Placement Overview

This placement is a commercial solicitor. They generally undertake work involving companies including, but not limited to, acquisitions and disposals of shares in companies, shareholders’ agreements and disputes, restructuring, management buy-outs and buy-ins, asset acquisitions and disposals and other ancillary work relating to companies.

Generic Job Description for a Solicitor

Solicitors act on behalf of clients providing advice on legal matters. Their clients can include the general public, businesses or government organisations.

Solicitors usually specialise in an area of practice i.e. litigation, crown prosecution, business law, conveyance or probate. 

Their responsibilities might include giving advice and support to clients, interpreting the law to clients, preparing legal documents and researching legal cases.

Solicitors generally work as part of a team in a legal firm.

Skills:

• Confidence
• Excellent communication skills
• Attention to detail
• The ability to work under pressure
• Motivation
• Self discipline
• Discretion  

Pay:

• £14,000 - £16,000 whilst training
• £25,000 - £45,000 when qualified
• £100,000 or more for partners in small law firms

Please not that salary figures are a guide only. Actual salaries may vary depending on the organisation and geographical location

Hours:

• Typically 9-5 Monday to Friday
• Overtime is common in order to meet case deadlines
• Some Solicitors are required to be on call during weekends and bank holidays 

Environment:

• Typically office based
• Some travel is required to meet with clients
• Some time is spent in court

Qualifications:

• The usual route to qualifying as a Solicitor is to complete a Law degree
• Most degree courses require five GCSE passes grades A-C and two A-Levels
• There is a vocational route to qualifying as a Solicitor 

Training:

• Even with a Law degree, 1-2 years of on-the-job training is required to fully qualify
• It is essential for solicitors to continue with professional development throughout their career

Opportunities:

• There are over 90,000 Solicitors in the UK
• Opportunities exist in private practice, government, commercial and industrial organisations and voluntary organisation
• There are law firms in most towns across the UK, although the largest tend to be based in large cities

Links:

www.lawsociety.org.uk - The Law Society of England and Wales

www.cps.gov.uk - The Crown Prosecution Service

www.lcan.csu.ac.uk - The Law Careers Advice Network