In all three jurisdictions, the profession is open to graduates and non-graduates alike, but it should be noted that well over 90 per cent of solicitors throughout the UK graduate before commencing their professional training. To qualify as a non-graduate is more time-consuming and more difficult, in that it necessitates studying while in employment, and many employers prefer to take on trainees who have a degree.
Training in England and Wales
Training requirements are laid down by the Law Society from whom full details may be obtained, but if you decide to become a solicitor the first thing to think about is what route you wish to follow to qualify, as there are several to choose from. Although those entering the profession are mostly graduates, and in general, the prospects for graduates tend to be better, you do not need to have a law degree, or any degree at all. You may choose to start training immediately on leaving school with A-levels. The three main categories of trainee are: law graduates; non-law graduates; and (to a much lesser extent) Fellows of the Institute of Legal Executives.
Academic training
The main route to becoming a solicitor is the law degree route. If you decide to take a law degree, you will need to achieve three good passes at A-level, because competition for places on law degree courses is intense. You may study any academic subjects, the crucial requirement being to obtain good grades, ie grade C or better. You should ensure that within your law degree you cover the seven Foundations of Legal Knowledge required by both the Law Society and the Inns of Court to complete the academic side of training. Applications for places on law degree courses are made via the University Admission Services.
If you obtain a degree in a subject other than law you will have to follow a course leading to the CPE which covers the core subjects taken as part of most law degrees, such as constitutional law, contract, tort, criminal law, land law and equity and trusts, or alternatively the course which leads to the postgraduate Diploma in Law. For Law Society purposes, there is no difference. Non-law graduates usually have to pass six papers and mature students eight papers. There are recognized courses leading to the CPE exams and details arc obtainable from the Law Society. Partial exemptions are available for Fellows of the Institute of Legal Executives.
The Law Society's Final Examination Course for solicitors has now been replaced by a more practical Legal Practice Course (LPC).The course is taught and assessed by approved institutions subject to the Law Society's supervision exercised through the Legal Practice Course Board. The Board is responsible for monitoring the quality of the course.
The purpose of the course is to ensure that trainee solicitors entering training contracts have the necessary knowledge and skills to undertake appropriate tasks under proper supervision during the contract. A full-time LPC runs for one academic year, a part-time course for two years. The introduction of part-time courses has increased the flexibility of the training scheme and access to the profession. The Competition for places on the LPC is stiff and candidates need good academic qualifications.
The Training Regulations now permit institutions to offer an integrated course which combines the academic stage core subjects and the Legal Practice Course in a two-year programme of study. Also, teaching institutions may apply to run four-year exempting law degrees which combine a qualifying law degree with a Legal Practice Course. Before a student can commence the LPC, he or she must apply for student membership of the Law Society.
Financial support
The Law Society provides helpful information, notably in its guide The Law Degree Route to Qualification as a Solicitor, on financial support for students taking the CPE or LPC.
In accordance with the Law Society's Training Regulations 1990, no person may commence a Legal Practice Course or enter into a Training Contract unless he or she has been issued with a Certificate of Student Enrolment. In addition, no student may commence a Legal Practice Course until he or she has obtained from the Law Society a Certificate of Completion of the Academic Stage of Training.
A composite application form for Student Enrolment and for a Certificate of Completion of the Academic Stage of Training may be obtained from the Regulation Enquiries branch of the Law Society.
Finding a training contract
You will also need to start applying for a training contract and attend interviews. Many private practice employers will recruit trainee solicitors up to two years in advance. You should therefore contact your prospective employer as early as possible, to find out what their requirements are. You will need to bear in mind the fact that the profession is very competitive and entry into it is by no means guaranteed to those with law degrees, CPE or LAC. Economic circumstances alone mean that training places within the profession are subject to market forces that can fluctuate. Many fully qualified solicitors are also facing or have faced redundancy, so the situation is not confined to trainees.
You must also be aware of the need to market yourself. It is a competitive world, so you must create opportunities to get a job and use every opportunity carefully to your advantage. You must have good interpersonal skills. A solicitor must be able to communicate with clients at every level, by letter, in person and on the telephone.
The training contract
After a successful completion of the academic and vocational stages, you will have to undergo a period of practical training, which is a two-year training contract in England and Wales, with an authorized firm of solicitors or other such organization. This is to enable the trainee solicitor to gain experience of the practical aspects of a solicitor's work. During the training contract, the candidate has to undertake a 20-day Professional Skills Course, which is modular in nature and can be undertaken at various points of the training contract, through various means of training. This period of training used to be called Articles, but is now referred to as a training contract.
When it comes to finding a training contract, the onus is on you, the candidate. Many firms recruit two years in advance and vacancies are notified to universities where potential trainees can be found. In addition, most firms will register a vacancy in the appropriate directories and the Law Society produces a directory called ROSET (Register of Solicitors Employing Trainees) which is available from the Law Society and from many universities. This enables the candidate to see which firms are offering vacancies and to contact them directly. Some firms visit universities to interview final year students, but this practice is at present decreasing and many employers prefer to interview candidates on their own premises.
Competition for training contracts is great, and prospective trainees should be aware of the need to apply at an early stage. They need good academic qualifications and languages or computer skills may help to give them the edge in any applications. It is essential to research thoroughly the firms to which you are applying, and to ensure that each application is tailored to that particular organization.
As part of the training contract the Law Society requires firms to give trainees experience of at least three areas of law. Obviously, not all firms offer the same areas of law, so you have to decide when applying to a firm the kind of law you wish to practice and the kind of client you wish to deal with. Failure to gain experience in your preferred areas of law during your training contract may make it more difficult for you to obtain work in that area subsequently.
The Law Society requires firms to pay trainees a minimum salary and this requirement has continued for some time, although some solicitors argue that it reduces the number of training contracts available. However, many firms pay well above the minimum and pay salaries which compare favorably with those of other fields of graduate employment.
