For many, choosing whether to become a solicitor or barrister is the crucial issue when deciding how and where to study law. While both require similar legal knowledge, in practice they are very different jobs.
Put simply, barristers represent clients in court and plead their case to a judge, while solicitors are clients’ first point of contact and work on the case behind the scenes. They also provide legal advice privately, draft documents and work with other solicitors. Barristers tend to be more specialised than solicitors, who can work for a wider range of organisations and in a wider range of roles.
Perhaps the biggest consideration for anyone pondering which direction to take in law is personality. The role of barrister often suits people comfortable with public speaking, and with cases often only appearing before them at the last minute, they need to be quick thinkers as well.
One former student from The University of Law (ULaw), Sophie Stevens, converted to law by taking the MA in law. She says on a podcast that her year at drama school helped to prepare her for a career as a barrister. “Law can be very performative, and [after a year of drama school] I realised I wanted a career that would combine theatre and a bit of intellect. That’s when I started researching barristers.”
She adds that determining the right route to take requires a bit of homework – and some reflection on your individual personality and experiences. “To find the answer, you’ve got to know the sort of role you want to play in the legal system,” she says. “Doing the LPC or the SQE will make you a solicitor. You’re going to sit with the client from the get-go, you’re going to get to know them from the minute they walk through the door. Whereas as a barrister, you pick up the papers sometimes 24 hours before [a case], sometimes the morning of, and jump in and go straight to the advocacy. You have to know what you see yourself doing.”
Law students aren’t required to choose between the two roles until it comes to deciding on their postgraduate study. Once students have finished their undergraduate degree and any necessary conversion courses, those wanting to be solicitors will take either the legal practice course (LPC) or its replacement, the solicitors qualifying examination (SQE). Those wanting to be barristers will need to take the bar practice course (BPC), followed by practical training via a pupillage.
As Stevens says, there are different things to enjoy about both roles. “[As a solicitor] you get human contact, you get to know your clients very well. But as a barrister, you get the adrenaline rush of being able to ad-lib, taking in complex information and assimilating it quickly.”
For those who really aren’t sure, she points out that the door to becoming a barrister isn’t necessarily closed to solicitors. “If you do the LPC or SQE, there is always the option to cross transfer to the bar later on. If you fancy trying your hand, you can do a cross transfer test after three or four years – so you could argue that going the solicitor’s route is perhaps a better way into the bar – you get to see different aspects from the solicitor’s perspective. So there are plenty of options.”
She adds that law careers don’t need to stay on one track. “I think a lot of people think law is a straight route – you get your LLB, you go and do your bar course, and get pupillage. But it’s not always like that, and it can make for quite a creative pathway.”
As Prof Peter Crisp, deputy vice-chancellor law at The University of Law, says, the process of studying law is something to be relished on its own terms: “There are a number of qualifications that future lawyers can and will take to launch their careers, from legal apprenticeships, an undergraduate degree or SQE qualifications right through to the bar exams, should they wish to become a barrister. The journey to becoming a fully fledged lawyer is as rewarding as the job itself.”
To find out more about The University of Law and the courses on offer, visit the website or go to an open day.
