Legal Jobs

Things to keep in mind when looking for a Legal Job

There are a wide variety of legal jobs available, given the vast areas of expertise within the sector. Legal specialisms include human rights, matrimonial and property, environment and sports.

The most obvious jobs within the legal sector require a law degree plus other industry-recognised qualifications, for example, solicitors and barristers. Solicitors’ primary role is to advise clients on legal aspects of their affairs, which involves a great deal of liaising and negociation, as well as preparing legal documents. The starting salary for this job can easily double to £30,000+ at large firms, or when experience is gained.

Barristers present cases in court, so must have a great command of the country’s legal system, and be able to examine and cross-examine witnesses. Starting salaries vary immensely, but there is potential to earn £150,000+ per year as a barrister.

Other legal jobs include legal executives, who work under the solicitor with a starting salary of £18,000 - £20,000. With around ten or more years of experience, this figure could easily double or even triple. Conveyancers, who specialise in property law, can also earn a similar salary.

Naturally, such roles require that the employee keeps up-to-date with legal amendments by attending courses and reading journals.

Legal secretaries typically earn £18,000 - £21,000 per year, but bigger firms are often willing to pay more for the right candidate with the appropriate specialist knowledge. They are required to have excellent communication, organisational and IT skills, as they will be expected to answer phone calls, audio type and manage files and diaries.

The large scale amounts of money with which law firms are constantly dealing mean that cashiers are also required to keep the books. If you are interested in this type of role, you may also be interested in our ‘Accounting Jobs’ section.

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