Trainee Solicitor without law degree?

Gael23

I;ve seen a job for a Trainee Solicitor that could interest me. It asks for a few requirements, of which I have most.Especially and interest in tax which I studied several modules on and we also did a smaller amount of law study. However I have a business studies degree and no law degree.
Would an application from me be even looked at?

chops018

Of course your CV would be looked at.

All you need to become a Solicitor is any level 8 degree, completion of the FE1 exams, obtain a traineeship, complete same (around 2-3 years), and you're qualified.

Many firms like to take on graduates from lots of different areas.

A lot of the big firms will take on graduates without having the FE1's passed and give them a conditional contract on passing the exams by a certain date.

Be warned, the FE1's are the most gruelling set of exams I've ever done, and I've a Degree and Masters in Law. Took me a year and a half to pass them all.

Be further warned, it is very competitive and hard to obtain a Trainee Solicitor contract. I'm still on the hunt.

If you get a contract with the big firms you will be looked after financially (24-36k, all Blackhall fees paid for), but expect to have long hours and become friends with the photocopier.

The smaller and medium firms will probably only pay you minimum wage for the duration of the training contract, and they will expect you to pay your own fees for Blackhall Place (the "college" part of the traineeship) which will total around 12k. Also, these firms may not pay you a wage while in Blackhall place.

So there is a lot to consider before you go down that road.

IsaacWunder

Chops is right. You have to pass the FE1s. I found them worse than the leaving cert as they are bloody hard, some have a massive failure rate due entirely to the personal whims of examiners, and there is zero support structure unlike normal academic exams where you have a social group usually in the same situation.

If you have a university degree in anything you can go straight into the FE1s, but lawyers have a certain way of thinking and approaching problems that is very different from most other professions. This largely arises from hours upon hours spent reading over cases in college to the point that you believe Denning is your friend, Latin maxims should be dropped into everyday speech, and time immemorial is not really that long ago. Outside the legal world these characteristics would be seen as a form of insanity, but to barristers and solicitors they are entirely normal behaviors that illustrate a good legal mind.

Another thing to consider is whether your memory is good enough to be able to recall literally thousands of case names (most of which you'll have forgotten two weeks after the exams). This isn't as hard as it sounds, but if you have no memory to do it it's something you should be aware of. Most people I know used mental maps and other memory hacks like acronyms to get the cases into the noggin.

Key thing is whether you'd like it. It's a long slog to get over the FE1s and obtain a training contract, and a few more years after that to qualify, but if you found you've enjoyed what you've done so far,in the law world you will find it's a rewarding career.

Gael23

Do you have to do the FE1 before you apply for a job?

IsaacWunder

Gael23 wrote: »

Do you have to do the FE1 before you apply for a job?

No, but you would be competing with people who have some, or all, done.

If you're not coming from a law background having some under your belt before making a job application is a definite positive.

Uno my Uno.

Gael23 wrote: »

Do you have to do the FE1 before you apply for a job?

Depends on the Firm doing the recruiting. The large firms do their recruiting up to years in advance of an actual start date so they give people time to do the exams. smaller firms will want people to start much sooner so you would likely need to have the exams done.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Grolschevik

Fred Swanson wrote: »

Is a degree in anything from anywhere in the world acceptable?

You don't need to have any degree at all, as long as you pass the Preliminary Examination:


https://www.lawsociety.ie/Public/Become-a-Solicitor/Preliminary-Examination/

Gael23

I understand if you have a degree you are exempt from that but I'm open to correction

Grolschevik

Gael23 wrote: »

I understand if you have a degree you are exempt from that but I'm open to correction

Yes, you're right. I was replying to Fred rather than your original post.