Have you ever fancied a career in Law but don’t know where to start? Lucie Brooks-Francis of the Lawyer Portal helped Dukes Club sixth form students curious about this career choice, unravel the possibilities in this Dukes Club webinar.
Lucie began by exploring the multiple career possibilities within the legal sector. It is not just about being a solicitor or a barrister. A law qualification can open up or benefit you in a myriad of career choices. From charted accountancy to jobs in trading standards, it is also an extremely useful qualification.
Students were surprised to learn that taking a non-law degree does not necessarily prevent a future career in the legal profession. It is possible to pursue your passion by following a degree course that is less career focused and later joining a training programme to fulfil your career ambitions.
While a law degree does give you an opportunity to delve more deeply into the academic side of law, she encouraged students to bear in mind their own working style in relation to the degree. Lucie explained how a non-law degree followed by a conversion course might be a better route for some and won’t pose a disadvantage.
Giving an in-depth explanation of the new SQE exams, which have been in place since 2021, Lucy looked at the pros and cons of SQE vs training contracts in the road to qualifying as a solicitor. While the training contract provides excellent work experience, Lucie believes the timeline with the SQE path is far more flexible for students and makes careers in Law a lot more accessible.
Lucie also looked at the Bar route into Law – breaking it down in to its various components.
What were her key takeaways? Lucie encourages students to choose the route that would make them happy. Follow a path that interests you and that is within your comfort zone. Her advice is to get as much experience as possible. Take part in vacation schemes, open days and work experience programmes so that you really understand what it is that you want out of your career and can choose the right way to get there.
Listen to Lucie’s talk to find out more.
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