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Career as a Solicitor

  • 07-06-2007 11:47am
    #1
    theprizelamb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37 ✭


    I’m a year out of college after graduating with a MA in Economics. I am currently finding the financial services jobs in Ireland an absolute nightmare – there are no interesting jobs or anything I want to do. It’s all administration!!

    I have recently started considering a career as a solicitor – I had considered a role in law before perusing the MA. I know all about the route into law (Fe-1’s, apprenticeship etc.) but what I really want to ask is what is the actual career like? I know that salary levels are high but what about stress levels, hours worked, holidays, work satisfaction – basically a solicitor’s quality of life!

    I really would appreciate any advice before going down a long path that I wish I never started.

    p.s. would a non-law degree background be a disadvantage in gaining an apprenticeship and a subsequent job?


Comments

  • #2
    cold_filter
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 744 ✭✭✭cold_filter


    I'm not a solicitor but having a a non-law degree shouldnt be a huge hinderence. once you do a law conversion i know UL have a conversion course.

    I have a degree in comp sci and was thinking of doing it and specialising in computer law/internet law probably wont get a job here in it but in the UK/US


  • #3
    johnnyskeleton
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 14,535 Mod ✭✭✭✭johnnyskeleton


    theprizelamb wrote:
    I have recently started considering a career as a solicitor – I had considered a role in law before perusing the MA. I know all about the route into law (Fe-1’s, apprenticeship etc.) but what I really want to ask is what is the actual career like? I know that salary levels are high but what about stress levels, hours worked, holidays, work satisfaction – basically a solicitor’s quality of life!

    How long, you should ask, is a piece of string? You can have a nice quiet life in a small town practise or live the high octaine life of an international commercial litigation specialist (or whatever). Stress levels depend on where you are, but generally you have to cope with a level of responsibility that is often higher than working other jobs. You may well take the sole responsibility over a very important decision in a person's life - whether to divorce, buy property, recover damages or be extradited (but of course this responsibility can always be contracted out to a barrister). You would typically work 9-5 with some fairly regular overtime (from every few weeks to every day). Holidays depend on how senior you are, but are comparable to other jobs (slightly higher I think, in the larger firms).

    As for satisfaction, it really depends on who you are, and to a certain extent how good you are. Is there any area of law you want to get into? Bear in mind that law is, from a certain point of view also administration. It can be the administration of money and contracts (which might be your thing with an MA in Economics), the administration of justice (criminal), the administration of love lives (family) or the administration of people's financial wellbeing (wills, land, etc).


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