Law graduate jobs are often in high demand because these
jobs in law are often the only way to progress further up the ladder of legal jobs. Because
graduate legal jobs are in high demand, you really need to set yourself apart from the competition. There are a number of ways to do this so read on for advice in your search for
law graduate jobs.
Graduate Legal Jobs Advice
- It may sound obvious but your result in your degree will obviously help to set you apart from the competitions for graduate legal jobs so doing all you during university will help you a lot. It also makes sense to stay in touch with any lecturers or teachers form university as not only will they be able to provide you with references but they also may know of jobs in law that are available and can help you get them.
- Previous experience will make a huge difference when it comes to your search for law graduate jobs and although you may have had to undertake work experience at jobs in law for your course, it looks excellent if you have undertaken more during your holidays etc. Again, make sure you keep in touch with people you have done work experience for as they may be able to assist you with finding law graduate jobs.
- Your CV is very important when it comes to applying for graduate legal jobs as it will be the employer’s first chance to assess you and make a decision on what info is there. For Jobs in law, your CV needs to be short and concise, paying particular attention to your legal skills and previous experience. Your cover letter allows the employer to see more of you and make a decision so make sure that you promote yourself and what you can bring to the law graduate jobs.
To help in your search for jobs in law, you can quickly search a wide range of
law graduate jobs here on Simply Law Jobs.
Many people look into
barrister jobs as a way to earn large amounts of money and although this is true, this should not be your main reason to start these
graduate legal jobs as you will need a genuine love of the job and the ability to work long hours under incredible pressure. Getting
barrister jobs in the UK is fairly straightforward when talking about the route taken but these
graduate legal jobs are in extremely high demand and only the best land
barrister jobs. If you are interested in
graduate legal jobs and
barrister jobs in particular, read on.
Graduate Legal Jobs – Barrister Jobs
- The first step in the journey of getting barrister jobs is to undertake a degree in a relevant subject. A law degree is by far the most sensible to be able to progress into graduate legal jobs but it is possible to do other degrees and then take a law conversion course.
- Once you have enrolled and completed this step, the next step in the process to finding barrister jobs is to become part of one of the four Inns of Court in the UK and undertake a 1 year (or 2 year part time) Bar Vocational Course which when completed, you’ll be called to the Bar.
- After the BVC, is the last step to becoming fully qualified and opening the door for barrister jobs is to undertake two 6 month pupillages, shadowing a practicing barrister to gain the relevant experience required to move on to full time barrister jobs. These graduate legal jobs will often be completed on minimum wage and they are highly competitive so only the best will get through. At every stage of getting graduate legal jobs, there is no guarantee that you will progress to the next.
- Barrister jobs differ from other legal jobs in that barristers are allowed to represent clients in court. Often, those with barrister jobs will work with a solicitor who advises the client and prepares the case for the barrister to present.
- Barrister jobs involve long hours, high pressure and the ability to be able to quickly collate vast amounts of information for a court case. Dedication, wit and intelligence are absolutely essential for these graduate legal jobs. The pay off for these challenging working conditions is the fact that the wages for barrister jobs can be huge. The very top barristers may earn £1m+ per year and although this is quite rare, £100k+ per year is certainly attainable.
You can search for a wide range of
barrister jobs and
graduate legal jobs here on Simply Law Jobs.
Solicitor jobs are one of the two main routes available to people fresh out of university, the other of which is barrister jobs. These
graduate legal jobs can lead to big wages and excellent job prospects but
legal jobs require years of continuous training and hard work. If you are interested in getting into
solicitor jobs though, this guide will help you out.
Getting Into Graduate Legal Jobs
- The first step to getting into solicitor jobs is to undertake a relevant university degree. A law degree is by far the most sensible degree to undertake to get into solicitor jobs but if you have done another degree it is possible to undertake a Common Professional Examination (CPE), a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) or to be become qualified as a fellow in the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX). After you have obtained these qualifications it is then time to undertake the next stage to get into graduate legal jobs.
- The next step in becoming eligible for solicitor jobs is to enrol and complete a Legal Practice Course (LPC). This course will either last 1 year full time or 2 years part time. After you have completed this it is time to undertake two years vocational training in graduate legal jobs.
- These vocational graduate legal jobs will allow you to gain all the necessary experience and final qualifications (such as the Professional Skills Course) to be able to move out into solicitor jobs as a fully qualified solicitor. During this process, you will most likely have to choose a specialism and start focussing on this for your future.
- Solicitor jobs differ from barrister jobs in that these legal jobs do not involve representing people in court but rather have a more active role in advising clients and preparing their cases. Those with solicitor jobs can easily earn over £80k per year with experience but for graduate legal jobs, that figure is likely to be in the region of £25k-£30k per year.
You can search for a wide range of
graduate legal jobs here on Simply Law Jobs.
Paralegal jobs are required across a number of organisations and have duties that can vary a great amount depending on where the job is held. However, generally speaking the term is used to describe
legal assistant jobs where legal work is carried out without actually being a qualified lawyer. See the following
legal job description if you are interested in paralegal jobs.
Paralegals can be employed in various types of organisation, including:
• Law firms
• Public sector organisations
• Business
• Industry
Although there is not a particular requirement in terms of qualifications or experience, entry to this type of work can be helped along with certain training. This can be obtained from places such as the Institute of Paralegals. This profession is growing though, and this could mean that it will become much more regulated in the future.
Legal assistant jobs like this can entail a range of work from both ends of the spectrum, including:
• Administration
• Arranging meetings, phone work
• Drafting and proofreading
• Taking notes in court
• Letter writing
• Managing case files
• Legal research tasks
• Liaising with clients
• Taking statements from witnesses
Barrister jobs are in place within the legal system to represent clients in a courtroom with instruction being given from a solicitor. A barrister has rights of audience in all courtrooms. See the following
legal job description for more information about this particular legal role.
Barrister jobs typically focus and specialise on one particular area of the law. Examples of this include:
• Criminal barrister work
• Chancery law
• Commercial
• Family
Most people in this type of law job are self-employed from chambers. However, it is increasingly common to find barristers that have been employed by organisations that are both private and public. These are usually large corporations that face legal challenges on a daily basis for all sorts of reasons.
Barrister Law Job Duties
Generally speaking, there are a number of different responsibilities that
barrister jobs entail. These can vary greatly, but include:
• Having full understanding of the law and being able to interpret it properly
• Researching certain legal points for particular cases
• Advising solicitors and other professionals with regards to the representation of a client
• Preparing court cases by holding conferences with clients and preparing arguments for court
• Presenting these arguments in a courtroom situation
• Examining/cross-examining witnesses in court
• Drafting legal documents
• Negotiating
It is fair to say that the type of work really depends on the sort of barrister law job held. For instance:
• A criminal barrister will be involved in a great deal of advocacy in court
• Family barrister jobs may have a certain amount of mediation in their work
• Commercial or chancery barristers will not be in court as much as their time is spent on drafting and advising more.
Legal assistant jobs come in a number of different forms and can require certain training depending on the role. This
legal job description will outline the types of work that can be found to assist legal professionals and what the jobs involve. If you are thinking about finding
paralegal jobs, see the following legal job description for more information about this sort of work.
Legal Assistant Jobs
This type of work can also be name paralegal jobs and is in place to provide support for lawyers. Those in legal assistant jobs cannot give legal advice to clients, nor can they sign legal documents or represent someone in court.
Often, legal assistants see clients before solicitors do. Their role is to interview the client and any witnesses first so that important information can be passed onto the solicitor regarding the case.
Paralegal jobs often require a variety of different duties to be carried out within a firm. Solicitors could ask assistants to draft contracts or other types of legal documents before being handed over to clients. Barristers use assistants to carry out appropriate research to support a case, as well as giving general support throughout a court case.
Legal Job Description – The Work
According to the particular field of law, paralegal jobs require different types of knowledge. More general legal knowledge is often needed, however certain firms specialise in specific fields, which means a more focussed knowledge is sought. The work can vary greatly from firm to firm, but if the candidate has legal experience or knowledge in a certain area that is more appropriate to the company, they will be chosen over someone with more general experience. For instance, a candidate with knowledge in family law will be involved in matters regarding adoption, divorce and custody.
Qualities and Skills for Legal Assistant Jobs
Anyone considering applying for legal support jobs should have the following qualities:
• Exceptional writing and research skills
• Attention to detail
• Customer service skills
• Knowledge/qualifications of the law practised
• Computer literacy
• Good admin and general secretarial skills/experience
Along with the legal knowledge and qualifications, paralegal jobs will require a candidate to have some secretarial and administration experience, good legal research skills and excellent writing skills.
Almost all medium to large companies will have their own legal departments and the
legal counsel is tasked with ensuring that the company operates within the confines of the law at all times and should there be any issues, those with
legal counsel jobs will represent the company. A
legal counsel job is essentially an in-house legal team. To find out more about
legal counsel jobs, read on.
Legal Counsel Job Info
- The legal counsel jobs will be split up within a company to focus on things such as employment law, commercial law etc. Large companies may be able to offer plenty of legal jobs to people with a wide range of experience levels.
- Those with legal counsel jobs will be expected to keep thoroughly up to date with any legislation or regulation changes and how these may affect the company. A legal counsel job also requires the individual to be able to advise on company policies and procedures.
- When it comes to a legal counsel job, the top of the tree would be that of senior legal counsel and these legal jobs require the individual to be aware of the goings on throughout the company. These legal jobs require to individual to identify, assess and manage any potential risk issues across the firm and prove continued preventative legal advice. A senior legal counsel will require all the relevant qualifications to be a solicitor as well as several years experience in legal practice.
- Many people choose to enter legal counsel jobs after several years practicing as a solicitor because of the comparatively easier hours and benefits. Those with legal counsel jobs need all the skills to make it as a solicitor as well as the ability to work in a commercial business environment and find resolutions to legal issues within a business context.
Senior legal counsel jobs will easily pay wages of over £100k and lower level legal jobs in this sector will still earn upwards of £60k pa. You can search for a wife range of
legal counsel jobs here on Simply Law Jobs.
In many countries,
barrister jobs and
solicitor jobs are essentially the same thing and an individual practices in both disciplines but in the UK, these
law jobs are separate and require different qualifications. To find out more about the difference between
barrister jobs and
solicitor jobs, read on.
Barrister Jobs
- These law jobs are different from solicitor jobs in that barrister jobs require the individual to earn their bar and then undertake a 1 year pupillage before becoming a full barrister.
- Those with barrister jobs are able to appear in court and instead of working directly with a client, the barrister will work with the client’s solicitor who will instruct and advise them. The barrister is not considered an attorney and can therefore not act on behalf of the client without being instructed to do so by the solicitor.
- Barrister jobs require the individual to be able to thin very quickly and have excellent public speaking skills. These law jobs require the individual to be given a prepared case by a solicitor and then being able to take it into court. The time between being shown a case and then having to present it is often very short.
- Barrister jobs are often freelance based but it is for barristers to earn over £100k pa. and a QC could well earn over £1m per year. You can search for barrister jobs here on Simply Law Jobs.
Solicitor Jobs
- Solicitor jobs, unlike barrister jobs are not freelance and this law job requires the individual to work for a legal firm, therefore earning a steady wage. Solicitor jobs require a relevant degree as well as a one year LPC and a further two years paid training at a law firm.
- Solicitors work directly with clients and help prepare a case which will then be presented to the barrister to argue in court. Those with solicitor jobs will however be able to represent clients in criminal magistrate’s courts or civil courts.
- These law jobs need the individual to be methodical, organised and complex problem solving skills. Solicitor jobs can still pay lots of money and with experience, wages of £100k+ pa. are certainly available and unlike barrister jobs, solicitor jobs provide a steady wage and other bonuses such as pensions/benefits etc. You can search for solicitor jobs here on Simply Law Jobs.
Barrister jobs are some of the most prestigious in UK law and a
law job as a barrister can earn large amounts of money.
Barrister jobs require the individual to represent a person or an organisation in court and they work closely with solicitors to present a case.
Barrister jobs require years and years of training including a law degree, a 1 year BVC and a 1 year pupillage.
Barrister Law Job
- Barrister jobs require people to be able to think very quickly on their feet and to be excellent at public speaking. Often, the solicitor will prepare the case and do a lot of the behind the scenes work and then hand the case over to the barrister who represents the client in court.
- Those with barrister jobs, like solicitors, will often specialise in a specific area of law such as financial law, common law and criminal law. A criminal barrister will either work for the crown or for the individual client. Most barrister jobs are self employed and work on a freelance basis.
- Although all barrister jobs are well paid, a criminal barrister may earn less over the course of a lifetime than those who have barrister jobs with private finance companies. It is not unheard of however for a law job such as a barrister to pay over £1m per year.
- Barrister jobs require an in depth understanding of the law as well as other personal qualities such as the ability to work hard for long hours under extreme pressure, to possess excellent organisational skills and finally to have confidence and excellent communicative skills.
- Barrister jobs require constant studying and research to be able to understand the intricacies of modern law and how any changes will affect different cases. To begin with, barrister jobs are very low paid and an individual going through pupillage will be paid the minimum wage. However, with experience and qualifications, the pay for this law job can increase dramatically and become one of the most well paid jobs available.
You can search for a wide range of
barrister jobs such as criminal barrister here on Simply Law Jobs.
When you are looking for
law graduate jobs, there are two distinct paths you can take and which one these
law jobs you choose will depend on personal preference as well as knowing yourself to know in what areas you are strong and which you are weak. To find out more about the
jobs in law for graduates, read on.
Solicitor
- These jobs in law require a law degree as well as completion of a one year legal practice course (LPC) and two years paid training in a solicitor’s firm. These law graduate jobs are suitable for people who enjoy working in teams and working on complex problems and legal deals.
- Solicitor jobs in law take a much more behind the scenes role than barristers and it is the job of the solicitor to advise barristers and liaise between them and the client.
- Like most law jobs, the hours required to work can be long and varied but there are excellent opportunities for career development and pay rises. These law graduate jobs are provided by a company and you will therefore receive a steady, guaranteed monthly wage.
Barrister
- These law jobs require a relevant degree, followed by a one year Bar Vocational Course (BVC), followed by a one year pupillage with a qualified barrister (often on minimum wage). After which the range of wages for these law jobs is huge (a QC can earn over £1m per year).
- Rather than the methodical, complex approach of solicitors, barrister law jobs rely on excellent public speaking and quick thinking to argue the case that a solicitor will have prepared.
- These jobs in law are often conducted solo rather than as part of a team. People interested in these law graduate jobs need to be able to assimilate information very quickly and effectively.
- Barristers, like a lot of other law jobs, tend to specialise in one of three areas: commercial, civil or criminal law. People with these jobs in law are self employed, therefore a steady salary is dependent on the individual and they have to pay their own pension, tax/NI etc.
You can search for a wide range of
law graduate jobs here on Simply Law Jobs.