Reality check

It’s worth mentioning that a legal career is competitive and expensive. So, without wanting to detract from the exciting and challenging career on offer, here follows some food for thought…

Finances

With nearly £10,000 per year undergraduate fees, plus postgraduate study in 2026/27 costing up to £21,100 for the Bar course (with a master’s), and the new Solicitor Qualifying Exam assessments costing £5,092 from September 2026 (excluding the fees for preparation courses), the road to qualification isn’t cheap. In addition, some law firms at the smaller end of the market may pay trainees no more than the National Minimum Wage. Your ability to afford the courses and a potentially low starting wage must be a factor in deciding whether to pursue law as a career. Keep an eye out for funding options – our ‘Finances’ page on LawCareers.Net has lots of information and advice.

Academics

There’s real competition for training contracts and pupillages. You must get strong grades from your first year of university onwards. Your A-level grades are also important. Many law firms have also adopted contextual recruitment systems like REALrating to look beyond A-level grades to assess academic potential and identify candidates they may otherwise miss.

Online

Set up a LinkedIn profile to connect with employers and other contacts – and start to build up the ‘professional’ side of your social media presence. You can even learn about the profession through Instagram and TikTok! Follow LawCareers.Net on these platforms to get started.

Time

Spend time researching law firms/chambers you like; planning how to get work experience (legal or non-legal); and filling out, refining and checking your applications. In every case, start early, have a schedule and be strict with yourself. Last-minute, rushed application efforts are almost worse than no effort at all.

Competition 

There are fewer training contract and pupillage places than there are people with the necessary qualifications. Find a way to stand out – be resourceful, authentic, determined and committed to the profession and a career in law.

Commercial awareness

The legal world is part of the business world. If you have ambitions to work for a commercial law firm, you must develop a good understanding of the issues and events affecting businesses. Developing commercial awareness starts with being curious about the world around you. We encourage you to read our weekly commercial news round-up (published every Thursday), our Wrestle with PESTLE articles, and trusted sources like the Financial Times and The Economist. As you read, consider how what you’re learning might affect businesses and the legal advice they need – you don’t need to be studying law to start practising this.

Experience

You need a combination of work experience (legal and non-legal) and extracurricular activities to become the all-rounder that law firms/chambers want to hire. By choosing experiences that challenge and interest you, you’ll be better able to show what you’ve learnt and how it’s relevant to life as a lawyer.

Diversity

Real progress is being made to improve diversity and social mobility across the legal profession, thanks to a growing number of initiatives focused on widening access and opportunity. Organisations such as upReach, for example, work for free with students, offering practical support with CVs, application forms and interview practice, while also working with employers to provide work experience opportunities and improve access to the profession. While it’s important to be honest that the profession is still shaped by its history, change is happening and momentum is building. There’s increasing awareness of the imbalance and clear commitment from many parts of the profession to do better. For the latest developments and insights into the support available, visit LawCareers.Net’s Diversity in law hub.

Work/life balance

It’s true that the legal profession has a reputation for long hours and intense work. It’s worth doing your research as workload and expectations vary depending on the practice area or type of law firm/chambers you choose. It’s also important to note that mental health in the legal profession is being talked about now more than ever, and progress is being made in this area.