeat comfortably and have time to push on. I refer to my opening comment though - 460 is excellent.

[Edit: If you can do it, remember that if they go 510 it's an additional 50 points. In a couple of years or months you'll turn around and say Leaving Cert - 'Oh that?']

Best of luck with your decision but by no means is not getting the points a halting factor.

Well done.

Tom

Maximilian

OP, you should be aware that there are an awful lot of graduates chasing a dwindling amount of jobs in the legal profession at the moment.

An article I read in one of last Sunday's papers was saying that many solicitors are having to look abroad for jobs, many trainees are not being kept on after they qualify and there even redundancies in some firms. I imagine the Bar is much the same.

Now things could improve by the time you eventually qualify but I think its something you should keep in mind in making your decision.

CantGetNoSleep

You don't need a Law degree to be a solicitor either, was talking to someone who is about to graduate with a Commerce degree who is about to start working for one of the big 5 as a trainee, there are other options too such as Law through Arts in NUIG

CC27

Well before you decide. wait for the results! You might have done much better than you think you did. I repeated to study law, but my leaving cert was a total disaster, so I knew I would easily make up the extra points that I needed the next year. I repeated in a non-fee paying place, but most of the people either stayed at the same points or actually went down. So this is a real issue to consider. Also I had always wanted to study law, so unless you have this same attitude I wouldnt bother for a number of reasons. To be a solicitor, you dont need a law degree and in fact, when looking for an apprenticeship, it can actually be beneficial to have something other than law on your cv.Law is completely over subscribed. Most of my friends that are solicitors found it impossible to get an apprenticeship, so unless you have serious connections, it is going to get more and more difficult.The average salary for a solicitor is also dropping (unless you get a job in the big 5). And even in the big firms, people are being laid off every week.If you want to join the Bar, the reality is that is takes about 7 years to start making any kind of decent wage. You have to work for free for the first two years, and then after that you are out on your own. So most people have to have an extra job.....I am currently at the Bar and have two extra jobs.I think people tend to chose law for all the wrong reasons, so unless you are determined to do it, do something else. It always something you can get into later in life.Also another factor is the cost.......€11k to do a year in Kings Inns.......around the same for the two years in the Law Society(most firms wont pay your fees now and if they do they can pay you less than min wage). So just something to really think about!!

Milk & Honey

CC27 wrote: »

Most of my friends that are solicitors found it impossible to get an apprenticeship, so unless you have serious connections, it is going to get more and more difficult.

How did they become solicitors without doing an apprenticeship?

CC27 wrote: »

If you want to join the Bar, the reality is that is takes about 7 years to start making any kind of decent wage. You have to work for free for the first two years, and then after that you are out on your own. S

I know a barrister who only had to work as a devil for one year and he was able to take on paid work of his own at the bar. After the first year he worked on his own and became very busy by the middle of the third year.

Amazotheamazing

Maximilian wrote: »

OP, you should be aware that there are an awful lot of graduates chasing a dwindling amount of jobs in the legal profession at the moment.

An article I read in one of last Sunday's papers was saying that many solicitors are having to look abroad for jobs, many trainees are not being kept on after they qualify and there even redundancies in some firms. I imagine the Bar is much the same.

Now things could improve by the time you eventually qualify but I think its something you should keep in mind in making your decision.

What paper was that? Wouldn't mind having a read of it if it's online.

The simple truth is there is too many people qualifying in Ireland. This will make it harder to find employment and it will drive the wages down, at least in the early years after qualification. Currently there's something close to 700 graduating from Blackhall next year, that's a massive number. A percentage of those will have no jobs to go to when they qualify.

That being said, if you think you are good enough, you will always have clients who'll come back to you. Good solicitors will always be ok, it's the people who drifted in and who are really much use who'll be in trouble.

CC27

How did they become solicitors without doing an apprenticeship?Your read my post far too literally! Obviously they got apprenticeships in the end but they were looking for a long time! And these were all graduates of UCD with 2.1 law degrees.I know a barrister who only had to work as a devil for one year and he was able to take on paid work of his own at the bar. After the first year he worked on his own and became very busy by the middle of the third year.Well your friend is very lucky. You can start taking your own work straight away, but its just a matter of being paid for it and actually being briefed. I am due a good €5k from solicitors for work that I have done, and this is actually quite a low sum to be owed compared to most young barristers. Deviling is only mandatory for 1 year but the majority of people do 2 years.

Maximilian

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

What paper was that? Wouldn't mind having a read of it if it's online.

I'm nearly sure it was the Business Post.

Milk & Honey

CC27 wrote: »

Obviously they got apprenticeships in the end but they were looking for a long time!

So they did not find it impossible to get an apprenticeship contrary to your assertion.

CC27 wrote: »

You can start taking your own work straight away, but its just a matter of being paid for it and actually being briefed. I am due a good €5k from solicitors for work that I have done, and this is actually quite a low sum to be owed compared to most young barristers. Deviling is only mandatory for 1 year but the majority of people do 2 years.

So you do not have to work for two years for free. I thought barristers were supposed to use language with precision. Don't barristers who are owed money just have to report the solicitor to the Law Society and the Society hassles the solicitor into paying up.

Amazotheamazing

Milk & Honey wrote: »

So they did not find it impossible to get an apprenticeship contrary to your assertion.

It's very tough, and it's getting harder. Every graduate I speak to knows this, every solicitor I speak to acknowledges it too. I firmly believe we have entered the era where many solicitors will be looking London and further afield for gainful employment. Mind you, if it's a choice between London and Longford (for example) I'd run with London.

Amazotheamazing

Maximilian wrote: »

I'm nearly sure it was the Business Post.

Thanks. I think I've found the one you mean, reckon it may merit it's own thread.

Maximilian

Milk & Honey wrote: »

So they did not find it impossible to get an apprenticeship contrary to your assertion.



So you do not have to work for two years for free. I thought barristers were supposed to use language with precision. Don't barristers who are owed money just have to report the solicitor to the Law Society and the Society hassles the solicitor into paying up.

M&H, your tone is bordering on the obnoxious & I can't see why. By all means debate the topic but try to keep it civil please.