Solicitor Jobs

Are you able to deal with a great deal of pressure?

Solicitor Jobs are very demanding and require that the solicitor works under a great deal of pressure.

A commercial solicitor is employed to act on behalf of businesses of all sizes, and means they can be dealing with anything from starting up small businesses to overseeing mergers or acquisitions. Their duties include providing legal advice to their clients, representing their clients in legal cases and overseeing the implementation of agreements. Naturally, they are expected to draft contracts and legal documents. Excellent communication skills and a strong commercial awareness is needed in this job, which typically starts between £14,000 and £17,000 and can eventually be worth £30,000+ per year to commercial solicitors at city firms.

Non-commercial solicitors provide legal advice and support to their clients. They mainly deal with the legal implications of buying / selling / renting property, wills and probate, litigation and matrimony. Researching and analysing information is a key aspect of the job, as is preparing papers for court. Not only this, they also have to attend their clients’ court cases. The starting wage is usually between £15,000 and £22,000, but with experience, this can increase to between £35,000 and £70,000+. It is worth noting that the higher end of these figures can only realistically be earned in central London.

To become a solicitor, you will need a good honours degree. If it is not in law, you will have to one-year conversion course in the form of the Common Professional Examination (CPE)/Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). All graduates have to take the one-year Legal Practice Course before starting a two year training contract. Bear in mind that competition for solicitor jobs is extremely fierce.

For related jobs, take a look at our Legal Jobs, Investment Banking Jobs and Executive Jobs sections.

Bookmark with: