What qualifications do you need to be a solicitor?

Answer 1

Law graduate

Non-Law graduate

• A-Levels
• Degree in Law (LLBft, LLB Sand, LLB pt, LLBdl)
• Bar Professional Training Course (formerly known as Bar Vocational Course)
• First Six
• Second Six
• Tenancy

• A-Levels
• Degree in any subject
• Conversion Course (CPE, GDL)
• Bar Professional Training Course
• First Six
• Second Six
• Tenancy

Answer 2

In England and Wales a person becomes a solicitor by taking a professional examination following full or part time study. Before that, they would have taken either a law specific degree, or a general degree followed by a "conversion" course (which lasts a year if taken full-time). Once they have successfully passed their professional law finals, they can apply to become a "trainee solicitor" which is a paid job in which they start to specialise in the area of law they have decioded to practise in. Trainee positions are obtained in very much the same way as a normal job - interview, etc. After two years in traineeship, a person may then apply to the Law Society to be admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. Annual subscription fes and insurance must be obtained and then a solicitor may generally practise in England and Wales. Other qualifications are required to practise in other parts of the world and UK, as the legal systems are different. Likewise lawyers from outside jurisdictions have to add to their qualifications in order to practise in England and Wales. Once a solicitor has specialised in a particular area of law, it can be difficult to change specialism. Some parts of the profession are well paid, others are frankly very badly paid for the work that is done. Legal aid (state paid private work) is becoming very difficult to operate on a viable basis and the provision of decent free legal advice and assistance to people who need it may be a worthy occupation, but it is no longer a well paid or possibly even a viable career. The governing body of solicitors in England and Wales is the Law Society and they are very helpful to people who enquire about becoming a solicitor, a lot of information is online at their website (see Google).

Answer 3

You need to be good at Maths, English, History, Law, Politics and you need to know another language.

Also at uni you need to study law. (Which was very hard)