Often shown as an incredibly stressful job in plays and on-screen, is it no secret that the life of a lawyer can come with immense amounts of pressure. This raises the question, what draws people to the profession? Despite its drawbacks, there are many benefits to pursuing a legal profession.
What are some of the reasons people are looking into being a lawyer?
Career options – a career in law does not restrict people to just becoming a lawyer. There is the possibility to work as a paralegal, legal consultant, or mediator, or the opportunity to train further to become a barrister.
Salary – A legal profession can be very well paid, with the average lawyer salary standing at approximately £53K in the UK. Many lawyers will go on to earn significantly more than this as they progress throughout their careers.
Security – Regardless of the state of the economy, there will always be a demand for legal support, meaning a career in law comes with a certain level of job security. Even if a lawyer were to find themselves made redundant due to firm liquidation, the high barrier to entry in becoming a lawyer means they are still likely to have attractive prospects.
Variety – The life of a lawyer can be very diverse, with no two days being the same. Even for those that choose to specialise in a very niche area of law, such as medical negligence claims, every case will be different.
Skill advancement – In certain careers, people can begin to feel stagnant. However, in law, the variety of cases means that those in the profession will need to continually develop their skills and keep up to date with any legal changes.
What sort of requirements does being a lawyer take?
Education
There are now a few routes available for becoming a lawyer. The most popular and quickest option is still to complete an undergraduate degree, either in law or a relevant subject, and then take a conversion course. After this, a legal practice course (LPC) needs to be completed in order to qualify as a solicitor.
However, there are also now apprenticeship courses available that allow people to become qualified solicitors while learning on the job, however, these take considerably longer.
Skills
As well as a formal qualification, there are various skills required in order to become a successful lawyer. Determination and organisation are two of the most important, as well as compassion and approachability. Many cases within the legal sector, especially within family law, can entail very sensitive issues and can be incredibly challenging for those involved. Therefore, a lawyer needs to be able to find a balance of offering sympathy, while also remaining professional and acting with integrity.
