going back to college to study law

snowy2008

i was toying with the idea of going back to college to study law, when i had started out to do it it was 3 years and alot of promise lay ahead, i didnt really know wheat i wanted but i im nearly certain of this now, is it alot of hard work as in has it changed much in the structure? any thoughts would be helpful, thanks

Nolanger

Tuesday, March 10, 2009
CAROL COULTER, Legal Affairs Editor
UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG solicitors is increasing, new figures from the Law Society indicate.

The figures show that the gap between the number of solicitors qualifying and those seeking practising certificates has grown to 624 this year, up from 365 in 2008 and 195 in 2007.

The gap always exists, and is not all due to unemployment, according to the director general of the Law Society, Ken Murphy. People may be taking a break from the profession, or taking up work in the public service or elsewhere.

He said that the society was carrying out further research on the reasons why people are not taking out practising certificates by seeking to determine their exact status and identify those who are unemployed so as to offer them as much assistance as possible.

The total number of solicitors taking out practising certificates this year increased by 153, or 2 per cent, while 777 newly qualified solicitors came on the roll of solicitors in 2008. This compares with an increase in practising certificates of 4 per cent last year, and 5 per cent the year before.

February 1st is the deadline by which solicitors must register with the Law Society by taking out practising certificates, and the rate of increase in solicitors’ numbers is falling, though the overall number continues to rise. The figures will be published in next week’s issue of the Law Society Gazette.

This year 7,427 solicitors sought practising certificates, compared with 7,274 last year, an increase of 153. Last year there was an increase of 277, and of 341 in 2007, continuing a trend from the previous year, when there were an additional 287 practising certificates issued. These figures showed an annual increase in practising solicitors of 5 per cent for 2006 and 2007, falling to 4 per cent last year.

However, the increase this year masks that record numbers of solicitors have been qualifying, 777 in 2008, though this includes solicitors from other jurisdictions who may never practise here.

“By no means every solicitor who does not take out a practising certificate is unemployed,” Mr Murphy said. “They may be employed as a solicitor in the public service and, by statute, not required to have a practising certificate. They may be working in industry or business and choose not to have a practising certificate. They may be on maternity leave, on career break, retired or working elsewhere in the economy in Ireland or abroad.”

The Bar Council has reported that about 20 people have left the Bar this year, including those who have died, retired or become judges. This brings to 60 the number who left in the past 12 months. In contrast, 22 left in the legal year 2007/2008, which runs from October to October, according to a spokeswoman.

However, the number of barristers continues to rise, with 1,822 subscribing to the Law Library in October 2008, compared with 1,703 in October 2007. The rate of increase is slowing, with 191 new entrants last year, compared with 199 the previous year.

Xiney

in 3 years things might be different, though, nolanger.

bills

I dont think things will be that different in 3 years & I was looking for an apprenticeship during the boom times & even then it was impossible. I probably sound really negative but i wish someone had pulled me aside & told me how diffiicult it was going to be. So to answer your question im not saying dont do it but think long & hard before you do.

JDLK

teresa2008 wrote: »

i was toying with the idea of going back to college to study law, when i had started out to do it it was 3 years and alot of promise lay ahead, i didnt really know wheat i wanted but i im nearly certain of this now, is it alot of hard work as in has it changed much in the structure? any thoughts would be helpful, thanks

I used to work in a law firm (though Im not actually involved in law myself) and the trainnee's used to say how hard it was to get in there, anyway I noticed that if you managed to get a job in there as a clerk or something like that and did your degree part time and your FE1's (or whatever they're called) you had a good chance of getting an apprenticeship.

There was 4 individuals I knew did this, 2 started out originally as clerks, 1 was originally in accounts and the other was originally a secretary.

They are letting alot of people go, property solicitors in particular

Actually I knew 2 girls who didnt even have primary law degree's that became solicitors- one did psychology as her undergrad then did a master sin Law and the other only had a business undergrad (both became solicitors adn the girl with the Business undergrad was particularly successful)- as far as I know if you check with the Law Society the only requirement is that you pass the entrance exams regardless of your primary degree

snowy2008

my ex was a solicitor and he was a constant ball of stress, but then again he was very high up, think i might just stick with sales, thanks for the warning

jdf

Have a look over at a thread on askaboutmoney called "Legal apprenticeship: any tips on trying to find a trainee solicitor job" that should be all you need to form an opinion on what you face into in pursuing a career in Law. It is 45 pages and covers 2006 to present day.

Nolanger

JDLK wrote: »

Actually I knew 2 girls who didnt even have primary law degree's that became solicitors- one did psychology as her undergrad then did a master sin Law and the other only had a business undergrad (both became solicitors adn the girl with the Business undergrad was particularly successful)- as far as I know if you check with the Law Society the only requirement is that you pass the entrance exams regardless of your primary degree

I think that's the way to go - surely it would be better to have an IT/Business/Sociology/Property/Science degree and then train as a solicitor?
Wouldn't that give you an extra edge over the pure law people?

JDLK

Nolanger wrote: »

I think that's the way to go - surely it would be better to have an IT/Business/Sociology/Property/Science degree and then train as a solicitor?
Wouldn't that give you an extra edge over the pure law people?

It defintely has its merits- check with the law firms which you hope to join and see if they specify their requirements some may say they want a primary law degree