Becoming a Solicitor while aged in 30's

Murphman88

Since leaving college I have pursued a career in sales across a number of different industries and countries.I think I have a lot of transferable skills as a result. I'm 31.

I have always wanted and felt I could do well in the legal profession. I am under no illusions about the work that this will involve to do the FE1's ,get an apprenticeship and secure a role.

So am I mad to commit to doing the FE1's and go down this route at this age?

Do firms look favorably on people who have spent years in other industries?

Is there anyone out there who has been in a similar position and gone for it? How did you balance full time work and also study for FE1's?

I'm planning to get married,kids, house etc in next few years so the way I look at it -it is now or never.

Appreciate if people could give me a steer on their own experiences, pitfalls etc

Cheers

Murphman

Don't want to hijack your thread OP, but I came here to ask pretty much the same thing about the KIng's Inns and the BL degree

I did the GDL in the UK (Basically a postgrad conversion law-degree for people who studied something else as undergrads).

Currently 32 years of age. I know a lot of people do the BL degree later in life, but realistically, what are the prospects? If you did the BL degree, how many of your former classmates are in practice? I have a friend who keeps warning me off, but I reckon I'll regret it more if I don't try.

Currently working in finance, and mostly interested in commercial litigation, torts, maybe crime - or whatever pays the bills.

nuac

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Title amended for clarity

Samuel T. Cogley

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Don't want to hijack your thread OP, but I came here to ask pretty much the same thing about the KIng's Inns and the BL degree

I did the GDL in the UK (Basically a postgrad conversion law-degree for people who studied something else as undergrads).

Currently 32 years of age. I know a lot of people do the BL degree later in life, but realistically, what are the prospects? If you did the BL degree, how many of your former classmates are in practice? I have a friend who keeps warning me off, but I reckon I'll regret it more if I don't try.

Currently working in finance, and mostly interested in commercial litigation, torts, maybe crime - or whatever pays the bills.

Does the GDL allow you to progress to the BL or are you going to do the Diploma first?

4ensic15

Murphman88 wrote: »

Since leaving college in 2006

How did you leave college at the age of 18? I presume you don't have a degree?

Mr. Incognito

Im a solicitor, was 31 when i qualified after a career in tax. I think its a good age. Median age in my blackhall group was 26 or so.

You are a young man. Its manageable.

Fe1s can take 2 years or so though.

Chestvalve

Do you op have a imaginary foreign hot girlfriend also?


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CV
This is Legal Discussion. Pls behave

Samuel T. Cogley

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Does the GDL allow you to progress to the BL or are you going to do the Diploma first?

No, the GDL isn't an approved course - understandably so, as it's a UK course.

I don't mind the Diploma aspect very much as my understanding is that most students study towards it on a part time basis. The big concern relates to the BL degree and career prospects.

Samuel T. Cogley

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

No, the GDL isn't an approved course - understandably so, as it's a UK course.

I don't mind the Diploma aspect very much as my understanding is that most students study towards it on a part time basis. The big concern relates to the BL degree and career prospects.

What I've been told FWIW:

Expect the equivalent of around 40-50K per year salary after around ten years of practice with possibly even a negative amount for the first couple of years. Expect around a 50% attrition rate AFTER people have gone because they were doing the BL for some other purpose.

What I can tell you first hand:

Never yet met any barristers during college or from my peers that went on to practice anyone that doesn't absolutely love it. I suppose you'd have to, to keep doing it.

Hopefully someone will be along to tell me how wrong I am and you'll get a better view of things.

4ensic15

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

What I've been told FWIW:

Expect the equivalent of around 40-50K per year salary after around ten years of practice with possibly even a negative amount for the first couple of years. .

There is no salary in practice! Where are you getting 40-50k per year from?

Samuel T. Cogley

4ensic15 wrote: »

There is no salary in practice! Where are you getting 40-50k per year from?

From previous threads in legal discussion. The word equivalent was used and even spelled correctly.

4ensic15

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

From previous threads in legal discussion. The word equivalent was used and even spelled correctly.

There is no salary and no such thing as anything equivalent. There is fee income which is sporadic and uncertain.

Samuel T. Cogley

4ensic15 wrote: »

There is no salary and no such thing as anything equivalent. There is fee income which is sporadic and uncertain.

Yes thanks, I'm well aware of that. However the equivalent number has been bandied about before to give people an idea. However on the off chance that A Tyrant Named Miltiades' mate didn't mention that I'm sure you've been helpful.

4ensic15

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Yes thanks, I'm well aware of that. .

If you knew that why did you use the word salary? That is misleading.

Samuel T. Cogley

4ensic15 wrote: »

If you knew that why did you use the word salary? That is misleading.

I also used the word equivalent which you clearly missed.

4ensic15

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

I also used the word equivalent which you clearly missed.

You said the equivalent of a salary. There is no such thing as an equivalent of a salary.

Samuel T. Cogley

4ensic15 wrote: »

You said the equivalent of a salary. There is no such thing as an equivalent of a salary.

Yes there is, there's taking an equivalent amount of money as someone on an equivalent salary as was put forward by someone else on this forum when asked a similar question.

4ensic15

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Yes there is, there's taking an equivalent amount of money as someone on an equivalent salary as was put forward by someone else on this forum when asked a similar question.

Salaries are almost never paid annually. Most are paid weekly, fortnightly or monthly. They are paid regularly whatever the frequency. There is no equivalent in self-employed legal practice. Fee income is earned sporadically. Fee income is in no way the same as salary.

Samuel T. Cogley

4ensic15 wrote: »

Salaries are almost never paid annually. Most are paid weekly, fortnightly or monthly. They are paid regularly whatever the frequency. There is no equivalent in self-employed legal practice. Fee income is earned sporadically. Fee income is in no way the same as salary.

The equivalent was an equivalent over the year as a rough guide. I'm well aware fee income is sporadic and I assume the person asking the question was too as they know people in practice. As I say though if you feel your numerous posts on the point are helpful I assume you'll keep making them.

4ensic15

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

The equivalent was an equivalent over the year as a rough guide. I'm well aware fee income is sporadic and I assume the person asking the question was too as they know people in practice. As I say though if you feel your numerous posts on the point are helpful I assume you'll keep making them.

I don't know where you are getting this notion of equivalent from. The notion of a salary connotes some kind of regularity or consistency. It has been calculated by some guards that they would need to earn double their garda salary to get the equivalent net income.

Time

4ensic15 wrote: »

I don't know where you are getting this notion of equivalent from. The notion of a salary connotes some kind of regularity or consistency. It has been calculated by some guards that they would need to earn double their garda salary to get the equivalent net income.

Could you be any more pedantic? Clearly equivalent does not mean it is a Salary, but rather it is the same in other ways.

davindub

4ensic15 wrote: »

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

The equivalent was an equivalent over the year as a rough guide. I'm well aware fee income is sporadic and I assume the person asking the question was too as they know people in practice. As I say though if you feel your numerous posts on the point are helpful I assume you'll keep making them.

I don't know where you are getting this notion of equivalent from. The notion of a salary connotes some kind of regularity or consistency. It has been calculated by some guards that they would need to earn double their garda salary to get the equivalent net income.

The irony of your example is not lost on you? You have just used equivalent income comparing to salary?

hullaballoo

4ensic15, if you are having such difficulty with your comprehension of written language, there is the English forum where you can ask questions about all aspects of the language and any nuance you might be missing.

Otherwise, can we continue with the useful advice for people looking to join the legal profession in their advanced thirty something years?

Mr. Incognito

Advices;

I would do the FE1 exams. There are 8. Plenty of threads on them here.

They will give you a taste of the law.

In practice its 9 to whatever. Some firms will keep you late some will not. Big firms pay better but rotations can be a lottery. Smaller firms you will get a lot of hands on experience but might not get specialisation.

You have to LOVE the job.

Salary expectations. 20K to 40K for a trainee and you can add 5-10K for every year in practice.

Its long hours and a lot of problem solving.

Crime and family tend to be specialised.

You will also be broke for the first few years with exams and training. I think age is an advantage personally. Life experience is a big help in the law. I dont know if you have any specific questions but if you do- ask away.

There are a lot more barristers than solicitors on here in general on the legal discussions forum

4ensic15

4ensic15 wrote: »

There is no salary and no such thing as anything equivalent. There is fee income which is sporadic and uncertain.

Thanks, but I have done the most basic rudimentary research:pac:, I think that was taken as a given.

I have a friend and a couple of acquaintances in practice, but just curious about slinging my net a bit wider for more diverse opinions, even from non practicing graduates of King's Inns.

Sorry again if I've hijacked the OP's thread, I'm sure this stuff is applicable to both (except in terms of expected salary), and a second thread seemed like overkill.

All info appreciated.

Mr. Incognito

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

Advices;


Salary expectations. 20K to 40K for a trainee and you can add 5-10K for every year in practice.

Those strike me as very optimistic wages, imo, if you aren't working in the big, big firms.

I wouldn't recommend anyone becoming a barrister if they don't have connections. Several of the barristers I know have transferred into being solicitors. Which is a pity, because it's an interesting career. It is a hard career to make a living in in the early days.

As for becoming a solicitor, absolutely everything depends on a) who your training solicitor is and how good they are at teaching you and b) how good you are at learning for yourself.

Both of ye have time on your side though, so good luck.

Mr. Incognito

Deleted User wrote: »

Those strike me as very optimistic wages, imo, if you aren't working in the big, big firms.

I wouldn't recommend anyone becoming a barrister if they don't have connections. Several of the barristers I know have transferred into being solicitors. Which is a pity, because it's an interesting career. It is a hard career to make a living in in the early days.

As for becoming a solicitor, absolutely everything depends on a) who your training solicitor is and how good they are at teaching you and b) how good you are at learning for yourself.

Both of ye have time on your side though, so good luck.

I'm not in a big big firm and those numbers are based on performance. If you are a good lawyer you will be bringing in fees and salary is a percentage of that.

I think its easier in a mid tier and down as there is a pressure earlier to generate fees which will reflect salary increases. Its a part of any job to generate income really in the private sector. If you cant do it then you wont survive as a lawyer.