Why become a solicitor?
Guest written by Law with Sophie

Most of us have a vague notion of the allure of a career as a solicitor – probably derived from a glamorous, but unrealistic, TV programme! But on a real and practical level, it can be really difficult to know, as an outsider, what your interests and motivators should be if you're considering a career as a solicitor – especially at an early stage in your career.

Plus, pursuing a career as a solicitor can come with a significant time investment. It takes most people around 6 years to qualify as a solicitor, and there's sometimes a large financial investment too, depending on how you've funded your route to qualification.

So, although nothing is ever set in stone – and a legal education is always a great springboard for other careers – it’s a good idea to figure out if this is a career path that could make you happy, from the outset.

Here are some factors which might help you decide whether a career as a solicitor might be for you:

• You thrive when working with others as part of a team towards a common goal. A work day as a solicitor is essentially spent working in small 'project' teams with colleagues, to bring about a certain result for a client. you really enjoy working with others (such as in any previous part-time work or college/uni group work projects), you could be well-suited to life as a solicitor.
  
  Sophie's bonus tip:  It's worth noting here that working as a barrister is a much more solitary existence, so if you prefer to get your head down and crack on under your own steam, that may be more suited to you.
  
  
• You enjoy reading & writing. Solicitors spend much of their day either drafting or reviewing documents (which can often be quite lengthy). Plus, in legal documents, every word means something; you'll often spend quite some time carefully constructing a particular sentence or paragraph! So if you're a 'words person' rather than a 'numbers person', this could be a great line of work for you.
  
  Sophie's bonus tip: This isn't to say that basic numeracy isn't helpful to solicitors – for example,  I did a Business Studies degree and regularly found that the basic Corporate Finance that I studied came in handy, particularly during my Finance and Corporate seats!
  
  
• You enjoy learning and want an intellectually stimulating career. As a solicitor, no two days are the same, and a huge variety of things can come across your desk. You might not always have the experience to deal with them, so legal research is a big part of the role of a solicitor, too, as you try to figure out the answer to your clients' queries or problems. Therefore, most solicitors enjoy the process of learning and being able to turn their hand to various things!
  
  Sophie's bonus tip: This is one of the massive 'plus' points of being a solicitor, in my eyes, as I'm someone who gets bored quite easily – so I love the variety!
  
  
• You value job and pay security. Once you've qualified as a solicitor, you've essentially got a profession for life, which affords you a really flexible career path. You'll be able to use your qualification in a number of legal settings and jurisdictions, not to mention in other career paths altogether. Solicitors are also comparatively well-paid as a profession, and the level of the compensation is quite transparent.
  
  Sophie's bonus tip: Solicitors' pay can vary hugely depending on the type of firm, the region, and whether you decide to work in-house or in private practice, amongst many other factors (which are worth bearing in mind when decision-making).
  
  
• Career progression is important to you. Solicitors have quite well-defined career paths with certainty around structure and hierarchy, especially at larger firms and organisations. This can be really appealing if you're ambitious and would like to plan for the future, or if you just value transparency in terms of how your career may play out.
  
  Sophie's bonus tip: Although there are usually some pretty set/standard timeframes for promotions within law firms and large corporates, there will usually be flexibility for 'superstars'. Equally, many firms now have alternative promotion pathways – such as 'Counsel' positions – if partnership isn't your goal.
  
  
• You're prepared to make a time and cost investment. It's no secret that becoming a solicitor involves a fair amount of studying, whichever route to qualification you take. These courses also aren't cheap – although the SQE is aiming to bring down the cost of studying the law, compared to the LPC.
  
  Sophie's bonus tip:  Lots is being done to improve accessibility to the profession and reduce the cost burden of qualifying. For example, scholarships or private loans are available for SQE prep courses, and if you obtain an apprenticeship, training contract or qualify through QWE, many employers will sponsor your studies. Check out the Law Society website for more info.
  
  
• It suits your timelines and lifestyle. There are a wide range of modes of study and routes to qualification as a solicitor, depending on your circumstances and preferences. And when it comes to timing, it's never too late to study – you could decide to work in a law firm first to see if it could be fore you, and then do the LPC/SQE later.
  
  Sophie's bonus tip:  Did you know that the average age of qualification as a solicitor is 29? The profession is FULL of career changers and mature students.

This blog is guest written by Law with Sophie, it is part of a six-part series on Becoming a Solicitor, helping you consider whether it is the right career move for you.

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Last updated May 2022