Legal Careers
- Barrister
- Barristers' Clerk
- Court Reporter
- Court Usher/Officer
- Legal Executive
- Legal Secretary
- Legal Adviser
- Magistrates' Court Assistant
- Solicitor
The job descriptions are only a brief summary. It is recommended that you do further research on jobs that interest you.
A client visits a solicitor's office
A solicitor is usually the first point of contact for anyone seeking skilled legal advice. Solicitors are also able to represent their clients in the lower courts.
Solicitor
Solicitors provide advice, assistance and representation to members of the public on all legal matters. They work directly with their clients and are usually the first point of contact for anyone looking for expert legal advice.
Solicitors may advise on a wide range of issues, such as business law (including issues such as VAT, employment law and company mergers), conveyancing, probate, patents and copyrights.
They advise people who are involved in disputes; if the case goes to court, they give instructions and information to the barrister. The barrister appears in court to argue the client's case. Solicitors are able to represent clients in some types of court.
The usual way to enter this career is to complete a qualifying law degree followed by one year (full-time) of professional training (the Legal Practice Course) and then two years in paid training with a firm of solicitors or an approved organisation.
Legal Secretary
Legal secretaries carry out administrative and secretarial duties in solicitors' offices, and in the legal departments of other organisations. They use computers to prepare letters and legal documents.
They manage solicitors' diaries, keep records and deal with correspondence and visiting clients; they must be aware of the need for confidentiality.
They need a good knowledge of legal terms used in the profession. Accuracy and attention to detail are vital.
There is no formal academic entry requirement. Many entrants have completed legal secretarial courses, such as those offered by ILEX.
Legal Executive
The work of a legal executive is very similar to that of a solicitor. The main difference is that legal executives usually specialise in one area of law. They are qualified lawyers with at least five years' experience of working under the supervision of a solicitor.
The most common areas legal executives specialise in are civil litigation, conveyancing, criminal law and probate.
Legal executives are employed only in England, Wales and the Isle of Man - there is no Scottish equivalent.
Entry is through a specialist training programme run by the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX), for which the minimum entry requirements are 4 GCSEs at grade C or above, including English and three subjects from the ILEX approved subjects list.
A case is heard in a Magistrates' Court
Anyone who is charged with a criminal offence in England or Wales must first appear in a Magistrates' Court. All criminal cases begin in a Magistrates' Court and most end there.
There are two types of magistrate: justices of the peace and district judges (formerly 'stipendiary magistrates'). Justices of the peace are 'lay' or ordinary people who are appointed by the lord chancellor. District judges are qualified solicitors or barristers of at least seven years' standing.
Magistrates usually sit in court in groups of three. Justices of the peace decide issues of fact and, with advice from legal advisers, decide issues of law and sentencing. District judges are able to decide issues of fact, law and sentencing on their own.
The court decides whether the crime fits into one of three general categories: very serious, serious or not so serious. Magistrates are able to deal with not so serious crimes (or 'summary' offences) with maximum powers of six-months' imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £5000.
A serious offence is also known as an 'either way' offence because it can be dealt with by the Magistrates' Court or by the Crown Court. A very serious ('indictable') offence must be dealt with by the Crown Court.
Magistrates' Courts also deal with civil law matters. For example, they have special courts to deal with family proceedings and licensing applications for pubs and betting shops.
Magistrates' Court Assistant
Magistrates' court assistants provide court staff with clerical and administrative support. This may involve typing forms, warrants and court reports, booking dates for hearings, and liaising with solicitors, police officers, social workers and the public.
They often help people to complete forms such as legal aid applications, and offer general help, advice and information. They are likely to spend some time in courts helping court clerks with note-taking and paperwork.
After the hearing, assistants issue any documents that are required, such as probation and community service orders. They are responsible for driving licence endorsements and the administration of fines, costs and other payments.
Although, it is possible to enter without any academic qualifications, many employers look for at least 4 GCSEs at grade C or above, including English and Maths.
Legal Adviser
Legal advisers provide expert advice on the law and court procedures to help magistrates reach their decisions.
They provide advice on the correct sentences for particular offences, as well as guidance on complex points of law.
During the proceedings, legal advisers identify defendants, read out charges, take notes and record decisions. They also offer help to members of the public, explaining the charge and the nature of the proceedings.
Legal advisers are qualified barristers or solicitors. Entry is also possible for Fellows of the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) who have also completed the Legal Practice Course (LPC).
Court Usher/Officer
Court ushers help to make sure the court runs smoothly. Their duties vary depending on the type of court they work in.
Before the hearing begins, they prepare the court and arrange seating. They check that everyone has arrived and help people to take the oath before giving evidence. Court ushers may have clerical duties when they are not in court.
There are no minimum academic entry requirements for this career.
A case goes to Crown Court
The Crown Court tries the most serious criminal law cases and the 'either way' offences referred to it by the Magistrates' Court. Cases are heard by a judge and jury.
Barrister
Barristers work within the legal system of England and Wales. There are two main aspects of their work: giving specialist advice on complex legal issues and representing people in court.
If a case does go to court, the barrister will spend a large amount of time in preparation. Preparing for a case involves thorough research to become familiar with all the facts.
During the court proceedings, barristers present all the relevant facts to support their argument. They cross-examine witnesses and present a 'summing up' to persuade the court to decide the case in favour of their client.
Barristers need to complete a degree (the most direct route is through a law degree) followed by postgraduate training and qualifications.
Barristers' Clerk
Barristers' clerks are responsible for the administration of chambers (the shared offices of independent barristers). Senior clerks have a management role. They decide which legal cases a barrister should accept, arrange their appearance in court and calculate their fees. Barristers' clerks plan the barrister's schedule.
Junior clerks have general administrative duties. Most juniors start work in chambers after completing GCSEs or A levels, and then receive initial training on-the-job.
Court Reporter
Court reporters attend court to make a verbatim (word-for-word) record of the hearings. They record witnesses' evidence, the judge's summing up, verdict and any later sentencing hearings. Court reporters may also be known as shorthand writers or verbatim reporters.
They use shorthand, or more often these days, machine shorthand. Machine shorthand is a system that uses special keyboards. These enable reporters to input whole words and phrases at the touch of a button.
The court reporter can press any number of keys in combination with only one key stroke, rather than using a separate key stroke for each letter. Machine shorthand is therefore much quicker than using a traditional typewriter keyboard.
It is most common to enter this job after completing a private stenography (shorthand) course. Once in employment, trainees usually work alongside experienced court reporters.
Court Usher/Officer
Court ushers help to make sure the court runs smoothly. Their duties vary depending on the type of court they work in.
Before the hearing begins, they prepare the court and arrange seating. They check that everyone has arrived and help people to take the oath before giving evidence. Court ushers may have clerical duties when they are not in court.
There are no minimum academic entry requirements for this career.
Further Information
Resources
- AGCAS Sector Briefings: Legal Services Sector Prospects Downloadable from www.prospects.ac.uk
- LawCareers.net Trainee Solicitors' Group www.lawcareers.net
- TARGET Law GTI Specialist Publishers Ltd
Contacts
- General Council Of The Bar, 289-293 High Holborn, London WC1V 7HZ
- Her Majesty's Courts Service
- LCAN - The Law Careers Advice Network
- Law Society, Information Services, Ipsley Court, Berrington Close, Redditch B98 OTD
Connexions Library
- L - Legal and Political Services
Careers Library
Related Careers
Source: Cascaid
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