Solicitor

The Legal Sector is diverse, dynamic and challenging. Law impacts every aspect of society, reflected in diverse opportunities and employers.

  • If you are interested in business and finance, explore commercial law firms in the City, regions and internationally, or in house legal teams in a business.
  • If public service is attractive, then consider local and national government or public prosecutions.
  • If motivated by supporting individuals, communities or charities, then explore law firms providing personal services for individuals, as well as charitable and third sectors.

Types of Solicitor Roles

It is critical to research 3 things: What a Solicitor does; what areas of law are interesting to you; what type of employers there are.

Solicitors act on behalf of their client(s) to provide advice on how the law applies to their problem or situation. They can work in as many areas as there are laws and can be in large corporate employers and smaller regional firms. The list below is by no means exhaustive.

  • Acting for corporate clients on corporate activity. Employers range from large international firms based in the City; large regional firms with offices in the UK and overseas; smaller regional firms specialising in regional corporate work for smaller, entrepreneurial businesses; and ‘mixed’ firms, based in the regions advising businesses, as well as advice to individuals on personal matters.
  • Acting for individuals on personal matters. Employers can be large national firms, smaller High Street offices acting for local communities or Law Centres providing publically funded legal advice. Areas of work can include property, family, criminal, wills & estates, landlord & tenant, social justice.
  • Public Sector Solicitors are employed by local, regional or national government or for international organisations globally.
  • Social justice legal matters are handled by charities and niche, legally-aided organisations. These employers act as advocates to preserve the rights and freedoms of the individual, nationally and internationally.
  • In-house Solicitors are employed by an organisation, rather than a firm of solicitors, and act for that one client on diverse legal matters.

New Solicitors training route from September 2021: The Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE):

If you have accepted a place on the LLB, GDL or LPC on or before August 31 2021, you can choose to qualify by either the old or new route. After that, you will qualify via the SQE route. This route is intended to be more flexible and widen access to the profession. Please bear in mind that this is a new route so it is important to keep up to date by reading ths sites we link to.

Find out more about the new route, exams, experience and options after your undergraduate degree.

Find out about careers and jobs