Becoming a lawyer is a popular career choice for many individuals, with various paths to pursue depending on your interests and aspirations. In this article, we will discuss the steps required to become a lawyer, with a particular focus on how to become a barrister, solicitor, corporate lawyer, immigration lawyer, and supreme court lawyer. We will also provide some relevant statistics to give you a better understanding of the legal profession.
How to Become a Lawyer
To become a lawyer, you must complete a law degree, which typically takes three years of full-time study. After completing your law degree, you will need to complete a period of vocational training, which can either be through a law firm or a law school. This training period is known as a training contract for solicitors and a pupillage for barristers.
Once you have completed your vocational training, you will need to pass the relevant professional qualification exams. Solicitors need to pass the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), which was introduced in 2021, while barristers must pass the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) followed by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) exams.
After qualifying, you can begin practicing law as a solicitor or barrister. You can also specialize in various areas of law such as corporate law, immigration law, criminal law, family law, and more.
How to Become a Barrister
Barristers are lawyers who specialize in advocacy, representing clients in court and giving legal opinions. To become a barrister, you need to complete a law degree and then complete the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) followed by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) exams. You will then need to complete a one-year pupillage with a barristers’ chambers before you can practice independently.
According to the Bar Standards Board, there were 15,098 barristers in England and Wales in 2021, with the average age of barristers being 41 years old.
How to Become a Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who specialize in giving legal advice and preparing legal documents. To become a solicitor, you need to complete a law degree and then complete the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), which was introduced in 2021. After completing the SQE, you will need to complete a two-year training contract with a law firm before you can practice independently.
According to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, there were 148,690 solicitors in England and Wales in 2020, with the majority of them working in private practice.
How to Become a Corporate Lawyer
Corporate lawyers specialize in advising businesses on legal matters such as mergers and acquisitions, contracts, and corporate governance. To become a corporate lawyer, you need to complete a law degree and then gain experience working in a law firm that specializes in corporate law. You can also consider obtaining a Master of Laws (LLM) degree in corporate law to enhance your knowledge and skills in this field.
According to the American Bar Association, there were 1,315,561 licensed lawyers in the United States in 2020, with approximately 22% of them working in corporate law.
How to Become an Immigration Lawyer
Immigration lawyers specialize in advising clients on immigration laws and helping them navigate the immigration process. To become an immigration lawyer, you need to complete a law degree and gain experience working in a law firm that specializes in immigration law. You can also consider obtaining an LLM degree in immigration law to enhance your knowledge and skills in this field.
According to the American Immigration Lawyers Association, there were approximately 15,000 immigration lawyers in the United States in 2020.
How to Become a Supreme Court Lawyer
Supreme Court lawyers specialize in representing clients in cases that are heard in the Supreme Court. To become