Careers in the law often require a high level of qualifications. They suit people who have strong research skills, attention to detail and a methodical approach to work. Much of the work is office based, only some role involve spending time in court. Employment opportunitiescan be in law firms or as self employed solicitors or barristers. Other employers include large corporations, local government, the courts and the Crown Prosecution Service.
Jobs within this section
Barristers work in courts defending or prosecuting legal cases which have been referred by a solicitor. Barristers may also be asked to prepare reports, work on public enquiries or provide legal advice. After a degree a trainee barristers undertake a Bar Vocational Course and a ‘pupilage’ where they train as a junior member of law chambers. A barrister has to have a vast knowledge of the law and the legal cases that have develop the law. They must be able to speak in public and create legal argument. Senior barristers are Queens Council, most judges are trained barristers.
For more information visit:
The Bar Council: www.barcouncil.org.uk
Bar Standards Board: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk
Information on Law Careers: www.lawcareers.net
Solicitors undertake legal work on behalf of clients, they may appear in magistrates or county court, court but not all do. Solicitors may choose to specialise in a single are of the law such as criminal, family, commercial or property. They may work in local government, industry, business or a law practice. Solicitors need to be thorough, accurate, and meticulous in their work, to give advice on: divorce, wills, buying or selling a property, drawing up contracts, legal disputes, etc. Trainee solicitors undertake a legal practice course after a degree before starting a training contract in a solicitors practice.
For more information visit:
The Law Society: www.lawsociety.org.uk/juniorlawyers
Solicitors Regulation Authority: www.sra.org.uk
Institute of Legal Executives: www.ilex.org.uk
Information on Law Careers: www.lawcareers.net
►Legal Executives and Paralegal Work
Legal executives are qualified lawyer and work with solicitors to prepare legal documents and carry out specialist work. The work may also involve attending court and may have a caseload of legal work which they are responsible for. The training for legal executives takes place in the workplace and has a number of examinations through ILEX.
Paralegals are not legally qualified but carry out legal work under supervision. The work may be in industry, retail or finance and can involve clerical tasks and legal research.
For more information visit:
Institute of Legal Executives: www.ilex.org.uk
The National Association of Licensed Paralegals: www.nationalparalegals.co.uk
Information on Law Careers: www.lawcareers.net
Judges are qualified barristers, solicitors and legal executives with considerable legal experience. Their role is to: ensure that the court stays within the law; that evidence is fairly presented; to provide a summary of the case at the end and decide upon a sentence. Judges are recommended for appointment they cannot apply for it as a job.
Magistrates are members of the community who volunteer for the role; they must be over 18, of good character and able to sit in court for at least 26 half days per year. Magistrates have some training and have a Justices clerk to advise them on legal matters, they are not paid for their work.
For more information visit:
Ministry of Justice: www.justice.gov.uk
Judicial Appointments Commission: www.judicialappointments.gov.uk
The Magistrates’ Association: www.magistrates-association.org.uk
Justices’ Clerks’ Society: www.jc-society.co.uk
Her Majesty’s Courts Service: http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk
Many of the people working in the courts are legally qualified or carry out specialist administrative tasks. Roles include:
Justice’s Clerk– qualified solicitors who advise magistrates and may have a role in organising the running of the court.
Legal advisers – also qualified solicitors they are assistant clerks who combine advice to magistrates with administrative support.
Verbatim reporters (sometimes called stenographers) who make a word by word, accurate record of the court proceedings.
Usher- carries out a practical role in maintaining good order in the court and calling witnesses to give evidence.
For more information visit:
British Institute of Verbatim Reporters: www.bivr.org.uk
Justices’ Clerks’ Society: www.jc-society.co.uk
Her Majesty’s Courts Service: www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk
A barrister’s clerk deals with all the organisation and running of legal chambers. Senior clerks allocate cases to barristers, manage junior staff and negotiate fees and deal with payments for work undertaken by barristers. Junior clerks carry out basic administration, book court dates, transport documents to court.
For more information visit:
Institute of Barristers’ Clerks: www.ibc.org.uk
There are a number of support roles in barrister’s chambers and solicitors offices. These include legal executives, paralegals and:
Administrative or clerical work- they will type up legal papers, take phone calls and book appointments.
Personal Assistant- they will provide organisational and clerical support to a single solicitor or barrister, manage their appointments diary and may attend meetings.
Legal secretary- provide specialist administrative support such as audio typing and preparing documents, they should have knowledge of legal terms and the ability to write in legal language.
Legal librarian- a specialist information management role in law libraries in legal practices, universities and government.
For more information visit:
The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PA’s: www.institutelegalsecretaries.com
The Institute of Legal Cashiers and Administrators: www.ilca.org.uk
ILEX Paralegal Programmes: www.ilex.org.uk
British & Irish Association of Law Librarians: www.biall.org.uk
The Association of Law Costs Draftsmen: www.alcd.org.uk
Conveyancing can be carried out by a solicitor or a licenced conveyancer, they carry out the legal work involved in buying and selling properties or land. Licenced conveyancers may work with a solicitor, for a bank, building society, or as part of conveyancing company. They undertake all the legal searches and prepare the documents involved in the transfer. Licenced conveyancers are not qualified lawyers but undertake specific training in the workplace and sit exams.
For more information visit:
Council for Licensed Conveyancers: www.clc-uk.org
The Society of Licensed Conveyancers: www.soclc.co.uk
►Registrar of Birth, Marriages and Deaths
Care Registrars are employed by the local authority. They conduct civil marriages and civil partnership ceremonies and attend some church weddings for signing the register. The registrars job is to register and issues certificates for: births, marriages, deaths, adoptions, civil partnerships, etc. They have a checking role when someone has died to ensure the documents are correct and with marriages where one of the couple is from overseas.
Registrars need to have excellent people skills and be confident. A senior registrar may be called the Superintendent Registrar
For more information visit:
General Register Office: www.direct.gov.uk
►Coroner and Coroners' Officers
The coroner is an experienced barrister, solicitor or doctor who holds inquests (legal investigations) when someone has died and the circumstances are not clear. For example this could be when a person died in police custody, in an accident, from unexpected medical causes, in a sudden or violent way. In addition to an understanding of the law the coroner be organised and be able to deal sympathically with bereaved families. The coroners officer works with the coroner as a link between them and the police.
For more information visit:
Coroners’ Society of England and Wales: www.coronersociety.org.uk
Coroner’s Officers Association: www.coronersofficer.org.uk
