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Law

Solicitor Green Job

Solicitors advise clients about the law and act on their behalf in legal matters.

Annual Salary

£25,000 to £100,000

Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

37 to 50 a week

You could work: on call; at short notice

2.4%
Future employment

There will be 2.4% more Solicitor jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

In this role you could:

  • advise and represent clients in court
  • instruct barristers or advocates to act for clients
  • draft confidential letters, contracts and legal documents
  • research legal records and case law
  • attend meetings and negotiations
  • manage finances and prepare papers for court
  • use plain English to explain complex legal matters to clients
  • keep up to date with changes in the law

Working environment

You could work in an office, in a court, in a prison or at a police station.

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • the traditional solicitor qualifying route until 2032
University

In order to qualify, you must:

Though your degree does not have to be in Law, you will need some legal knowledge to pass the SQE.

To study Law at some universities you'll need to pass the Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT).

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 3 A levels or equivalent
For more information
Apprenticeship

You could do a solicitor degree apprenticeship to qualify as a solicitor.

This route usually takes around 5 to 6 years and you'll need your employer's support to do it.

You'll also need to take the SQE, demonstrate relevant work experience and meet character and suitability to practice requirements.

For more information
Work

You could start with a legal firm and do on-the-job training like the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) Level 6 Professional Diploma in Higher Law and Practice

You would then need to:

pass part 1 and 2 of theSolicitors Qualifying Exam(SQE)

show you have 2 years (or equivalent if part-time) qualifying work experience

meet the character and suitability requirements of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)

Other routes

If you started a qualifying law degree, Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) or Legal Practice Course (LPC) before 2021, you will be able to continue to qualify as a solicitor by the traditional route until 2032.

Requirements and restrictions

You'll need to:

More information

Career tips

Competition for solicitor roles is tough so you need to show that you have consistently good grades as you progress through your education.

Getting work experience in different types of legal settings can help you to stand out and show your commitment. There are diversity work experience schemes to encourage under represented groups into the legal profession.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join The Law Society for professional development, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.

Further information

You can find out more about the routes to become a solicitor through:LawCAB; The Law Society; Law Careers.Net; All About Law

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With experience, you could become a partner in a private practice firm of solicitors. As a commercial solicitor, you could manage an in-house legal department.

You could use your legal training in the armed forces. You can find out more information at:Army; Royal Air Force

How to become a solicitor from the Good University Guide

The Beginner’s Guide to a Career in Law looks at how lawyers recruit, what they look for in candidates, what candidates need to do when, and how they can maximise their chances, both immediately and as time goes by.

The Law Apprenticeships Guide focuses on the different types of law apprenticeship available, the key skills required, and the pros and cons of undertaking an apprenticeship or going to university, with case studies from those who have done it.


How does this job help to address the impacts of climate change and protect wildlife and nature in the West of England?

Solicitors specialising in Environmental Law are needed in the West of England to advise on areas such as environmental pollution and renewable energy generation.

There are several different routes you can take to get into working in this job which you can explore further in the 'Routes into this job' section above. 

Click here for an explanation of the different course and apprenticeship levels.

Examples of post-16 courses you could study at local schools or colleges

  • Law, Geography, Environmental Science A-levels

Click here to find a local provider

Apprenticeships you may be able to take with local employers

  • Level 3 Paralegal Apprenticeship
  • Level 6 Diploma in Law and Practice
  • Level 7 Legal Apprentice

Click here to search for a local apprenticeship

Examples of post-18 courses you could study at local higher education providers

Click here to search for other university courses

Local employers 

  • Womble Bond Dickinson
  • DPG
  • Burges Salmon

For more local employment opportunities see the 'Live job vacancies by region' section above.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
  • excellent verbal communication skills to work with different people
  • active listening skills
  • analytical thinking skills for working on complex cases
  • knowledge of English language for explaining legal matters to non-experts
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • excellent written communication skills
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • the ability to read English
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
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