Tell me about it
Solicitors provide clients with skilled legal advice and act on their behalf when necessary. Clients could be members of the public, businesses, voluntary bodies, charities or government departments.

The work includes interpreting and explaining the law to clients, giving advice and support, representing clients in court, researching past or similar cases, writing letters, preparing documents, and keeping written and financial records.

Solicitors may deal with all types of case, or they may specialise in one or more of the following:
· Litigation - acting for people who are in dispute with another person or organisation.
· Conveyancing - acting for people who are buying, selling or leasing a business, domestic property or land.
· Company and business law - advising and acting for organisations on such issues as setting up a business, employment law, contracts, insurance and health and safety law.
· Probate - helping people make a will or carrying out the wishes of a deceased person according to their will.
· Central and local government - advising civil servants, ministers, council staff, elected members and councillors on how the law affects the services provided.
· Crown Prosecution Service (Procurator Fiscal Service in Scotland) - examining evidence produced by the police to decide whether a case should be prosecuted.

Entry level
There are two main stages to qualifying as a solicitor: academic and vocational.

In England and Wales, you can choose one of three ways to qualify at the academic stage. Firstly, you can take a qualifying law degree. No specific A level/H grade subjects are required for this, but you must usually achieve high grades in academic subjects. Secondly, you can take a non-law degree, followed by the Common Professional Examination (CPE), a graduate Diploma in Law or a Senior Status Law degree. Thirdly, you can train to become a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives.

In Scotland, you can also choose one of three possible routes: one,study for a LLB degree in Scottish law - the entry requirements are typically five H grades (AAABB) and the only preferred subject is English; two, gain a good first degree in any non-law subject, then take a two-year graduate law degree; three, gain five H grades including English at grade B or above, or a non-law degree or HND in Legal Studies plus H grade English, complete three years' pre-diploma training and pass the exams of the Law Society of Scotland.

Making the grade
In England and Wales, the vocational stage of training involves taking the Legal Practice Course (LPC), which takes one year full-time or two years part-time, followed by a two-year training contract with a firm of solicitors.

Legal executives do not always have to do a full training contract but they must complete the LPC and a Professional Skills Course, which is a compulsory part of the training contract.

In Scotland, the vocational stage is a 26 week full-time course for the Diploma of Legal Practice and a two-year training contract with a practising solicitor. This also includes a Professional Competence Course.

Personal qualities
As a solicitor, you should be careful and accurate in your work, able to absorb and analyse large amounts of information, and good at explaining legal matters clearly, in speech and in writing.

You would need excellent communication skills and you must be able to argue a case successfully. Tact and discretion are essential in an area where much information is confidential.

Looking ahead
Opportunities for solicitors are increasing at present. There are over 90,000 solicitors
practising in England and Wales, working in private practice, central or local government, commercial or industrial organisations, charities and voluntary organisations, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Magistrates' Court Service or the Armed Forces. There are firms of solicitors in most towns in the country. They vary in size from one or two partners, to large organisations with thousands of employees.

In Scotland, there are about 10,000 practising solicitors, approximately 6,000 of whom work in private practice.

Alternative suggestions
Other possibilities might include: barrister/advocate, barrister's clerk, civil servant, legal executive or licensed conveyancer.

Take-home pay
The range of starting salaries in commercial firms varies considerably across the country. The Law Society of England and Wales recommends minimum starting salaries of around £14,500 in the regions and £16,500 in London, but the larger commercial firms tend to offer higher salaries, with the highest being in the City of London.

A typical salary at senior level, with 10 to 15 years' experience, can vary considerably depending on a number of factors. Once you reach partner level, your salary would usually be in excess of £100,000.

The Law Society of Scotland recommends that trainee solicitors be paid £12,000 in the first year of their traineeship and £15,700 for the second, although some of the larger commercial law firms are known to pay trainees significantly more. As a newly qualified solicitor, you might expect to be paid about £25,000 if you work for a small firm and £30,000 or over if you work for one of the larger commercial firms in Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Effects
Solicitors normally work 37 hours a week, but longer hours are common. You may be on call at weekends and bank holidays, and you could be called to a police station at any time of the day or night.

Sources of information
Law Careers Advice Network; www.lcan.org.uk
Magistrates' Association: www.magistrates-association.org.uk
Crown Prosecution Service: www.cps.gov.uk
Government Legal Service: www.gls.gov.uk
Law Society, Information Services: www.lawsociety.org.uk
Law Society of Northern Ireland: www.lawsoc-ni.org
Law Society of Scotland: www.lawscot.org.uk

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