The Beginner’s Guide to a Career in Law

Welcome

The Beginner’s Guide to a Career in Law, sponsored by The University of Law

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Meet the Lawyer

Find out more about life as a lawyer with LCN's Meet the Lawyer profiles

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First-year opportunities

Find out which firms have open days and insight schemes for first-year students

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Becoming a solicitor

Discover what you need to do to become a solicitor

Visit the Solicitor hub

Welcome Meet the Lawyer First-year opportunities Becoming a solicitor

Kickstart your legal career with these upcoming events!

LawCareers.Net masterclass: legal apprenticeships – what you need to know

Thursday 12 February | Register now!

LawCareers.Net masterclass: innovation and the future of law

Wednesday 18 February | Register now!

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The Beginner's Guide to a Career in Law

Your essential first step to a career in law

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Key law career questions

Find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about a career in the legal sector

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Key law career deadlines

Discover several key events and deadlines that you need to diarise

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Reality check

Without wanting to detract from the exciting and challenging legal career on offer, here are some things to bear in mind

Beginner's Guide

First-year checklist

Find out what you should be doing in your first year at university as a law or non-law student

Meet the Lawyer

Read how today's lawyers went from student to qualified lawyer

Legal career paths

Take a look at our simple career timetable

Solicitor versus barrister

What's the difference and which career would suit you? Use this guide to get you started

Meet the Lawyer

Kiran Sidhu

Kiran Sidhu’s varied experience at university and beyond led her to data protection and privacy work. As an associate at Bristows LLP, Kiran outlines her role in this area of law, the skills and strengths required to be successful and more in this Meet the Lawyer profile.

Meet the Recruiter

Jasmine Hepple

Jasmine Hepple, early talent senior advisor at Taylor Wessing, sets out how the firm runs a vacation scheme and its recruitment timelines, the sort of work involved in the firm’s programmes and how applicants can show themselves off in the best light.

Meet the Lawyer

Chelsea Thompson

Chelsea Thompson discusses her journey into law and experience transitioning to a career in the UK. She outlines the key skills needed as a solicitor, what makes her firm stand out and her area of expertise. She also describes how technology is changing the way lawyers work.

Meet the Recruiter

Isabella Gartside

Isabella Gartside, early careers assistant at Ashfords LLP, highlights how crucial thorough research is prior to making an application, the importance of being genuine and how you can make yourself stand out.

Videos

See more videos

LawCareersNetLIVE Manchester 2024: trainee panel

Practice Area Profile | Indhu Birdy - Baker McKenzie

LawCareers.Net masterclass: commercial awareness

Meet the Lawyer | Hebe Thorne - Burges Salmon LLP

Masterclass | researching law firms – identifying the firm for you

Vacation Scheme Insiders

Luke Stamp

University

University of Manchester

Subject

Law

Started

Spring 2024

Vacation Scheme Insiders

Durham University

Law

Spring 2024

Vacation Scheme Insiders

Prina Bharadia

University

University of Nottingham

Law

Summer 2024

The Law Apprenticeships Guide 2026

"Where should I start?"

Practice areas

Find out what life is like in practice

Becoming a solicitor

Find out what becoming a solicitor involves

Becoming a barrister

Find out what becoming a barrister involves

Becoming an in-house lawyer

Find out what becoming an in-house lawyer involves

Useful content!

Feature

Starting a legal career from a non-law background – a step-by-step guide

Curious about becoming a lawyer without a law degree? Here's everything non-law students need to know about legal careers, qualification routes and getting started.

Ask the Oracle

What career choices do I have with a law degree?

I’m about to graduate from my law degree but don’t want to work at a law firm. What are my options?

LCN Says

Dimitar Dimitrov - Five tips for flawless LawCareersNetLIVE applications

Dimitar Dimitrov

To secure a place at one of our prestigious LawCareersNetLIVE student conferences you must submit a top-class application. These applications are similar to training contract applications – but don’t let that intimidate you.

About the legal sector

What lawyers do

Learn more about the branches of the legal profession, areas of law, and practice areas

Types of lawyers

Read our table of key facts to help you distinguish between the different types of lawyers

Paralegals

Find out about this distinct group of legal professionals

Work experience

Find out about the various work experience opportunities available for aspiring lawyers

News

LawCareers.Net announces nominees for 2026 Student Law Society Awards

The nominees for the 12th annual Student Law Society (SLS) Awards, sponsored by BARBRI, have been revealed after LawCareers.Net received 53 submissions from presidents and committees and nearly 2,200 submissions from society members.

News

Shoosmiths announces pay rise and London expansion for solicitor apprentices

Shoosmiths has unveiled a pay rise for its solicitor apprentices and plans to recruit apprentices in London for the first time, marking a significant expansion of its alternative qualification pathways.

News

Demand for mental health support in legal sector reaches record high, LawCare report finds

More people in the legal sector sought mental health support last year than ever before, according to LawCare’s newly published Impact Report 2025. The charity, which provides emotional support to people working in the legal sector, supported 753 individuals in 2025 – more than in any previous year, including during the covid-19 pandemic.

News

The SRA warns against ‘no win, no fee’ arrangements

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has published a warning notice on ‘no win, no fee’ arrangements in high-volume consumer claims (HVCC) following concerns that practitioners weren’t acting in their clients’ best interests.

Beginner's Guide to a Career in Law

Kickstart your legal career with these upcoming events!

Beginner's Guide

Videos

"Where should I start?"

Useful content!

About the legal sector

More insights

Upcoming Events

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