I am a non law graduate currently working as a nurse and have been for 13 years. I am looking at career change. Any tips or advice? I've been looking at the graduate conversion MA course to do before the SQE1 and 2.
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Would love to retrain to be a solicitor
- Thread starter KScott
- Start date
- Sep 7, 2024
- 298
- 590
Hiya @KScott
This sounds fantastic and glad to see other potential career changers on this forum. Interestingly enough, one of my mentors was also a mature applicant who transitioned from nursing to law, and she’s now not only a solicitor but also a tribunal judge. She's always reminded me that the move into law is completely achievable. Moreover, as she would probably attest, your own experience as a nurse could really help you stand out during the application process!
To begin with, it might be helpful to gain some exposure to the London legal market and start exploring different areas of law to see what resonates with you. A good way to do this is by attending events like open days or insight evenings offered by law firms. As a career changer, I sometimes struggled to understand the differences between firms, practice areas, and sectors that I'd be interested in experiencing. These fairs and events can be really helpful for individuals looking to break into the profession and often include talks by lawyers, networking opportunities, and insights into different practice areas. Some firms also offer sessions tailored to career changers, which could be especially relevant for you. Aside from firms themselves, there are great organisations such as Aspiring Solicitors, Legal Cheek, Future Lawyers, and Lawcareers.net that normally organise these sorts of events. Highly, highly recommend you take a look.
It might also be worth gaining some volunteering experience. I found that this was quite helpful to me in terms of understanding the sort of ways lawyers offer client-focussed support. Many clinics are happy to involve volunteers from a variety of backgrounds, and the experience could give you a sense of the practical side of legal work while demonstrating your commitment to the career shift. This can be especially useful when you start thinking about how to frame your applications. Organisations such as Citizens Advice are also extremely useful in this regard, particularly given the breadth of matters on which they offer assistance.
Another thing worth thinking about is your networking skills. If possible, I'd encourage you to reach out to people already working in law. Although I'd shied away from doing so for several years, networking on platforms like LinkedIn can be incredibly useful! My feed is now littered with posts and insights from legal professionals - many of whom have been open to chatting about their experiences with me. Hearing about their day-to-day work and career paths might help you figure out which areas of law align with your interests and strengths.
Your background in nursing might make areas like medical law, personal injury, or tribunal work particularly interesting, but there’s no need to decide right away. The graduate conversion course is a fantastic way to build foundational knowledge, and once you start studying, you’ll likely get a better sense of which areas appeal to you. However, I'd recommend really gaining exposure to the sort of work solicitors do before committing to any particular degree or course.
I think with the right approach, your years of experience as a nurse will really help you bring a unique perspective to law, and that can be a real strength when it comes to standing out in applications. If you have any more questions or want advice along the way, feel free to reach out.
Wishing you the very best of luck!
