Legal
There are a range of services for clients provided by the legal services industry. In the current climate graduate competition for legal jobs is incredibly fierce. In 2009, there was a drop in the number of legal graduate vacancies by almost a tenth (High Fliers Research, 2009), but there are still companies recruiting - such as
Baker and McKenzie. There is almost three times as many applicants for legal jobs compared with 2008.
Lawyer's advice, brief and act upon legal matters. Lawyers are generally either solicitors or barristers. Solicitors provide legal advice and legal services on a variety of areas including, advice to businesses for example producing a service contract between two companies, to dealing with large corporate mergers.
Barristers however present cases in court on a behalf of solicitor's. Barristers may specialise in a particular field, for example criminal, family or commercial.
Advocate
Barrister
Lawyer
Legal Aid
Legal Executives
Paralegals
Solicitor
Graduate salaries can depend on various factors including the position you undertake, which region you work in, the company you work for and any bonus structure available.
Starting salary: £29,199 - £59,208
A degree in law can be an advantage but is not essential. If you don't have a law degree you will have to do a conversion course, called the Common Professional Exam (CPE). Barristers will need to study a Bar vocational course and a year doing a pupilage within a set of chambers.
Good communication and organisational skills are essential as people in the legal professions spend a lot of time gathering information and drafting documents. A wide range of soft skills are essential in an accountancy job, including having good team work skills. Having a good general understanding of word processing, spreadsheets and I.T packages are essential. These tools will aid you in researching, presenting and retrieval of information.
