Career changers: five tips for those switching careers to law

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There’s no denying that switching from one career to another is daunting. You’ve likely spent a long time working hard to get to the position you’re in but maybe now you’re realising there’s something missing or another career you’d like to pursue instead. In this case, a solicitor or barrister qualification.

As a career changer, you’re certainly not on your own. Plenty of people change their minds about the direction their careers are heading. While you’ll inevitably feel at times overwhelmed by the journey ahead, your position can and should be used to your advantage.

Find out more from Paul Gillen about his journey from HR to employment law at Lewis Silkin and Antonia Eklund from Blackstone Chambers about how she transferred from journalism to life at the Bar.

If you’re serious about moving into the legal profession, read our five tips to help you get started.

1. Finances

First things first, it’s important to assess your finances. The journey to becoming a solicitor or barrister isn’t cheap.

Read our advice on funding your legal studies as a career changer in this Oracle.

You must check your funding options before you commit to pursuing this career.

There are four requirements to qualify as a solicitor via the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), the centralised route to qualifying. You must:

• have a university degree or equivalent in any subject (law or non-law);
• pass the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) character and suitability assessment;
• pass SQE1 and 2; and
• have two years’ qualifying work experience (QWE).

The SQE is a system of exams and not a course – SQE1 costs £1,888 and SQE2 costs £2,902. These fees only cover the cost of sitting the exams. Given that the SRA encourages all aspiring lawyers to complete an SQE preparation course ahead of taking the assessments to give themselves the best chance of passing, there’ll likely be additional fees on top. Various education providers have developed their own preparation courses that differ in cost. Some are combined with a master’s so can be funded using a postgraduate student loan, but this isn’t always the case and some may have to be funded by yourself. Check the government’s website for information on what funding is available.

Alternatively, if you decide to apply for a training contract or graduate solicitor apprenticeship, many firms also provide funding for the SQE – so speak to the law firms you’re interested in and find out what they offer successful applicants.

Read LCN’s guide to SQE preparation courses for information on the courses on offer.  

If it’s the Bar you’re interested in, you’ll need to complete a Bar course. Much like the SQE, fees for Bar courses vary depending on the education provider. If you don’t have a law degree, you’ll also need to factor in the costs associated with the law conversion course, the Graduate Diploma in Law.

Aside from the two routes above, it might also be worth looking into The Chartered Institute for Legal Executives (CILEX). The CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ) involves on-the-job training and provides three levels of qualification: CILEX Lawyer, CILEX Advanced Paralegal or CILEX Paralegal. It’s a flexible pathway with course fees starting at around £3,000 for foundation stage – find out more about CPQ costs via the CILEX Law School website.

2. Identify your motivations for becoming a lawyer

If you’re coming to law having already started a career in another industry, recruiters will understandably want to know why you’re making the change, and why now. You probably have your reason(s) stored away but set some time aside to make sure your motivations are clear and logical – and that you can express them in an enthusiastic and convincing way.

Recruiters want to know you’re committed to the profession, so think about how you can demonstrate this. In the lead up to a vacation scheme or training contract interview, consider the following questions:

• What is it about the law that appeals to you?
• Why are you interested in becoming a solicitor/barrister?
• Why are you switching from your current role?
• Do you have any experience that demonstrates your interest in the profession?

These are all questions worth thinking about ahead of making any applications.

Read our Meet the Recruiter profiles for insights into what recruiters want to see from applicants.

3. Attend open days/evenings

Put yourself out there. For those unable to attend in-person open days, presentations or insight evenings (due to caring responsibilities or work), attending virtual events is another fantastic way to gain insights into firms and the profession. Law firms continue to recognise the accessibility benefits of virtual events, so there are still plenty of opportunities for you to get to meet law firms/employers and their representatives this way.

Not only are virtual events a great way to find out more about the firm and whether you’re suited to one another, they’re also a fantastic chance for you to impress them by fully engaging in the sessions and asking relevant questions. Always make sure you’re as prepared as possible for these events. Have a list of questions ready for any networking opportunities, and showcase your interest in the profession and its people.

Read LawCareers.Net’s guide to networking for our tips on preparing for these opportunities and making the most of networking encounters.

It’s also important to note here that while many firms recruit trainees directly from their vacation schemes, not all firms do because they recognise that not everyone can take two weeks off work for a vacation scheme. As such, you should research which firms recruit outside of their vacation schemes, as applying directly for a training contract or paralegal work that can count towards your QWE could be viable options for career changers.

Speaking of QWE, with a training contract no longer the only route to qualification, aspiring lawyers can now build up the two years’ QWE required to qualify as a solicitor through paralegal work, for example. One of the aims of the SQE is to introduce more flexibility to qualifying. There are multiple avenues to choose from, so do your research and find the right route for you.

Find out what counts as QWE via this Oracle.

In terms of the Bar, barrister chambers also host open days, so find out which chambers you’re interested in and see whether they have events you can attend. In addition, some chambers host mini-pupillages for specific career changer intakes – for example, Landmark Chambers holds one that’s also open to “existing professionals with a non-legal background who are considering undertaking an LLB or GDL”. Make the most of these opportunities where you can.

4. Research

Once you’ve had a look at the funding options and fees associated with a career in the legal profession, and attended some events, it’s time to get stuck into research. This includes researching the law firms/chambers you’re interested in and the various routes into law.

LawCareers.Net has lots of advice on conducting research, including:

• our short guide to researching law firms;
• ‘How to research law firms when applying for vacation schemes’; and
• our podcast episode that’s all about researching law firms and includes tips from graduate recruiters at RPC, Osborne Clarke LLP and Baker McKenzie.  

You should also take a more in-depth look at the SQE (as well as the options for QWE), GDL and Bar courses to find what suits you, your circumstances and motivations best.

To find out more about the SQE visit our SQE hub, sponsored by The University of Law.

5. Review skills developed via current or previous role

While it might feel like you’re at a disadvantage to the energetic graduates who’ve had their hearts set on a career in the legal profession since before university, you need to reframe your thinking. While you may face unique barriers, there are so many factors you can use to your advantage to set yourself apart from other candidates.

Review and analyse the skills you’ve developed during your time at work. The real-life experience you have from working within a particular industry can be used as evidence for any skills you list. For example, this could be working with tricky clients, building and maintaining client relationships, communicating, leading a team in a project or collaborating within a team, developing and using commercial acumen, and creative problem solving. These are just some of the skills that are crucial to a successful career as a solicitor or barrister.

Consider the ways your current work can set you up for a career in law. Identify your skills and build the evidence up around them, as your applications will be futile without this. Remember you’ll have a lot more work experience to talk about than students or graduates!

Getting started

The above are just five steps to help you get started on your journey into law – it’s not an exhaustive list. There are lots of additional ways you can support yourself, including accepting support when you need it – whether it’s in the form of childcare, careers advice, or just a friend or family member offering to cook dinner – so you can spend more time studying or attending open days, for example.

Getting into the legal profession isn’t an easy option, which you likely knew before making the decision, but if you’re genuinely keen on a career in the law, the hard work and time spent will be worth it.