Driana Syla
If you are interested in a becoming a solicitor, but you have no clue where to begin your journey, you have come to the right place! This blog is designed to simplify different practice areas of the legal profession all in one place, so you don’t need 15 different tabs open to help you decide if you want to be a solicitor or not. I also aim to debunk many myths for applying to university, removing any misconceptions you may have.
Where to start: A-Levels
One of the common myths is that you must do the most difficult essay-based subjects in order to even consider pursuing a law degree, but to put it straight no university has subject-specific requirements for law. There are recommendations however, and to help prepare you for hours and hours of reading and writing, subjects like Politics, English Literature, History, Economics Sociology etc. will put you in the right track to cramming your brain with endless knowledge!
Top universities like King’s College, Oxford and Cambridge will look for A*AA, as will other Russell Group Universities like Queen Mary, so make sure you study hard and choose the A-Levels that you know you will achieve top grades in.
The LNAT
As if achieving A*’s in your A-Levels wasn’t enough pressure, those of you applying for the top law universities will need to sit the 2 hour and 15-minute Law National Aptitude Test, and it is not an easy test! The LNAT has two sections: Section A and B.
The first is a series of multiple-choice questions based on a set text and is designed to put your reasoning and deduction skills to the test. You do NOT need any legal knowledge prior to the test (you’re not expected to have a barrister’s brain at 16), but you must use your reasoning skills to interpret the information and draw effective conclusions. The score of the multiple choice is out of 42 and once calculated at the end, it will be known as your LNAT score which you will get in a scary email some time in February.
To make your uni application more stressful, there is no set mark you must achieve in the LNAT, as the average score changes each year (e.g. in 2023 it was 24/42, but in 2024 it was 27). The top universities encourage you to achieve above average to be considered for their courses, but that is not a confirmation of your place. Your personal statement, Section B of the LNAT, grades, etc. are all grouped together to determine the outcome.
In Section B, you will be asked to write a 750-word (recommended word count) essay from a list of three proposed subjects. This section is not marked by the test centre and does not contribute to your LNAT score, but it is your opportunity to show your ability to construct a compelling argument and reach a conclusion. Example essay prompt here:
‘Do the benefits of artificial intelligence outweigh the potential risks?’
Some advice:
- Practice really does make perfect- don’t expect to go into the exam with zero prep and ace it, that would be a waste of time and money (yes, you have to pay for the exam). It is highly recommended to purchase a practice pack, as the example papers on the LNAT website will not be enough
- Take all the time you need to prepare: Oxbridge candidates need to take the test by 15th October due to earlier UCAS applications, KCL, UCL AND LSE candidates have 31st December as the deadline, and other LNAT unis have 25th-29th January as their exam deadlines. I suggest taking the maximum amount of time to practice and sit the test until you are CONFIDENT. You have the liberty of choosing the date for your exam, thus make sure you are 100% prepared.
- Success is not linear - when practicing, do not feel disheartened if you get 2/5 on your questions when the day before you were getting 5/5, that is completely normal. As long as you acknowledge your mistakes and keep training your brain, you will notice patterns within the texts and will deduct arguments easily in no time- basically rewiring your brain to make it LNAT-focused
What to do at university
One of the great things about law is that you do not actually have to undergo the full 3-year law degree and can pursue something you really love, like Horticultural Studies! If you choose to do a non-law degree, you must undertake the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), which is a year-long intensive course that covers all the essentials for any future solicitor. So, if you want to pursue your life-long dream of MSc Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt University and become a successful lawyer after, you can do so!
Regardless of whether you do a law or non-law degree, the main focus of your university years should not only be the 1stclass you get at the end, but the work experience you do. The best piece of advice you can take going into university is apply to everything.
For students looking to sell their souls to Magic and Silver Circle law firms, there are routes which will make your training contract applications a lot more streamlined. Most city firms have week-long First Year Schemes, giving you an insight into the work each firm does. The applications for these schemes are long and competitive, yet there are numerous firms which offer them so make sure to apply to as many as you can (however, 10 detailed and well-researched applications are better than 20 rushed ones- quality over quantity!).
First Year schemes are designed to give you experience and, in some cases, fast track you into second year Vacation Schemes- these are even more competitive to apply to, and they are held in Winter, Spring or Summer. A top tip when applying for VS is to create a table of deadlines alongside key info on each firm so you can keep everything on track- start applications as soon as you come back from your relaxing holidays, as most Winter VS deadlines are in late September/mid-October. In-depth research on each firm is also imperative for your applications, after all why wouldn’t the recruiter at Clifford Chance want to hear about them being named ‘International Law Firm of the Year’ at the IFLR Europe Awards 2024? (but make the research more detailed than a casual award name drop).
Once you have successfully sent off your vacation scheme applications, yet another round of will open up, but this time even more intense! Training Contracts are a two-year period of practical training at a law firm where you will gain hands-on experience in different areas of law, known as ‘seats,’ and prepare to qualify as a solicitor. Without a training contract, you cannot qualify as a solicitor. This is the final and most critical step in your journey.
Most students apply for training contracts during their second year of uni, and applications typically open around the same time as vacation schemes and close between July and August. However, non-law students or those taking the GDL usually apply in their final year of uni. Keep an eye on deadlines and apply early, as competition is fierce: AllAboutLaw estimates that 30,000 candidates apply for 5,500 training contracts per year. This suggests a 18.63% success rate per candidate!!
Key takeaway: do not be disheartened by rejection! Getting into law is extremely competitive and you need to get used to being rejected many times, but you need to keep applying and keep trying - take it from Bryant McGill:
“Rejection is merely a redirection; a course correction to your destiny.”
(First thing I found on Google when I typed ‘rejection quotes’)
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