Solicitors

Organisation and Background Information

110,000 Sols in Eng + Wales

The Law Society governing body

Employed Solicitors

Firms - big city or small town firms

run by partners

Non lawyer partners/managers

Approx 98,000

Self Employed Solicitors

Sole practitioners

Approx 12,000

Training

Law degree

3 years 27K 7 core topics

Criminal, Contracts, Property, Public, Trusts and Equity, E.U and Tort

Can receive help with the costs

OR

Graduate diploma in law

Any other academic degree + law degree conversion

3 years + 1 year 27K + 8-10K and 7 core topics

no help with funding

Legal Practice Course

1 year 8-10K some firms may pay for this if you do well in your degree.

Focuses on skills needed to be a Solicitor such as advocacy client interviewing and legal reserach ect.

Training Contract

2 years 4X6 months rotation in a Solicitors Firm to get real experience and to help them choose an area to specialise in.

The Trainee may be paid during the TC but it will be minimum wage.

Professional Skills Course

20 day recap of the LPC focusing on the skills and vocational training.

Admitted to Roll of Solicitors they are now a fully qualified Solicitor.

Practising solicitor - Solicitor

Non Practising Solicitor - Teaching

Continuing Profession Development

Qualified Sols have to complete CPD to keep refreshing their knowledge of the Law and the Law is always changing and being updated.

Extras

Certificate of Advocacy

 Queen's Counsel

After 10 years experience Sols can become QC but must hold cert. of advo highest form of representation.

Work

The work of Solicitors can be summarised by the neumonic 'Coldwar'

Conveyancing - Sols help in the transfer of property, by sorting out the paper work and working with the estate agents.

Oaths - A sol can be a commissioner for oaths and they confirm that their client is who they say they are.

Litigation - is a process of the court process and sols help prepare for court by getting all the documents and paperwork ready.

Drafting documents/divorces - A main part of being a solicitor is drafting docuements and sorting out paperwork as many things need to be written down formally to be acceptable.
Wills - Sols help a testator prepare a will and then make sure all his/her assets and belongings are all shared out equally between the people he leaves them too and they also make sure the testators property is taken care of too.
Advise - They advise clients in their office during a free 30 minute negotion.

At the police station they tell their client what to and not to say.

In court they advise their client of their best options and what their best plea would be.
Represent - They can represnt a client in the County and Magistrates Court after they become qualified and then once they get a certificate of Advocacy they can also represent in the Crown Court.

Complaints

First port of call Solicitors firm, see if a senior partner can resolve your issue.

If nothing is done then you can contact the Legal Ombudsman who deals with complaints about poor service such as taking a long time and not keeping your informed. The L.O can