Solicitor job description

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Description - Skills - Education - Trends

Solicitors provide a general advisory service to those requiring legal assistance. Clients range from individuals to public organisations, and typical legal services provided by a solicitor include litigation, probate, tax employment, conveyancing, and civil and family law. There are opportunities to work in private practices, commercial practices and with the Crown Prosecution Service.
Entry into the profession is by a combination of academic achievement and vocational training. Those with law degrees can go straight onto the Legal Practice Course, which takes one year full-time and two to three years part-time to complete. Successful graduates can then either take the Professional Skills Course or begin a two-year training contract with a law firm
Solicitors, who are predominantly office-based, generally work a 37-hour week, although there may be a need to work unsociable hours, such as when having to attend a police station late at night. Minimum salaries during training are around £16,600, or £18,500 per annum in London. Depending on experience and the individual employer, qualified rates are between £25,000 and £70,000 a year.

Description

Handling legal issues for their clients is the responsibility of a Solicitor. They take a case and analyse the different aspects to guide their client. Then, they let them know how it will be treated by the judicial system and how they can represent them.
Their clients may include anyone, be it business companies, private organisations, governments, schools or charities. There are different types of law areas, including probate, litigation, commercial property, government, crown prosecution or corporate law; each as its own procedures and regulations.
The job of a Solicitor is very demanding. Their first few years even more so because of the constant academic and vocational requirements they must fulfil. These demands sometimes continue throughout their careers. Due to the nature of their job, they work late hours, long days and possibly weekends. With the advancement and upgrade in your career as a Solicitor, you are paid a lucrative salary and you will have an option of working with a firm or in your own private practice.
A Solicitor usually performs many of the following tasks:
• Preparing court papers
• Drafting letters for clients
• Conducting research
• Negotiating on behalf of clients
• Managing financial records
• Pursuing continued personal development
• Supervising staff
• Advising clients

Skills

• Communication and listening
• Confidence and accuracy
• Stress management
• Networking and negotiating
• Tact and discretion
• Professionalism and leadership
• Research and information management
• Time management
• Planning and resilience

Education

The route to become a Solicitor may vary; however it all comes back to pursuing a Law degree and then working towards your status. You must fulfil a couple requirements in place to start and complete your practice; these may include one of any of the following:
•    At least five H grades
•    At least two A levels and five GCSE's (A-C)
•    HND in Legal Studies
•    Professional Examination (CPE)
•    Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)
•    Postgraduate Diploma in Law
•    Training with the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX)
•    Legal Practice Course (LPC)
•    National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT)
Solicitors must complete two areas before they can conclude their preparation. This includes an educational tract and a vocational or work tract. They can do Law degrees in any law specialisation. Once that is done, they have to pass the Legal Practice Course (LPC). This requires up to two years of studying.
After completing your academic training you then can work for several years and then study to pass the Professional Skills Course (PSC). This profession requires constant training and upgrading each year. This is monitored by the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme.

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