Hey i'm currently in my 2nd yr of a law/french degree and i'm still unsure as to what career direction i want to go in.
i'm becoming less and less enthusiastic about become a solicitor in the traditional sense.
consequently i have been researching alternative careers and i've stumbled acroos the position of magistrates legal adviser.
unfortunately there isn't a great amount of info related to this career.
so if there is anyone out there with any info at all about this it would be greatly appreciated!!
Don't you have to be a qualified solicitor to do either of those? Or do you mean that you intend to qualify in the usual way but not then pursue the traditional role?
im 3rd year law with french, what puts you off becoming a solicitor?
My advice is that like me last year, no decision needs to be made about your future quite yet so take advantage of the time you have to research everything and this time next year hopefully you will know where youre heading.
In the meantime work hard towards your exams so you don't count yourself out of the running for anything you may decide you want to do.
yeh i mean if i choose law ill do the usual LPC but then look for something a little on the 'alternative' side - if you get what i mean!
I'm not sure whether you need the LPC or not as Notaries are governed by a different body. You can always dual qualify as both Solicitor and Notary but that means two sets of exams and two sets of fees... not tomention all the time and studying. I imagine Notarial work would involve translation and certification of legal texts... something quite different to the usual legal work! Investigate both. Maybe a bit of work experience here and there?
im 3rd year law with french, what puts you off becoming a solicitor?
My advice is that like me last year, no decision needs to be made about your future quite yet so take advantage of the time you have to research everything and this time next year hopefully you will know where youre heading.
In the meantime work hard towards your exams so you don't count yourself out of the running for anything you may decide you want to do.
ive just never been too enthusiastic about becoming a solicitor - cant really put my finger on a specific reason! i think maybe im put of being a solicitor in private practice and would prefer to possibly work in an in-house legal dept - maybe in the police/local govt, who knows!!
i completely agree ive got a good year to figure things out, hence why im doing the research now! and yes im looking into any work experience possibilities.
hope your year abroad is going well by the way, cant wait for mine!!
I was exactly the same as you (except I gave up on the French before I hit university) in that I was really turned off the thought of becoming a "solicitor" in traditional sense of the word.
Have you looked into the Government Legal Service (GLS)? I'm doing my training contract with them once I've finished my LPC, and I can't recommend them highly enough. Obviously I will know more once I start, but the work is very different to that of a solicitor in the high street/commercial sense from what I have seen so far. Very public interest based, lots of drafting of Acts of Parliament, advising ministers on legal policy, and litigation involving the government.
Good luck with your search, go and have a look at http://www.gls.gov.uk if you want to find out more.
You actually get a training position as Trainee court legal adviser if you are not already qualified (its like a training contract)
To be honest Im not sure why Im bothering to paste this ... seeing as you are all aspiring lawyers the very least you can do is a bit of research into your desired career
Court legal advisers (sometimes known as court clerks) are qualified lawyers who advise magistrates/justices of the peace about the law and legal procedures. In Scotland they are known as clerks of court.
Magistrates are unpaid volunteers (known as ‘lay’ or ‘non-stipendiary’ magistrates). They can come from all backgrounds and do not have to have legal qualifications. Legal advisers/court clerks explain points of law and court procedures and advise on possible sentences, but they do not get involved in making judgements on cases.
Court legal advisers’ duties also include:
preparing for court sessions and making sure that all relevant papers and exhibits are ready
dealing with legal aid applications
advising in other areas such as the Youth Court, Family Proceedings Court and licensing committees
managing court schedules
liaising with solicitors, police officers, prison staff and social workers
collecting statistics
training magistrates.
Hours and Environment
Court legal advisers usually work 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Some courts start earlier. Legal advisers may have to work some evenings, weekends and bank holidays if courts are held to deal with urgent cases. Part-time work may be available.
They work in courtrooms and offices. In certain court areas (especially in rural areas), they may need to travel between courts.
Skills and Interests
To be a court legal adviser you should:
be well-organised and self-confident
have good spoken and written communication skills
understand the legal system and be able to explain complex laws and procedures
be able to think logically and offer objective advice
have some research skills
be discreet and keep information confidential
be tolerant, patient and tactful
be able to work under pressure
be able to remain detached when dealing with emotionally demanding cases.
Entry
You must be a qualified solicitor or barrister, and have passed the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or Bar Finals. You must also have one of the following:
an approved law degree (at least class 2:2)
a non-law degree (at least class 2:2) followed by the Common Professional Examination (CPE) or the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), or
fellowship of the Institute of Legal Executives, plus the LPC.
Please see the Solicitor and Barrister profiles for more information about qualifying.
To get onto a law degree you will usually need at least five GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) and two or three A levels/three Highers with good grades. Some universities will now also ask you to take the National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT) - see the LNAT website for more information (details in the Further Information section below). Please check with colleges or universities for exact entry requirements.
Most courts will expect you to have recent legal practice experience. You will also find it useful to have previous experience as a magistrate, and to have customer service and administration skills.
Training
You will follow a structured on-the-job training programme organised by your court. Each court or court district is responsible for its own training, but training programmes usually take one or two years.
You will often begin by working with experienced staff in one particular area such as road traffic courts, trials, licensing, sentencing or fines enforcement, before covering the full range of work.
You will also be involved with training and mentoring magistrates, so you could work towards training qualifications such as the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Certificate in Training Practice.
Opportunities
In England and Wales, court legal advisers are employed by Her Majesty's Court Service to work in magistrates' courts. In Scotland they are employed by the Scottish Courts Service to work in district courts.
Court legal advisers can be promoted to justices' clerks, who are responsible for running a number of courts within an area. Some go on to become justices' chief executives.
Because they are fully-qualified solicitors or barristers, court legal advisers could move into private practice or into the Crown Prosecution/Procurator Fiscal Services. They could also become a district judge, a legally-qualified magistrate who works for an annual salary.
Annual Income
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
Trainee legal advisers usually earn around £19,000 to £23,000 a year.
Experienced legal advisers earn £26,000 to £33,000 a year.
A Justices' Clerk usually earns £40,000 to £66,000 a year.
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Magistrates' Court Clerk/Legal Adviser
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