Industry competitiveness increasing: Helpful advice to secure a law training contract
The motivation to become a solicitor is threefold: the profession is lucrative; solicitors have the opportunity to help people; and work is varied, challenging and in many cases important to society. The problem with wanting to become a solicitor, however, is that too many people want to become a solicitor. In the UK, supply far outweighs demand, leaving many bright, ambitious graduates with no place in the industry. Should prospective university students consider an alternative career before enrolling on a law degree?
Numbers
Every student ought to consider their options carefully before committing to degree-level study, which has become substantially more expensive in England following the controversial rise in tuition fees. While interest in a subject is undoubtedly one of the most important considerations, post-graduate opportunities must be assessed objectively. Few students are willing to accept that their chances of forging a successful career in law are limited, especially if those students are academically gifted and have a passion for the law. Unfortunately, ability and ambition do not always count for everything.
The numbers suggest that the overwhelming majority of law graduates will not be offered a training contract. In the 2009/2010 academic year, law schools made room for 14,510 LPC (Legal Practice Course) places, but law firms offered training contracts to 4,874 graduates. Not counting graduates from previous years who were still looking for a training contract, at least 9,636 people were effectively excluded from entering the legal profession in 2009/2010. The shortfall in training contracts becomes gargantuan when the number of law graduates who decided not to enrol on the LPC is added to the equation.
Students should consider these numbers very carefully. The probability of not being offered a training contract is high for every student and degree-level study is expensive. Many law graduates wish they had studied a different subject at university for the sole reason that becoming a solicitor is now so difficult. Opportunities are further diminished when students from new universities apply for training contracts; though law firms insist that they consider each individual applicant on merit, many continue to hire based on irrelevant criteria such as background and social standing.
Hope
While most law graduates face an uncertain future, the most ambitious can usually find a way into the industry. The key difference is belief: graduates who give up after receiving one or two rejections from law firms obviously have no hope of entering the profession, whereas those who refuse to give up often get noticed. In a profession that places a great deal of emphasis on status and privilege, it is both comforting and surprising to note that tenacity can make a difference.
Choosing the right law firm is also important. Applying to 'Magic Circle' law firms in London will increase the odds of rejection compared to applying for positions in family law firms in Manchester or personal injury solicitors in Liverpool, for example. Many high-street practices offer training contracts to local graduates and qualifying with a small firm can be advantageous for a number of reasons.
Students should be realistic about their prospects, but they must also not give up hope easily. One of the best ways to stand out to top law firms is to be different (obviously in a good way). Learning several languages, volunteering in the community, undertaking charity work in foreign countries and completing an internship at a major firm can add value to a CV that must also display strong academic and personal qualities. The rest is largely a matter of luck.
This post was composed and contributed by Zoe on behalf of Hughes Carlisle, who provide help and support with all avenues of family law. To get in touch with Hughes Carlisle regarding a family law issue, send an email or write to them at the following address:
7500 Daresbury Park, Daresbury, WA4 4BS.