Want To Change Career Path To Become A Solicitor

Il Citta

I have a few quick questions if you don't mind helping me.

1. I'm in my early thirties and would like to change career path. I have a degree already in a humanities area and would like to do the Higher Diploma in Law. I realise becoming a solicitor at my age is a long path, and I realise that vacancies are few and far between (in what field aren't they these days), but I am determined and ready for the long haul. My first question is I have heard of a lot of training routes, is the higher diploma in Law a good one?

2. I have heard that there is a requirement to speak Irish fluently, is this true? I am not Irish, was never in the Irish education system and so this could stop me instantly unfortunately?

3. I have seen a lot of information on training information, but training salaries seem to vary immensely. I have seen less than minimum wage is the norm, I have seen €311 before PPC1, €390 before PPC2 and €470 before another exam is the norm and I have seen much higher than this is the norm. Which is true?

4. Would I be considered too old to start training as I am now past the 30 mark?

Thanks!

Tom Young

You should use the forum search function.

1. No; 2. No; 3. No view; 4. No.

You're aware of the sure state of the profession. Your eyes are open. Work hard, let nothing get in your way.

Il Citta

Tom Young wrote: »

You should use the forum search function.

1. No; 2. No; 3. No view; 4. No.

You're aware of the sure state of the profession. Your eyes are open. Work hard, let nothing get in your way.

Sorry, don't want to seem disrespectful but its because I used the search function here (and google) that I have the questions because I have found contrasting information (or is it just that the information is so contrasting that even if I researched from now till next Christmas it would still be contrasting?)

Thanks for the positive message at the end and for the help in general.

If I could just ask one more question, if the higher diploma in Law is a bad idea what kind of courses should I be looking for (my degree was not in law so I need to do a law course of some type)?

Milk & Honey

What is a Higher Diploma in law? You can do various courses. There are FE1 preparation courses and there are part and full time law degrees available. There are some post graduate diplomas available. It would be difficult to pass the FE1s without doing some one or other.

Il Citta

Milk & Honey wrote: »

What is a Higher Diploma in law? You can do various courses. There are FE1 preparation courses and there are part and full time law degrees available. There are some post graduate diplomas available. It would be difficult to pass the FE1s without doing some one or other.

Sorry, I explained very badly. I meant a postgraduate diploma. I have a degree already but not in law and so as I understand the diploma converts my degree (its similar to the grad dip in education for teachers I thin).

johnnyskeleton

Il Citta wrote: »

Tom Young wrote: »

You should use the forum search function.

1. No; 2. No; 3. No view; 4. No.

You're aware of the sure state of the profession. Your eyes are open. Work hard, let nothing get in your way.

Sorry, don't want to seem disrespectful but its because I used the search function here (and google) that I have the questions because I have found contrasting information (or is it just that the information is so contrasting that even if I researched from now till next Christmas it would still be contrasting?)

Thanks for the positive message at the end and for the help in general.

If I could just ask one more question, if the higher diploma in Law is a bad idea what kind of courses should I be looking for (my degree was not in law so I need to do a law course of some type)?

You might get a better response if you reply directly in those threads.

In terms of doing a course, I think you should go for amy course that fits in with your current arrangements ie if you work full time in cork see if there is an evening course in cork. The main purpose of a course is to give you confidence in your understanding of the law

Il Citta

Thanks Johnny. Understood as per both comments.

A big concern of mine was that I was too old (early 30s) to start out on this route. Which has been answered. I still feel nervous about being so old and starting out on a new road but at least I know I wouldn't be viewed as TOO old. Second, I understand better the idea and need of the courses. Third I understand, and have found out through further research that the Irish language is not an obstacle. So you've all already helped me big time.

Its just the feasibility of trainee salaries that I need to find out about. I have a wife, child and mortgage so need to find out. I'm prepared for some hard years as I think a sacrifice for a few years for a reward in the long term of an interesting and proper career is worth the struggle. I'll check the other threads for that though.

Sorry for the waffle, just was heading towards saying thanks as you've all already given me help!

nuac

Il Citta - pls think of some other career

I have been a solicitor for 40+ years. It is getting tougher by the year. Obviously I know many other solicitors and have been at many discussions at meetings and informal discussions. Most I know regret their decision. If you scroll back on these threads you will see some of the reasons.

Talk to as many solicitors as you can before committing yourself.

Procrastastudy

Bear in mind there is also the Barrister route - given where you are in your research I just thought I'd mention it. We had a guy come in and do a talk on training contracts - bear in mind getting the law degree / into a position to pass the FE1s is the EASY* part. Training contracts are very difficult to get.

There is also the route of getting a law degree and doing other things that will be similar to the work of a solicitor in some respects.

*By easy I mean the FE1s are ridiculously tough but not as tough as finding a training contract.

Il Citta

GCDLawstudent wrote: »

Bear in mind there is also the Barrister route - given where you are in your research I just thought I'd mention it. We had a guy come in and do a talk on training contracts - bear in mind getting the law degree / into a position to pass the FE1s is the EASY* part. Training contracts are very difficult to get.

There is also the route of getting a law degree and doing other things that will be similar to the work of a solicitor in some respects.

*By easy I mean the FE1s are ridiculously tough but not as tough as finding a training contract.

Sorry for not being the best informed but how could I find out about these other things? I looked at the option of training as a barrister but as I understand it whilst you are devilling you have no income whatsoever which could be a problem.

bath handle

Il Citta wrote: »

GCDLawstudent wrote: »

Bear in mind there is also the Barrister route - given where you are in your research I just thought I'd mention it. We had a guy come in and do a talk on training contracts - bear in mind getting the law degree / into a position to pass the FE1s is the EASY* part. Training contracts are very difficult to get.

There is also the route of getting a law degree and doing other things that will be similar to the work of a solicitor in some respects.

*By easy I mean the FE1s are ridiculously tough but not as tough as finding a training contract.

Sorry for not being the best informed but how could I find out about these other things? I looked at the option of training as a barrister but as I understand it whilst you are devilling you have no income whatsoever which could be a problem.

many solicitor trainees are not being paid either .

Procrastastudy

Il Citta wrote: »

Sorry for not being the best informed but how could I find out about these other things? I looked at the option of training as a barrister but as I understand it whilst you are devilling you have no income whatsoever which could be a problem.

I suppose it might be worth you posting what it is you are interested in but some examples of legal work would be;

HR
Retail Legal Departments
Paralegals like legal secretaries / execs
Research of various types from Academic to semi-state bodies
Trade Union Work

Taking HR or retail legal departments - you're job wouldn't be that different from a solicitor - in that you would be looking at situations and trying to give advice on the best way forward - although I presume you will be more tied by policy of the company than a solicitor would be in a practise. You'd also have some "case management" in that you would be keeping an eye on the situation as it develops - you'd be probably be dealing with the company solicitor if things got beyond a point you could deal with.

Obviously a solicitors job is much more varied and deeper in the required knowledge but it's almost damn near impossible to get into at the moment. What every you do I wish you the best of luck and would say get the Law degree just for the craic at the moment you may find there is a path open to you that you didn't think of.

dats_right

I'm a solicitor, qualified a couple of years now and in gainful employment. My sincere advice to you, is don't do it! If you ignore the advice you are receiving, unfortunately, I fear in 4-5 years time or perhaps even sooner you will seriously regret it.

I have to say giving you this advice gives me no pleasure whatsoever, but in all honesty, I do not know very many solicitors who would advise you to embark on a career within this profession.

johnnyskeleton

Il Citta wrote:

Sorry for not being the best informed but how could I find out about these other things? I looked at the option of training as a barrister but as I understand it whilst you are devilling you have no income whatsoever which could be a problem.

at the moment, little or no income is a reality for starting off in both sides of the legal profession. Apart from anything else, doing the fe1s can be almost a full time job. One of the few ways to earn a decent wage at the start is to work for one of the big commercial firms.

On the other hand, it has always been tough to get into the legal profession, although the unpaid aspect was traditionally a feature of the barrister side. Once you are prepared to take on a few years of earning nothing with no certainty of a future income then you can't say that you haven't gone in with eyes wide open.

So while nuac and dats right have set out their views and there is no reason to disbelieve their views, it might not tell the whole story. As long as you are aware of the risks, you can make an informed choice.

XxMCRxBabyxX

NTSC and dats right: Could you guys explain why you would advise against a career as a solicitor and why you don't like the job?

Sala

I am really struggling to get a training contract, but like you I am determined, so I hope to get there in the end.

In answer to your questions, no you are not too old. I have met a lot of people late 20s- 30s looking for training contracts and know a couple of people who trained later than "usual"- one married with a child early 30s and one married with children in his 40s.
I agree with the others here - while the FE1 exams are tough the really hard part is getting a training contract or at least one that pays you!

The definitive guide to salaries is here http://www.lawsociety.ie/Documents/education/Trainees/mintraineesalaries.pdf
Basically minimum wage while in the office, and it's varies while in Blackhall. While this is the minimum you should expect (in reality the minimum you are entitled to) you will find a lot of people are working unsalaried. If you get into one of the top 5 firms you will get a good salary and fees paid usually, anywhere else seems to be hit and miss.

Il Citta

Thanks for all the advice. The fact that no salary whilst training is a very real possibility is a big eye-opener and to be honest, given I have a mortgage and family to think about is probably a big wall to me going down that route.

I have been involved in education for a number of years but its becoming absolutely impossible to secure work in that field so I would like to move into another area. Even during the best times I found it hard to secure more than a few hours here and there.

I studied law at school (A Level) and really enjoyed it. It was always something I thought about doing. A big chunk of the A Level was consumer law which I found very interesting despite the fact the teacher was as dull as dishwater.

I really don't think I want to return to do another degree as I already have one, but there is the postgraduate diploma in law, and from there perhaps the option of working in a legal department of a retail company would be good. As I said, I was always interested in consumer law etc.

I am particularly attracted by this avenue (I wasn't aware of it prior to being informed here) because I would ideally like a job that involved some travel (I was initially thinking European Law would facilitate this) and I presume working for a big retail company it would be an option? I am also near fluent in Italian so would this be an advantage in this field (particularly if I upped my language skills)?

Its certainly food for thought.

Another area that interests me is health and safety law.

Sala

There's nothing to stop you studying for the FE1s and looking for a training contract. You don't have to take an unpaid position. And who know, by the time you are finished the exams things may be picking up !

June Bird

As well as considering how hard the FE1's are, the difficulty in securing a training contract you must also consider the possibility of been unable to find a job as a qualified solicitor!! Unfortunately there are many unemployed solicitors at the moment a lot of law firms simply train you up and churn you out and of the ones who do get kept on some of them are on minimal wages even with 1-2 years pqe. This is the sad reality I'm afraid. Of course there are the lucky ones who go on to get great jobs however the opportunities are few and far between for solicitors these days and many newly qualified's are going into different areas or emigrating.
In any case I wouldn't let your age put you off and if its something you really wanted to do go for it but its a long road and not necessarily one that pays off in the end. Weigh up the pros and cons and good luck with it!!

Il Citta

I appreciate all the advice, and it has certainly opened my eyes. I naively thought it would be a situation of doing the Postgraduate Diploma in Law, and whilst I knew positions weren't bountiful I didn't realise it was as tough as you all say.

However, given that you're all much more experienced in this field than I am, would you say it is a good or a bad idea to pursue the Postgraduate Diploma in Law? Would it open more doors for me than I have open to me say now, and would it be a good idea to do it with an open mind that whilst I might decide against going down the solicitor/barrister route, there would be other avenues that I could pursue?

Law is an area that really interests me, and whilst my mind is made up that I really need to do something to increase my chances of gainful employment in the future, I also feel I should be looking at something that is likely to interest me.

Amazotheamazing

I don't have much to add except to say that I'd echo completely what Nuac, DR and June Bird have said. Go into things with your eyes wide open.

blueythebear

Il Citta wrote: »

I appreciate all the advice, and it has certainly opened my eyes. I naively thought it would be a situation of doing the Postgraduate Diploma in Law, and whilst I knew positions weren't bountiful I didn't realise it was as tough as you all say.

However, given that you're all much more experienced in this field than I am, would you say it is a good or a bad idea to pursue the Postgraduate Diploma in Law? Would it open more doors for me than I have open to me say now, and would it be a good idea to do it with an open mind that whilst I might decide against going down the solicitor/barrister route, there would be other avenues that I could pursue?

Law is an area that really interests me, and whilst my mind is made up that I really need to do something to increase my chances of gainful employment in the future, I also feel I should be looking at something that is likely to interest me.

If you're interested in becoming a solicitor full stop, then you only need a degree if you wish to sit the FE1s so you could sit them tomorrow. If you wish to possibly generally work in law, then the Post Grad Diploma in law might be an idea. I know that the course in DIT is well regarded and many people who do it are not necessarily looking to do it as part of becoming a solicitor.

I wholeheartedly agree with you that you should aspire to do a job that interests you. There is nothing good about dreading work every Monday. I've done jobs I previously hated and I found it really soul destroying so I'd recommend getting out and giving it a go. Even if it doesn't happen, at least you can say you tried.

That said, never underestimate the difficulties ahead of you. FE1s are the least of your worries. Training Contracts have always been difficult to get but it's even tougher now. Small firms are now taking advantage of the situation by hiring qualified solicitors on the Job Bridge Scheme for 9 months rather than taking on trainees. Then there is the challenge of getting a job when qualified which is now a much more common problem than before. For example, the big firms used to keep all of their trainees in a rotation but now in general, only half of them are kept on. Getting ANY jobs when training in a smaller firm can be extremely difficult as the only kind of jobs out there are in the Corporate area (Banking, funds, general commercial, etc) and only the big firms really deal in those areas.

Plus, the going rate for a newly qualified solicitor previously used to be a good 40 - 50 k but now you will be lucky to get 30k for your first job. 30k isn't a bad wage, but after all the work and effort in qualifying, it can feel a little disheartening. Although, again, I think the big firms offer good wages when qualified but be prepared to give up everything in your life other than work.

dats_right

XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »

NTSC and dats right: Could you guys explain why you would advise against a career as a solicitor and why you don't like the job?

The career prospects are non-existent, financially not rewarding, poor work life balance, ever increasing regulation, high levels of stress, too many solicitors chasing too little work, Government constantly trying to think of new ways to take work away from solicitors, still too many solicitors Qualifying making matters even worse, PI insurance, practising cert fees, clients thinking you are scum, friends in jobs working half the hours with 1/10th of the responsibility earning twice what I earn, things will only get worse, once you're in there are few escape routes.

Believe it or not, I don't hate my job! But I think anybody setting out on a career path to become a solicitor now is crazy, the only possible exception being those who qualify into the big 5 or better still into a big firm in London.

Don't believe all you hear, Age is a factor too. The big firms rarely hire mature candidates and if they do it is because they are qualified chartered accountants, actuaries or doctors nothing else is likely to impress. A lot of smaller firms wouldn't be too interested in a mature trainee either as they would be unlikely to be able to push them around as much. That said I know plenty of mature People who trained and qualified as solicitors, in fairness it has to be said mostly through unorthodox traineeships or work for free arrangements (and I'm talking about 5-6 years ago which was a world away). Point is it can be done but age is a definite drawback. I know the pc brigade will attempt to contradict me but I am just telling the harsh truth.

By the way OP working in a legal job for a retail company practising eu law,
if such a job does exist would be next to impossible to get into, unless you were coming at it with significant big firm experience.

Il Citta

dats_right wrote: »

The career prospects are non-existent, financially not rewarding, poor work life balance, ever increasing regulation, high levels of stress, too many solicitors chasing too little work, Government constantly trying to think of new ways to take work away from solicitors, still too many solicitors Qualifying making matters even worse, PI insurance, practising cert fees, clients thinking you are scum, friends in jobs working half the hours with 1/10th of the responsibility earning twice what I earn, things will only get worse, once you're in there are few escape routes.

Believe it or not, I don't hate my job! But I think anybody setting out on a career path to become a solicitor now is crazy, the only possible exception being those who qualify into the big 5 or better still into a big firm in London.

Don't believe all you hear, Age is a factor too. The big firms rarely hire mature candidates and if they do it is because they are qualified chartered accountants, actuaries or doctors nothing else is likely to impress. A lot of smaller firms wouldn't be too interested in a mature trainee either as they would be unlikely to be able to push them around as much. That said I know plenty of mature People who trained and qualified as solicitors, in fairness it has to be said mostly through unorthodox traineeships or work for free arrangements (and I'm talking about 5-6 years ago which was a world away). Point is it can be done but age is a definite drawback. I know the pc brigade will attempt to contradict me but I am just telling the harsh truth.

By the way OP working in a legal job for a retail company practising eu law,
if such a job does exist would be next to impossible to get into, unless you were coming at it with significant big firm experience.

Sorry. I probably wasn't very clear. I meant that I would be interested in a job that involved some travel. I had been thinking of the role of a solicitor with specialism in EU Law, rather than working in retail with EU law. What I meant also was that perhaps with a retail company the opportunity to travel would be there. I have a friend who works in a similar role (albeit not legal) who is required to travel to the UK and France for a couple of days every so often.

Should I take it from what you say though that if I did get qualified with the PG Dip that there is no way I could work in a retail legal department without big firm experience or were you just referring to retail with EU law?

June Bird

There are not many positions for solicitors where they get the opportunity to travel as part of their jobs in fact I cant think of any! Well that is if you mean internationally of course, there would however be plenty of opportunities to travel the length and breadth of the country to the various district courts!
If you would like to work in EU Law I would imagine that only the bigger firms would cover this field. Unless of course you would consider re-locating altogether and working in one of the EU institutions.
The law is actually one of the few professions which is not easily transferable you cannot even work in the UK now without conversion courses same goes for US, Canada and OZ.

McCrack

There's plenty of work for good and capable solicitors, I wouldn't be put off with the harsh realities of some. If you go in with your eyes open and work your ****** off dividends will pay. I have been employed and worked with different Principals over the years and have seen commitment and professionalism at its best (and worst!) and the rewards that follow.

There is work out there and money to be made despite what others will say, it just takes a particular savvy to get it.

drkpower

I would second the above.

I would also add that lawyers, as a group, are some of the greatest moaners known to mankind. Put a group of lawyers in a room (same goes for doctors) and you wont hear the end of the incessant moaning about how they work harder than everyone else, dont get paid enough etc.. This level of 'far away field - ology' doesnt seem anywhere near as prevalent in other occupations.

Im sure there is a psychology project to be done on the phenomenon. I have my own theories but its probably neither the time nor the place.

shaneybaby

drkpower wrote: »

I would second the above.

I would also add that lawyers, as a group, are some of the greatest moaners known to mankind. Put a group of lawyers in a room (same goes for doctors) and you wont hear the end of the incessant moaning about how they work harder than everyone else, dont get paid enough etc.. This level of 'far away field - ology' doesnt seem anywhere near as prevalent in other occupations.

Im sure there is a psychology project to be done on the phenomenon. I have my own theories but its probably neither the time nor the place.

Ahhh come on;) Perfect time and place

mitzicat

dats_right wrote: »

The career prospects are non-existent, financially not rewarding, poor work life balance, ever increasing regulation, high levels of stress, too many solicitors chasing too little work, Government constantly trying to think of new ways to take work away from solicitors, still too many solicitors Qualifying making matters even worse, PI insurance, practising cert fees, clients thinking you are scum, friends in jobs working half the hours with 1/10th of the responsibility earning twice what I earn, things will only get worse, once you're in there are few escape routes.

Believe it or not, I don't hate my job! But I think anybody setting out on a career path to become a solicitor now is crazy, the only possible exception being those who qualify into the big 5 or better still into a big firm in London.

Don't believe all you hear, Age is a factor too. The big firms rarely hire mature candidates and if they do it is because they are qualified chartered accountants, actuaries or doctors nothing else is likely to impress. A lot of smaller firms wouldn't be too interested in a mature trainee either as they would be unlikely to be able to push them around as much. That said I know plenty of mature People who trained and qualified as solicitors, in fairness it has to be said mostly through unorthodox traineeships or work for free arrangements (and I'm talking about 5-6 years ago which was a world away). Point is it can be done but age is a definite drawback. I know the pc brigade will attempt to contradict me but I am just telling the harsh truth.

By the way OP working in a legal job for a retail company practising eu law,
if such a job does exist would be next to impossible to get into, unless you were coming at it with significant big firm experience.

It does not make sense to me that a firm would turn down a mature applicant with years of work experience and a proven track record in favor of a 22 year old newbie. That is just a failure of a firm to recognize an opportunity. There are tons of newly qualified graduates in law with no life experience and lacking in professionalism. If I was a client, I would much rather my advice be given to me from the mouth of a thirty or forty-something than someone who was serving me popcorn at the local cinema less than three years ago. If firms are not hiring mature applicants, that speaks volumes to the poor, non-competitive position this country is in.

To the OP, if law is your passion, you should follow it. There are plenty of people who have switched later in life with great success. If you are good at what you do, you will be successful. There are plenty of sub-par solicitors and they can not compete for the limited jobs available. However, there are spaces open for those who are best able to do the work.

Regardless, two or three years will go by. The only difference is that, should you chose to study law, in two to three years you will have a law qualification. Even if you do not find a training contract you can apply for law-based jobs with banks, insurance, corporations, civil service, etc.

Milk & Honey

mitzicat wrote: »

It does not make sense to me that a firm would turn down a mature applicant with years of work experience and a proven track record in favor of a 22 year old newbie. That is just a failure of a firm to recognize an opportunity.

Whether it makes any sense or not to you, it is the firm's call. Firms have their own reasons for employing individuals. The legal profession has many members who have had previous careers. Some are successful and some are not. Some work like family law might suit an older person, but some work like litigation may suit a younger person.

mitzicat

Milk & Honey wrote: »

Whether it makes any sense or not to you, it is the firm's call. Firms have their own reasons for employing individuals. The legal profession has many members who have had previous careers. Some are successful and some are not. Some work like family law might suit an older person, but some work like litigation may suit a younger person.

Odd, my father has a hugely successful litigation-based law firm in downtown Toronto and they just hired a 60 year old newly qualified. Sweeping generalizations are a poor hiring approach to such an individual-based job.

krd

mitzicat wrote: »

Odd, my father has a hugely successful litigation-based law firm in downtown Toronto and they just hired a 60 year old newly qualified. Sweeping generalizations are a poor hiring approach to such an individual-based job.

It really depends.

Some people are extremely and absurdly ageist. It's a pity there aren't big flashing neon signs outside businesses that say things like "we are extremely ageist" or "We will fire you after a few weeks because we don't think you look right in the office".

Milk & Honey

mitzicat wrote: »

Odd, my father has a hugely successful litigation-based law firm in downtown Toronto and they just hired a 60 year old newly qualified. Sweeping generalizations are a poor hiring approach to such an individual-based job.

Maybe so. It is the hirers call. The o/p has to make his decision regarding his career on a percentage basis.

mitzicat

Milk & Honey wrote: »

Maybe so. It is the hirers call. The o/p has to make his decision regarding his career on a percentage basis.

If percentages were all that mattered when making a decision, we would not have need for a road from Dublin to Galway. Everyone would chose to fly.

Milk & Honey

mitzicat wrote: »

If percentages were all that mattered when making a decision, we would not have need for a road from Dublin to Galway. Everyone would chose to fly.

What does that nonsense mean? the more closely aligned to the laws of probability a decision is made the greater the chance of success.

mitzicat

Milk & Honey wrote: »

What does that nonsense mean? the more closely aligned to the laws of probability a decision is made the greater the chance of success.

It means that if the probability of success was all that mattered than we would chose to fly everywhere possible instead of drive, as there is a greater chance of arriving at a destination alive when you fly there. If you cannot understand such a simple analogy I wonder if you are capable of advising someone on his/her life choices?

Also, what survey have you conducted to show that older applicants with experience are never/rarely hired over younger ones? If you would be so kind to inform, what is the percentage?

Amazotheamazing

mitzicat wrote: »

It means that if the probability of success was all that mattered than we would chose to fly everywhere possible instead of drive, as there is a greater chance of arriving at a destination alive when you fly there. If you cannot understand such a simple analogy I wonder if you are capable of advising someone on his/her life choices?

Also, what survey have you conducted to show that older applicants with experience are never/rarely hired over younger ones? If you would be so kind to inform, what is the percentage?

I think you are the missing the point. Of course the bigger firms hire older trainees, especially if they have some unique selling point. However, in general they hire recent graduates. The OP has a lot to think about before he embarks on the training path, he needs to be realistic about what he could offer any firm as is. As for studies to back it up, it's hardly necessary, we've been through the system and seen the firms generally hire younger trainees (but of course, not always).

The reason I mention the bigger firms is because imo, it'd be hard for a guy to support a child and mortgage on trainee wages (if any) from a smaller firm.

Amazotheamazing

drkpower wrote: »

I would second the above.

I would also add that lawyers, as a group, are some of the greatest moaners known to mankind. Put a group of lawyers in a room (same goes for doctors) and you wont hear the end of the incessant moaning about how they work harder than everyone else, dont get paid enough etc.. This level of 'far away field - ology' doesnt seem anywhere near as prevalent in other occupations.

Im sure there is a psychology project to be done on the phenomenon. I have my own theories but its probably neither the time nor the place.

Maybe because other occupations have less reason to complain?


(tongue in cheek-ish)

Sala

I think you are the missing the point. Of course the bigger firms hire older trainees, especially if they have some unique selling point. However, in general they hire recent graduates.

I presume their applications are predominately from recent graduates though, so statistically there is bound to be a higher number of them hired. I know from doing classes for the FE1s the courses are mainly attended by people around the 22-26 age bracket, but I did meet one 50 something year old there. I would think that the low numbers of mature trainees is not necessarily an indication that firms won't hire them, but rather shows that there are fewer applying.
Anyway, regardless of whether some firms are ageist or not, there are mature trainees out there so it is achievable for the OP

colonel1

mitzicat wrote: »

Odd, my father has a hugely successful litigation-based law firm in downtown Toronto and they just hired a 60 year old newly qualified. Sweeping generalizations are a poor hiring approach to such an individual-based job.

I love you mitzicat, you give (and your dad too) hope to us older applicants everywhere:D Seriously though, firms do hire career change/older people but be prepared to argue your case and anticipate the why law why now questions in advance.


OP, if you want to become a solicitor, then go ahead and try. It is bloody tough but nothing ventured nothing gained and all that! At least, as other boardsies have said on here, you know what to expect. I would suggest that you test the waters regarding obtaining legal experience first before going down the education route. Some firms stipulate that you must have a law degree and some don't. Good luck with everything:)

Avatargh

Il Citta wrote: »

Sorry. I probably wasn't very clear. I meant that I would be interested in a job that involved some travel. I had been thinking of the role of a solicitor with specialism in EU Law, rather than working in retail with EU law. What I meant also was that perhaps with a retail company the opportunity to travel would be there. I have a friend who works in a similar role (albeit not legal) who is required to travel to the UK and France for a couple of days every so often.

Not saying this job doesn't exist, but if it does, you'd be competing with very specialist, very well learned people for such a position. There isn't really a specialism "in" EU law like this, since its basically like saying one know "US Federal Law". And such positions that do involve this (which are generally government / public based) are cherished not really the kind of thing one just "walks into".

Il Citta

Thanks again everyone. I am of the mind to pursue a qualification in law/legal studies but with what you say regarding it being so difficult to train to be a solicitor, I'm also trying to research the other avenues that such a qualification would open to me. Law really interests me, and always has, and I have already some knowledge that I like it as I studied it in school and also did quite a bit of unpaid work experience in legal offices. Its just that its a long time since I did all that so I'm unaware (not that I was ever that aware) of what's out there etc so your comments are of a big help.

anfield bound

sorry if this is slightly off topic but there seem to be a few knowledgeable heads in this thread. In terms of pursuing an in-house legal position, would one need to have completed the FE1's or KI to qualify for such posts or would a BCL/LLB suffice?
Thanks in advance and sorry for hijacking!

Sala

sorry if this is slightly off topic but there seem to be a few knowledgeable heads in this thread. In terms of pursuing an in-house legal position, would one need to have completed the FE1's or KI to qualify for such posts or would a BCL/LLB suffice?
Thanks in advance and sorry for hijacking!

Fe1s are no good on their own - all they do is allow you get into Blackhall if you have an apprenticeship. A lot of in house positions would require you to be a solicitor/barrister, and maybe an experienced one at that, but there are positions directed at graduates. There is one up at the moment on the Law Society website