Accounting and law question

Madman60

Hey this may seem like a stupid question but does any one know where I'd get info about how to become a solicitor or an accountant?? I asked my career guidance teacher but she insisted your a qualified accountant at the end of your four years ! Does anyone know if this is true or where I'd get info on the different courses law civil law etc .. ( I'm not sure what the difference is )

Calvin

I know that there are exams that you must take before becoming a fully qualified accountant, and some college courses give you an exemption from certain parts of the exams. Here's some sites to read about it:

https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/General/About-Us/Chartered-Accountancy/Becoming-a-Chartered-Accountant/

http://www.cpaireland.ie/study-cpa

Daisy03

Your guidance teacher is wrong. The other poster is right in saying you need to do exams after college if you want to be an accountant. I am a trainee accountant myself.

There are a few different accountancy bodies. I am studying with the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ACA). There is also ACCA, CPA and CIMA which is a management accountancy qualification.

One route is after college applying for one of the Big4 accountancy firms who take on a considerable amount of trainees every year. Trainee contracts last 3.5 years or 3 years if you do a masters in accounting. During this time you work and do exams. It can be very tough at times with lectures to attend in the evenings and weekends and working overtime but it is a good qualification. You do get study leave to study during the summer though.

In picking a college course some do give more exemptions. You can get full exemptions from the first set of exams (CAP 1) in some courses. I wouldnt worry about that too much at this stage though. I wasnt sure when doing my LC if accountancy was for me. I chose a course instead that had a mix of economics and accountancy and got partial exemptions.

There is an accountancy sub forum if you are interested and want more info on the other exams. I only know about ACA.

One thing I will say is that its a long road. I did my LC in 2007 and will only this year be sitting my final exams.. That's 7 years of exams between college exams and professional exams. If I fail these exams I have to wait a full year to repeat. It can be hard sometimes to stay motivated.

STP50

The above posters are correct - there are many routes to becoming and accountant or a solicitor , however both are
regulated professions and require professional exams and membership of a professional body.

The law society of Ireland will describe the process for qualifying as a solicitor.


I do not seem to be able to post the link - google lawsociety.ie