Devilling

swervring

Hi all,

I just have a quick question about devilling - does it have to be done immediately after completion of the BL degree (obviously this is preferable but for various reasons I may not be able to do so) or can it be delayed?

thanks!

ResearchWill

swervring wrote: »

Hi all,

I just have a quick question about devilling - does it have to be done immediately after completion of the BL degree (obviously this is preferable but for various reasons I may not be able to do so) or can it be delayed?

thanks!

It can be delayed untill you wish to begin practice. There is to my knowledge no limit on the time between call and commencing practice.

swervring

Great, thank you!!

FreudianSlippers

Obviously it's a preference thing, but I would recommend at least doing your first year immediately after the degree. I'm sure there are people who would disagree, but your colleagues in your year are a useful bunch to hang around with at the start. If you want to take some time out after that, then you can get back in with a 2nd year "master".

Again, I'm sure there are some who would disagree, but I see those who left and came back as a first year devil in a "strange" year of first years at a large disadvantage.

Tom Young

Be sure that you know the time limits on this. I think it does time out after a period.

Tom

swervring

Obviously it would be preferable to do it straight away rather than to wait, that would be my intention I'm just not sure that it will be possible so I want to find out if it can be delayed.

Tom Young

It can be. You might also consider getting a decent Master. Getting on a waiting list is often necessary in order to do that.

johnnyskeleton

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

Obviously it's a preference thing, but I would recommend at least doing your first year immediately after the degree. I'm sure there are people who would disagree, but your colleagues in your year are a useful bunch to hang around with at the start. If you want to take some time out after that, then you can get back in with a 2nd year "master".

Again, I'm sure there are some who would disagree, but I see those who left and came back as a first year devil in a "strange" year of first years at a large disadvantage.

As in, for example:

Year 1 & 2 do the degree course
Year 3 do a year's devilling
Year 4 leave the law library and go pick grapes in australia
Year 5 return to the law library and do a second year's devilling.

Is it possible to do it that way? Are you advising people to go down that route?

Surely it would make sense to sow ones wild oats before starting one's chosen career? In other fields, people who leave the job after a year or two and then come back may find it very hard to get back into it.

Raisins

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

As in, for example:

Year 1 & 2 do the degree course
Year 3 do a year's devilling
Year 4 leave the law library and go pick grapes in australia
Year 5 return to the law library and do a second year's devilling.

Is it possible to do it that way? Are you advising people to go down that route?

Surely it would make sense to sow ones wild oats before starting one's chosen career? In other fields, people who leave the job after a year or two and then come back may find it very hard to get back into it.

Lots of people would say that this option is really not a good idea. Once you begin in the law library you should stick at it. Leaving after one year and coming back leaves you at more of a disadvantage than being a first year devil with some people you don't know. Lots of Masters will not take someone who is going to pick grapes in 12 months. Why would you do that unless you were getting nowhere? And then why would you come back? It doesn't make any sense to me but there's no strictly right or wrong answer.

FreudianSlippers

I suppose I didn't anticipate it was an issue of going to pick grapes. I didn't know there were people that did that honestly.

I was thinking it was more of a financial aspect of working etc.

Are there people that are "getting somewhere" after a year devilling? I see it as a practical experience year of education rather than your first true year working. It follows logically to do this year post inns; there is only so much you can learn there without actually using the skills they're teaching.

FreudianSlippers

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Is it possible to do it that way? Are you advising people to go down that route?

Surely it would make sense to sow ones wild oats before starting one's chosen career? In other fields, people who leave the job after a year or two and then come back may find it very hard to get back into it.

Of course it is possible, but is it wise? Dunno.

I'm of the view that a year out should be before the degree course, not after. If you're not ready to start your career because you want to pick grapes then save the degree until you're ready. If it is a financial thing and for whatever reason you have to do the degree now, then use the devilling as a practical 2nd year of the degree and come back when you are ready.

I don't see how it is any worse to take a break between first and second year than between degree and first year tbh.

subrosa

I agree that it's best to view Deviling as an extension of the Degree year. Every year there are people who come down expecting to earn money while deviling. View is as another year of education, in reality you will probably learn more during that year than the Inns will teach you.

Raisins

Im not saying that you don't learn your skills devilling or that you can expect to earn while you are devilling.

What I am saying is that devils aim to make contacts and carve out their practice from the very beginning. You should be aiming to give your practice some consistency. What's the point in developing those (even to a limited extent), heading off, and then returning? If you take the year directly after you finish the degree (which many people do) it gives you a little extra time to get a master and you have yet to begin your practice. Also, many of the friends you have from the degree will still be there devilling in their second year and you can learn from their experiences.

Ideally you get the year out or the masters done before you even enter the degree but if you don't I think it's better to take the year after you finish the degree.

johnnyskeleton

My understanding is much the same as raisins'. Surely the purpose of deviling is more than just education - it is to get to know solicitors, pick up bits of small work for onesself and start to establish a reputation?

If the reality is otherwise then it seems that it is something of a waste of time. Do solicitors who convert to barristers have to devil, or because their education is complete they go straight into it?

RandolphEsq

Blade Runner is a brilliant movie.

Because it had so much innovation in an original and selfish context. You want to devvil later on with your present qualification? No one knows how that will turn out. It's up to you OP.

Brother Psychosis

there is NO time limit between being called to the bar and entering the library - i know of at least one instance of someone who was called in the 80's and has only recently joined the law library. but equally, i know of people who have done 1, 1.5 years of devilling and have gone abroad for whatever reason. it doesnt make sense to some (myself included), but people do it, so to each their own. but on a practical level, it would be best to devil ASAP after the degree while it is fresh in your mind

swervring

Thank you for your answers everyone - its a financial thing, because my employers have agreed to pay for me to do the modular course should I pass the exams, however if I leave their employment directly after finishing the course then I will have to repay the fees in full. The longer I stay in their employment, the less I will have to repay - max. period is 3 years. While I have no idea what my financial situation will be in two years time when I will hopefully be coming towards the end of the degree, I wanted to know if the possibility of devilling after that three year period would still be open to me. If only it was that I wanted to go grape picking!!!

ResearchWill

swervring wrote: »

Thank you for your answers everyone - its a financial thing, because my employers have agreed to pay for me to do the modular course should I pass the exams, however if I leave their employment directly after finishing the course then I will have to repay the fees in full. The longer I stay in their employment, the less I will have to repay - max. period is 3 years. While I have no idea what my financial situation will be in two years time when I will hopefully be coming towards the end of the degree, I wanted to know if the possibility of devilling after that three year period would still be open to me. If only it was that I wanted to go grape picking!!!

I was called 2001 started devilling in 2004 a wait of 3 years is no problem. One advantage is you are a little older which can help. Also the people you knew in the Inns should be settled and if you remain friendly should hopefully throw a few handovers your way. Best of luck and save like hell you will need the cash no matter when you start.