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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First-year opportunities

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

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Your non-law student hub

You don’t need a law degree to become a lawyer - visit LCN's non-law student hub!

Your non-law student hub

Education hub

Find your undergraduate or postgraduate law course

Visit the Education hub

Welcome First-year opportunities Your non-law student hub Education hub

Kickstart your legal career with these upcoming events!

LawCareers.Net masterclass: understanding legal practice – financial services

This LawCareers.Net masterclass, sponsored by Osborne Clarke LLP and more firms TBC, will discuss what it’s really like to be a lawyer working in financial services.

LawCareersNetLIVE 2025 – the prestigious legal conferences

Apply now for a chance to network with top law firms in London, Manchester or virtually this winter!

Sponsored by

The Beginner's Guide to a Career in Law

Your essential first step to a career in law

Sponsored by

Key law career questions

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

Sponsored by

Key law career deadlines

Discover several key events and deadlines that you need to diarise

Sponsored by

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 steps checklist

Here's what you can do even before you start university

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

Philip Whitehead

Philip Whitehead, an associate in Cooley (UK) LLP’s corporate and capital markets team, speaks about the recruitment process, how he gained relevant experience and what a typical day might involve in this Meet the Lawyer profile.

Meet the Recruiter

Lucie Rees

Should you use AI in your applications to HFW? How’s the firm adopting the Solicitors Qualifying Exam and what kind of work can you expect to experience on the vacation scheme? All of this and more is covered by HFW’s early careers manager Lucie Rees in this Meet the Recruiter profile.

Meet the Lawyer

Asia Munir

Asia Munir talks Legally Blonde, securing a training contract and becoming director, and outlines her career in real estate and housing litigation.

Meet the Recruiter

Anna Rutowicz

Early careers recruitment advisor Anna Rutowicz offers application advice, details on Hogan Lovells’ vacation scheme and discusses the firm’s DE&I strategy. Plus, find out why demonstrating commercial awareness is so important in your applications.

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

Jamie Baum

University

University of Leeds

Subject

Economics and politics

Started

Summer 2025

Vacation Scheme Insiders

Luke Stamp

University

University of Manchester

Subject

Law

Started

Spring 2024

Vacation Scheme Insiders

University of Essex

Law

Summer 2024

The Law Apprenticeships Guide 2025

"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

Government plans to limit short sentences to reduce prison overcrowding

Ministers are expected to introduce new legislation to the House of Commons after the summer recess, with the aim of reducing the use of short prison sentences and toughening community punishment.

News

A&O Shearman reports £2.9 billion global revenue in first year post-merger

In the first year since its transatlantic merger, A&O Shearman reported global revenues of £2.9 billion and a pre-tax profit of £1.1 million.

News

Irwin Mitchell showcases 91% trainee retention rate

Irwin Mitchell LLP has revealed that a total of 48 out of its 53 final-seat trainees will be continuing at the law firm as newly qualified (NQ) solicitors in its offices across the country. This marked a retention rate of 91% for the firm’s latest cohort.

News

Law Society welcomes government’s new AI action plan for justice

The Law Society of England and Wales has welcomed a new government action plan aimed at integrating AI into the justice system responsibly, with the ultimate goal of making justice more accessible to all.

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

Most Recent

Podcasts

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