Law careers

[Dr Jekyll]

My cousin's son is thinking of becoming a barrister (makes me feel ancient). I was thinking of changing career to solicitor at one time so he's been cross examining me about the procedure.

As I understand it once you've been called to the bar you then try and get pupillage, and after completing pupillage try and get tenancy so you can actually work as a barrister.

My question is. What happens to all those who don't get pupillage, or don't get tenancy? Do they have to look for another career or can they use their barrister training professionally as something other than a barrister?

[koolchris99]

They do other law related jobs..

giving it to him straight, unless you are really st hot with oxbridge etc and/or have contacts who can get you the pupillage, its pretty fking impossible. 4000+ plus people for 250 places. And those 4000+ are the st hot ones who have the balls to apply.

Then you work 12 months basically for free.

Then you find a seat

Source: my old man who is one.

[anonymous-user]

Your old man is a tad out of date. All pupillages are paid nowadays. We pay our pupils about 60K a year or more. The competition for pupillages and tenancies is, however, fierce, and unless you can obtain a place in a top set, the life is hard, the work can be drudgery, and the rewards can be unspectacular. The future of the general common law and criminal bar does not look good. At the top end, doing commercial work, public law, and other specialised things, the work is hard, but can be very interesting, and the intellectual and financial rewards are high. Contacts and connections count for little in decent sets, where candidates are judged on merit and potential. Very good academic qualifications and an interesting CV are pre requisites to enter the competition.

The Bar Council website has details of the training processes. You need to organise pupillage before passing the Bar exams. Applying for assessed mini pupillages whilst at university is a must. Those who do not obtain tenancies may become solicitors, or obtain legal jobs in business or government, or leave the law altogether.

NB, a law degree is not essential.

[koolchris99]

Breadvan73 said:

Your old man is a tad out of date. All pupillages are paid nowadays. We pay our pupils about 60K a year or more. The competition for pupillages and tenancies is, however, fierce, and unless you can obtain a place in a top set, the life is hard, the work can be drudgery, and the rewards can be unspectacular. The future of the general common law and criminal bar does not look good. At the top end, doing commercial work, public law, and other specialised things, the work is hard, but can be very interesting, and the intellectual and financial rewards are high. Contacts and connections count for little in decent sets, where candidates are judged on merit and potential. Very good academic qualifications and an interesting CV are pre requisites to enter the competition.

The Bar Council website has details of the training processes. You need to organise pupillage before passing the Bar exams. Applying for assessed mini pupillages whilst at university is a must. Those who do not obtain tenancies may become solicitors, or obtain legal jobs in business or government, or leave the law altogether.

NB, a law degree is not essential.

Fair enough, he is 57, and in commercial, so prob out of touch.

I did hear off a few mates that the competition for pupillages is crazy, so Its suppose its oxbridge or dont bother?

[ghamer]

Money for old rope!