OXFORD

LAW
The UK legal sector is undergoing a considerable amount of change, driven
by factors such as the Legal Services Act, the increasingly international
nature of legal work and substantial reviews of legal education and training
following the Legal Education and Training Review (LETR). Combined with
the lasting effects of the recession and waves of government cuts, this means
that today’s lawyers face exciting and challenging opportunities in their work.
As such, whilst many Oxford graduates still follow the traditional routes
opportunities in the longer term.
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SOLICITORS
At present, the majority (74%) of the UK’s 118,000
which are owned and managed by the partners. These
of commerce (such as corporate matters and commercial
litigation) and those that deal with clients with personal
legal dilemmas (such as family issues or criminal matters).
The remaining 26% of solicitors work outside private
practice partnerships, and their number is growing. After
experience, many solicitors move away from private
practice into a variety of governmental, business or not-for-
UK and internationally.
GETTING IN AND ENTRY POINTS
This is a highly regulated profession, with several steps
to practise as a solicitor. First there is the academic stage,
(i.e. the BA in Jurisprudence) or, for non-law students, the
through the Legal Practice Course (LPC), which is required
for both law and non-law graduates. Finally, there is the
practical stage, a “period of recognised training” usually
known as the Training Contract.
discussed, so keep up to date by following
the Solicitors Regulation Authority and legal
news.
There are approximately 5,000 training
contracts available each year, and well over
90% of them lie within the private practice
sector. The remaining positions are to be
found in the Government Legal Service,
local government, legal departments in industry, and,
occasionally, the Crown Prosecution Service. Once this
phase is completed, you are entitled to practise as a
solicitor. Short periods of paid work experience are
Summer holidays, as well as opportunities to attend ‘Open
career for you.
BARRISTERS
There are approximately 12,000 barristers at the
independent (or self-employed) Bar, practising in 339 sets
of chambers across England and Wales. A further 3,000
work in an employed capacity for numerous organisations,
including the Government Legal Service and the Crown
Prosecution Service, as well as in commerce and industry.
There is much discussion in the legal press about the future
of the self-employed Bar, stemming from the increasing
pressures on public funding and its allocation, the increase
in solicitors’ rights of audience, and government reforms in
the way that legal services will be provided (including the
Legal Services Act). However, barristers continue to provide
essential and effective services, often attracting headline
cases from both the UK and beyond. Barristers practise in
a wide variety of legal areas – some well known, such as
family, criminal and property, and others less so, such as
intellectual property and international border disputes.
There can be considerable differences in the nature and
lifestyle of a barrister’s work, and some almost never appear
in court. Family or criminal barristers may appear in court
most days, whilst barristers specialising in commercial work
may spend the majority of their time drafting pleadings and
opinions. However, advocacy remains a vital skill for the
barrister, and it is one of the most distinctive elements of
this role.
Pia Dutton
Barrister, 3 Verulam Buildings
“The route to the Bar is hard and
competitive. You must look the prospect
of failure square in the eyes, and be
prepared to stand up again if you
fall. If you are able to do this, you will
eventually succeed.”
GETTING IN AND ENTRY POINTS