How to Become a Lawyer in the UK
The legal profession in the UK is divided into two distinct branches under the legal system: solicitors and barristers. The primary role of a legal professional is to advise on and represent the legal interests of a client. The UK is the largest legal services market in Europe and second only to the US globally. Read on to find out how to become a lawyer in the UK.
Barrister vs Solicitor
Barristers primarily represent clients’ cases in the courtroom – typically of a criminal or civil matter. Their tasks include interviewing witnesses, making compelling submissions to judges and juries, etc. Barristers are distinguishable by their courtroom attire (wig and gown), which represents their commitment to the legal process.
When an individual needs legal advice (in other areas), this is when they will need to go to a solicitor. Solicitors can work for various organizations, including law firms and government bodies. Solicitors serve as the point of contact for clients, providing advice, negotiation, and drafting legal documents.
Educational Pathways
There are two educational pathways to becoming a lawyer in the UK. The traditional route is to study a LLB Law degree at university to build a foundation. Today, the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) is one of the most common and competitive around the world.
An LLB (Law degree Bachelor of Laws) is a qualifying law degree, equivalent to a Bachelor of Arts/Science. It covers seven compulsory modules, which form the basic requirements for a qualifying law degree in England and Wales.
These compulsory modules are:
- Criminal Law
- Contract Law
- Land Law
- Equity & Trusts Law
- EU Law
- Tort Law
- Constitutional/Administrative Law
To apply for enrolment in an LLB, you will need to apply through UCAS. Each university will have its own admission process (personal statement, interview, LNAT, etc) but generally, you are not required to take specific A Level / high school subjects beforehand. Our guide on the best A Levels for Law contains more advice.
After completing an LLB, students will then go to law school to complete the Legal Practice Course LPC or a Bar course.
Non-Law Graduates
It is not compulsory to study an LLB at university to enter the legal profession, and you don’t even have to complete a Law degree.
If you study a non-law degree, it will just mean that you’ll have to get a Graduate Diploma in Law GDL to convert to law and then take the LPC.
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Vocational Training
For Aspiring Solicitors
The LPC is the reading postgraduate qualification to become a practicing solicitor in the UK. This is one of the final stages of training to become a qualified solicitor. The course is broken into two stages.
Stage one covers business law and practice, litigation (including civil and criminal), property law and practice.
Stage two is made up of three vocational electives (work experience) in areas including private acquisitions, public companies, debt/banking, family law and immigration law
Most courses use a mixture of workshops, lectures and private study. The Solicitors Regulation Authority SRA has created a new route to becoming through the Solicitors Qualifying Examination SQE, which they are slowly starting to phase in. A large majority of law students can still study the LPC, however, fewer students will be eligible to use the LPC route each year moving forward.
To be eligible to take up your place on our LPC, you must comply with the requirements for commencing an LPC set out by the Solicitors Regulation Authority SRA. Students must possess either a Qualifying Law Degree, usually at 2:2 or above, or a GDL.
For Aspiring Barristers
It can take up to six years to become a fully qualified barrister. After completing an LLB or GDL, graduates will have to complete a Bar Course and one-year pupillage to become a barrister.
A Bar Course, typically referred to as the Bar Professional Training Course BPTC, is the mandatory vocational stage of training for aspiring barristers before they commence pupillage.
Bar courses take one year to complete. The courses are provided by different universities and also vary in fees (between £12,000 and £20,000. This vocational component covers a range of subjects to ensure that you acquire the specialist skills, knowledge of procedure and evidence, attitudes and competence to prepare you for becoming a barrister. Before enrolling in a Bar course, students must take the newly introduced Bar Course Aptitude Test BCAT This is a test to ensure that those undertaking the Bar Training Course have the aptitude to succeed on the course.
There are 10 questions in total, and five types of questions in the BCAT, all of which are multiple-choice. These questions test:
- Inference
- Recognition of Assumptions
- Deduction
- Interpretation
- Evaluation of Arguments
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Work Experience
Pursuing a career in law is not only a huge investment, but a competitive career. Gaining legal work experience will help you streamline your career path/goals and gain the necessary skills to be a successful lawyer.
Vacation Schemes
A vacation scheme is a way of gaining invaluable work experience at a law firm. Schemes commonly last between one and four weeks and give you an opportunity to experience first-hand what life as a trainee solicitor is like and their tasks, explore the firm’s key areas of legal practice and client base, and also establish whether you are suited to a career in law.
Tips for Securing a Vacation Scheme
Before making any application spend time researching: (a) the type of law you’re interested in, (b) law firms that interest you and (c) assessment requirements;
Decide how many law firms you want to apply to;
Create a tracker so you can keep track of your applications, requirements and progress for each one;
Get insight into what law firms are looking for by speaking to recruiters, attending open days, careers fairs, webinars, reaching out to lawyers, etc;
Start applications way in advance of the deadline. The latest time you start should be around two weeks before the deadline.
Mini Pupillages
A mini pupillage is a short work experience placement that involves shadowing a barrister. The length of a mini-pupillage can vary from one day to two weeks.
Typical duties whilst undertaking a mini pupillage may include attending conferences and meetings with clients and solicitors, observing barristers in court, reviewing any relevant paperwork (bundles, draft skeleton arguments, etc) relating to a barrister’s caseload, and carrying out legal research.
Tips for Securing a Mini Pupillage
Research the essential skills of a barrister and use every opportunity in your application to communicate and present these;
Showcase your extracurriculars and make sure to illustrate how they have provided you with the necessary skills;
Nothing is too small to mention in your work experience, highlight anything that has developed you as a prospective barrister;
Do not compromise the quality of your applications for quantity.
Pro Bono Work
Stemming from pro bono publico, ‘for the public good’, pro bono work involves volunteering to help those in need. This is typically because they cannot afford legal assistance or have little awareness of the law. Pro bono work can include helping victims of domestic abuse write witness statements, guiding a litigant-in-person around a court building, representing clients in tribunals, drafting responses to government consultations, etc.
There are hundreds of organisations in the UK that need volunteers with legal skills. Some have certain requirements: for example, volunteers may be required to be a LPC/BPTC student, or must be DBS qualified.
Tips for Securing Pro Bono Work
The application process for pro bono is not as competitive/detailed as other work experience. The process would typically involve an initial application form, CV and/or cover letter and an interview;
Spend time researching the necessary skills of a pro bono worker and find ways to illustrate them in your application and interview;
Also, make sure that the role/company you’re applying for aligns with your personal motivations as pro bono requires a lot of tenacity/self motivation. However, if it’s not a genuine passion, there will be signs that show in your application.
Young Lawyer Summer Experience
Dukes Plus’s own Young Lawyer Summer Experience offers the opportunity to experience a career as a lawyer, with the chance to work towards a UCAS-accredited work experience qualification.
You’ll get mentored by professional lawyers, prosecute your case in a mock trial, and visit the Supreme Court.
Young Lawyer Summer Experience
Experience a career as a lawyer, with the chance to earn a UCAS-accredited work experience qualification.
Professional Development
Training Contract (Solicitors)
As part of your solicitor journey, you will have to complete a training contract (TC). This can be done during or after your LPC/SQE. This is a two-year period of practical training that Law graduates must complete with a law firm before they can qualify as a solicitor.
A TC is where trainee solicitors put into practice everything they have learned while studying. During your training contract, you will complete a number of ‘seats’. Seats are usually six-month stints across four different departments of a law firm.
Pupillage (Barristers)
Pupillage is the final step towards qualification as a barrister, after completing the Bar training. It is usually completed in chambers under the supervision of experienced barristers.
Your pupillage will help you consolidate everything you learned during your vocational training component while picking up other skills along the way.
Pupillage typically lasts for one year split into the non-practising period (the ‘first six’) and the practising period (the ‘second six’). During the first six, you will shadow a supervisor assist with Court document preparation and conduct legal research. Before you can continue to the second six, you will have to complete a compulsory Pupils’ Advocacy Course and ethics training.
You can only apply for pupillage via the Pupillage Gateway.
Qualification and Registration
Solicitors
After completing the LPC/SQE you must apply for admission to the roll of solicitors via the SRA. After submitting the SRA’s Character and Sustainability Assessment Form, the SRA will assess your character and suitability after you submit.
The SRA will not admit anyone who has a criminal record, behaved dishonestly, declared bankruptcy, etc.
Barristers
Once you have completed your pupillage, you will be eligible for tenancy (a permanent place in a set of chambers). This is effectively an invitation to become a self-employed practitioner.
This is typically awarded after a vote of all members of chambers, following recommendations from a tenancy committee, clerks and possibly pupils’ instructing solicitors.
When you have been called to the Bar of England and Wales as a barrister, you may need a Certificate of Good Standing (issued by the Bar Standards Board). It serves as evidence that you are eligible to practice as a barrister (also that you qualify to work in another jurisdiction or on a case overseas).
Continuing Professional Development
Maintaining and upholding standards of practice (competency) is a key part of being in the legal profession. The SRA sets and manages continuing competence requirements.
To meet the requirements, legal professionals will need to identify any personal learning needs and address these through learning activities. This includes any activity that professionals do to meet their learning needs.
For example:
- Secondments
- Mentoring/coaching
- Certifications and accreditations
- Research
Career Progression and Specialisation
Overall, the career pathway to working in a law firm or chamber involves years of education, examinations, and vocational training. As you develop on this path, the opportunities in the legal professional world increase immensely which makes this investment so worthwhile.
There are different types of legal services (practice areas). Once you have qualified as a legal professional and your career progresses, you may want to become a specialist.
This involves building years of experience, expertise and networks in a particular field. It is advisable to gain experience in different practice areas first).
Being a specialist lawyer can:
- Enhance your chances of employment as you become a competitive asset ;
- Help you build a strong client base in a specific market;
- Give you a stronger success rate due to building a more efficient and in-depth client/project strategy.
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