Become a Lawyer
Wondering how to become a lawyer, or even what it actually means to be one? Read our guide on how to become a lawyer in England and Wales, how long it takes, and what you will need to study.
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What is a lawyer?
The UK comprises three separate legal jurisdictions: England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Each jurisdiction has its own legislation and system of law. This guide focuses on how to be a lawyer in England and Wales.
In the UK, there are different types of lawyers. ‘Lawyer’ is used to describe anyone qualified to provide legal advice as a licensed legal practitioner. You’ll often hear solicitors and barristers referred to as lawyers. However, there are significant differences between a barrister and a solicitor.
Solicitors
Solicitors provide legal support and advice, prepare legal documents, and represent their clients across areas like finance, commercial contracts, employment, and more.
Solicitors can work across a variety of clients such as commercial organisations, government, private practice, or even in-house.
A solicitor’s role is predominantly office-based but you have the opportunity to become a specialist in certain areas of law.
Barristers
Similar to solicitors, barristers also provide specialist legal advice to their clients, however, they usually specialise in one area of law. They represent and defend their clients at legal hearings and court. Their role is more practical and involves representing clients in court, researching points of law, and serving and advising clients on their cases.
As a barrister, you can choose to be self-employed and work in chambers or work in-house for government agencies and departments.
Other lawyer professions
Other professions that are also referred to as ‘lawyers’ but are perhaps less well-known are chartered legal executives and paralegals.
Chartered legal executives are lawyers who specialise in certain areas of law like public law, criminal litigation, or corporate law. To qualify as a chartered legal executive, you must complete the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives training programme.
Paralegals are not qualified as solicitors or barristers - however, they support them by carrying out legal work, preparing briefings, and interviewing witnesses and clients.
Why become a lawyer?
A career in law is a challenging and deeply rewarding path. It’s the perfect career for those who are passionate about helping people, solving challenges, and making a difference to people, groups, and industries.
Lawyers have great job and financial security and can also make substantial changes to the legal system. To help you decide which type of lawyer suits you best, try to arrange work experience placements and attend open days.
How much does a lawyer make?
In the UK, a junior lawyer solicitor can be expected to start between £28,000 and £40,000 depending on the firm, role, and city. London-based firms, for instance, often pay over £40,000 for first-year trainees (per Prospect).
This increases significantly with experience and tenure as well as depending on the role and area of specialisation. According to Glassdoor, the Median lawyer’s salary in the UK is £60,990 per year (excluding additional forms of pay such as cash bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing). Top, experienced lawyers can expect to draw salaries of over £104,382 per year.
What skills do lawyers need?
Whatever type of lawyer you want to become, all law careers require a strong work ethic and high academic grades. The job requires you to have the ability to understand and interpret large amounts of information, and skills such as:
Written and verbal communication skills
Inductive and deductive reasoning skills
Strong analytical and comprehension skills
What subjects do you need to study to be a lawyer?
In a demanding field such as law, candidates must have strong academic abilities to thrive in their careers. It is also a highly competitive field, and the grades you get can impact your chances of being hired by a reputable firm.
What A-level subjects do you need?
There are no specific requirements for A-level students if you want to become a lawyer, however, you’ll want to pick subjects that demonstrate the kinds of competency skills that law requires. For that reason, subjects like law, economics, maths, and English literature are great choices to consider.Do you need a law degree to be a lawyer?
To become a lawyer such as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales, you do not have to have a degree specific to law but you do need a degree. However, choosing a law degree will give you more freedom should you want to qualify outside of England and Wales. You might then need to take a law conversion course before progressing on to a Barrister or Solicitor specific course.What qualifications do you need to be a lawyer?
The qualifications you need to be a lawyer will depend on the type of law career that you are applying for.
Solicitor qualifications
To become a solicitor you will need a degree or equivalent qualification. If your degree is not in law it is recommended you take a law conversion course before you attempt to take the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) as a foundation knowledge of law is required.
When you have completed both stages of the SQE, you will need to complete two years of qualifying legal experience. You will then be required to take the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) character and suitability test to assess your ethical suitability for the role. When you have completed those steps you can then apply for admission to the roll of solicitors.
You can also choose to become a solicitor through an apprenticeship scheme. This is a six-year program for paralegals, chartered legal executives, and A-level graduates looking to become solicitors.
Barrister qualifications
To qualify as a barrister in England and Wales you need to complete a degree, and if this isn't in law, you will then need to take an additional law conversion course, the Bar exam and a pupillage. The pupilage is the final step to training as a barrister and is the twelve-month practical training under qualified barristers.
When all these components are completed, you can then apply for your tenancy as self-employed in chambers of practice as an employed barrister.
How long does it take to qualify as a lawyer?
How long it takes to qualify as a lawyer depends on the route and law career that you are going into, however in general it takes around six years to qualify. More specifically:
Solicitor: Takes around six years of full-time study to qualify, including the degree time.
Barrister: Takes around six years including the three years of your degree.
Final thoughts
Although the requirements may differ from country to country, qualifying as a lawyer is a challenging journey that pays off. Whatever lawyer career path is the best fit for you, each one offers its own unique rewards and experiences. As legislation and technology is subject to frequent updates, it’s important to stay flexible and prioritise your learning.
Looking to learn?
Start your journey to becoming a lawyer now and take a look at the BPP’s law courses or read more on how to secure your legal career.
FAQs
In the UK, the qualifications you need to become a lawyer will depend on which profession you want to go into. In general, to train as a solicitor, barrister, or solicitor advocate, you will need to have an undergraduate degree in any subject.