Trainee solicitors undergo specialist training to provide legal advice to clients. Clients may include members of the public, companies, voluntary organisations, charities and government departments.
The majority of trainee solicitors in England and Wales gain their A levels before choosing to study for a qualifying law degree. Following gaining their degree, they embark on vocational training through a Legal Practice Course (LPC) and follow up their studies with a training contract at a solicitors firm. This route enables them to gain experience by working with qualified legal staff. The competition for places on law degrees, LPCs and training schemes is fierce. Candidates with relevant work experience or prior employment in a field relating to law are often at an advantage.
Candidates must be confident and able to remember detailed facts and figures. They must be proficient at explaining complex legal jargon and able to work successfully under pressure. While much of the work of a trainee solicitor is office based, time may be spent in courts of law. Candidates should therefore feel comfortable with working in both environments.
Trainee solicitors are employed by law firms across the UK, with vacancies being advertised directly by law firms, in law publications and newspapers, and through recruitment agencies.
Once qualified, solicitors may choose to set up their own private practices or become partners in established law firms. Experienced solicitors can become heads of the legal departments in which they work.