Mature Entrant

[fusion]

Hello

I am a 47 year old looking to become a solicitor. Rather a late career change.

Work wise, my career has spanned 25 years in IT, the later years as a consultant.

Law has always interested me, but owing to age, costs and the relative gold dust like qualities of training contracts I considered that the ship had already sailed. The advent of the newly SRA introduced SQE qualification routes has altered my career aspiration trajectory.

Academically, I completed an IT Open University degree 10 years ago. I accepted the award on the basis of having accumulated enough module credits (300) at ‘standard degree’ level. Juggling full time work and a young child heavily influenced my decision. As such, the degree does not carry a final grade. My transcripts show that the average module grading was at 2:2 level. In hindsight, I perhaps wish I had studied an extra 60 credits to be eligible for an Honours degree.

I have three options open to myself before I consider SQE exams:

1. Complete an Open University Law Degree (graduate entry) and aim high for a 2:1 / first.
This route takes two years full time study. Cost is £13,848

2. Complete a PGDL course at the University of Law. This takes 9 months full time. Cost is £10,950

3. Complete the College of Legal Practice course, ‘Graduate Foundation in Law’. This takes 20 weeks full time and costs £3,250


Advice from a relatively senior individual at a well-regarded law firm was that for someone my age and qualification, the focus should be on obtaining a PGDL and not a LLB degree.

Given the fact I am a mature entrant, I am minded to progress option 2 or 3.

An advantage of option 3 (other than the significant cost saving) is I could look to obtain some form of legal employment sooner rather than later. If it transpires the non honours degree is an issue, I could study the OU law degree part time. The point being, I will have started legal employment already gaining valuable experience.

An immediate concern that spring to mind for option 3 is perhaps law firms will be more familiar with the PGDL award. They may ask themselves, where is my formal legal qualification.

Appreciate my entry point is pretty far from conventional. I would be interested to hear anyone’s thoughts on my options.

 

[prospectiveswitcher]

Congrats on pursuing your aspirations!
Advice I was given is that there is no benefit to doing a law degree at all, so I would avoid.
The PGDL is probably more useful. If you can secure a TC the law firm will also pay for the course and give you a stipend (depending on the firm).

Do you know what type of firms you are interested in?

I dont think option 3 will add anything to your employability apart from maybe your own personal knowledge.

 

[laurabeaumont]

Hi @prospectiveswitcher ,

I am so totally in admiration and awe of you. Young people are told time and time again to choose their career at 18-21 and pursue it until you retire, but that really is not the case. We all supposedly have three different career paths in us and rightfully so, we humans love variety and choice and there is little reason to do the same thing forever.

Anyway, putting aside that over-flowing respect for a second, the GDL would definitely be useful but obviously expensive and actually not essential. Whilst some firms do still ask applicants to undertake the GDL, actually to qualify you only need the following:

Under the new rules, there are four things you need to qualify as a solicitor. You must:

• have a university degree or equivalent in any subject (law or non-law);
• pass the character and suitability assessment set by the Solicitors Regulation Authority;
• pass SQE stages one and two (SQE1 and SQE2); and
• have two years’ qualifying work experience (QWE).

I am not 100% sure if your degree qualifies, do check the Law Society website here. If it doesn’t, you have a few options to consider:

• You could go ahead and undertake the GDL self-funded, which is obviously expensive and your future firm might even require it! However, it does mean you could start applying for legal work as a paralegal or document reviewer and also add to the QWE sooner rather than later so you can qualify earlier.
• Alternatively, you could preemptively apply for training contracts with the experience you already have, but you will likely have to wait before starting legal employment. However, it does mean the SQE/GDL will be funded by the firm.
• You could apply for an apprenticeship via the CiLEX route - this link will explain it better, but it means those without degrees can start the process of qualification if they start with at least 4 GCSES. It will likely entail working part-time and studying part-time simultaneously. Whilst it will take 5-6 years to become a qualified solicitor, you will a degree, SQE completed and be paid to undertake legal experience. It may just be the middle ground you were looking for!

Hope this helps!

Please keep us updated on your journey.

Laura )

 

[fusion]

Congrats on pursuing your aspirations!
Advice I was given is that there is no benefit to doing a law degree at all, so I would avoid.
The PGDL is probably more useful. If you can secure a TC the law firm will also pay for the course and give you a stipend (depending on the firm).

Do you know what type of firms you are interested in?

I dont think option 3 will add anything to your employability apart from maybe your own personal knowledge.

Thank you for your reply.

With regards to the types of firms that are of interest, I am trying to keep an open mind. It would seem sensible to look at places that have departments that align with my previous IT experience, GDPR etc.

Networking events sound like a good starting point. Hopefully soaking up as much information as possible around companies will help me form an opinion. I really am at the start of my journey.

 

[fusion]

.......
I am not 100% sure if your degree qualifies, do check the Law Society website here. If it doesn’t, you have a few options to consider:

• You could go ahead and undertake the GDL self-funded, which is obviously expensive and your future firm might even require it! However, it does mean you could start applying for legal work as a paralegal or document reviewer and also add to the QWE sooner rather than later so you can qualify earlier.
• Alternatively, you could preemptively apply for training contracts with the experience you already have, but you will likely have to wait before starting legal employment. However, it does mean the SQE/GDL will be funded by the firm.
• You could apply for an apprenticeship via the CiLEX route - this link will explain it better, but it means those without degrees can start the process of qualification if they start with at least 4 GCSES. It will likely entail working part-time and studying part-time simultaneously. Whilst it will take 5-6 years to become a qualified solicitor, you will a degree, SQE completed and be paid to undertake legal experience. It may just be the middle ground you were looking for!

Hope this helps!

Please keep us updated on your journey.

Laura )

Hi Laura

Thank you for your kind words.

With regards to my degree, I have created an account on the SRA website, paid the fee and had my degree validated by their agency as acceptable. Good start at least.

Whilst on the SRA website, I see that it is possible submit an initial background check application for a relatively small cost. It would be a most unpleasant bitter pill to swallow, if after how ever many years of hard work and investment my admittance to the roll of solicitors was rejected at the final hurdle. In no way do I expect there to be any issue, but now that seed has been planted in my mind; I think I will sleep better at night if I make the application.

A vacation scheme is a possibility for me according to my contact; a week sacrifice of annual leave for that type of experience I'm sure would be beneficial on my CV.

Volunteering at Citizens advice is something that I am looking into as I work part time, meaning I have one day a week free.

Part time study with the aim of taking the SQE1 in January 2025 is my target. The part time study will allow me to build up a little war chest, without selling the farm! This plan also is acceptable to my very supportive wife and family

 

[laurabeaumont]

Hi Laura

Thank you for your kind words.

With regards to my degree, I have created an account on the SRA website, paid the fee and had my degree validated by their agency as acceptable. Good start at least.

Whilst on the SRA website, I see that it is possible submit an initial background check application for a relatively small cost. It would be a most unpleasant bitter pill to swallow, if after how ever many years of hard work and investment my admittance to the roll of solicitors was rejected at the final hurdle. In no way do I expect there to be any issue, but now that seed has been planted in my mind; I think I will sleep better at night if I make the application.

A vacation scheme is a possibility for me according to my contact; a week sacrifice of annual leave for that type of experience I'm sure would be beneficial on my CV.

Volunteering at Citizens advice is something that I am looking into as I work part time, meaning I have one day a week free.

Part time study with the aim of taking the SQE1 in January 2025 is my target. The part time study will allow me to build up a little war chest, without selling the farm! This plan also is acceptable to my very supportive wife and family

Hi @fusion ,

That is excellent news in relation to the degree validation! One obstacle crossed - amazing.

I also have to submit a background check soon, but if there is no reason you can think of to worry then it really shouldn't be an issue. Typically, you submit that application at some point during a training contract anyway, if that is the route you pursue.

Definitely agree in terms of VS - they are the primary (often only) route to the TC.

Depending on your SQE1 school, there is often volunteering schemes at the university - this might be something to look into if you don't pursue the Citizens advice route.

I am so happy to hear you have such a lovely family - I really do wish you well in your endeavours and hope you will keep coming back to TCLA on your journey.

 

[H12]

Hi
I am in the same position I am a 40 yr old nurse wanting to change career. I looked at the pgdl but I have since realised that it needs to be self funded and this is not an option for me . I looked into UOL masters conversion and masters of law conversion course (with SQE 1 prep )with BPP and that is what I’m swaying to more .

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi
I am in the same position I am a 40 yr old nurse wanting to change career. I looked at the pgdl but I have since realised that it needs to be self funded and this is not an option for me . I looked into UOL masters conversion and masters of law conversion course (with SQE 1 prep )with BPP and that is what I’m swaying to more .

It doesn't have to be self-funded - many firms will sponsor you through the PGDL.

 

[Nads7890]

Hi
I am in the same position I am a 40 yr old nurse wanting to change career. I looked at the pgdl but I have since realised that it needs to be self funded and this is not an option for me . I looked into UOL masters conversion and masters of law conversion course (with SQE 1 prep )with BPP and that is what I’m swaying to more .

Fellow nurse here!! 👋 I went in this blindley in 2019 starting my law degree at 35 whilst working. I have just graduated at the grand old age of 39. I plan to take the LPC but still undecided as really do not want to spend another 3 years in academic, if I continue that route. I have no TC either and struggling to switch to finding QWE as I currently work in clinical governance in the private sector.