Work placements, as ever, are crucial. The deadline for formal applications for such placements is usually around Christmas-time prior to the start of the placement, though positions may also be arranged informally all year round. For non-law students intending to take a conversion course, the deadline for applications for the CPE is Jan 31st prior to the start of the course.
Would-be solicitors should start thinking about securing a training contract 2-3 years ahead of starting. The deadline for LPC applications is Dec 1st prior to starting the course.
Applications for the Bar Vocational Course can be made from the autumn before starting the course, and those for subsequent pupillages from the spring prior to commencement of the BVC. In addition it is necessary to join an Inn no later than the summer before the BVC.
Entry into the profession
Before being allowed to practice in the English legal system three stages of training - academic, vocational and practical - must be completed. The academic stage need not constitute an undergraduate law degree - currently a third of all admissions to the Law Society are non-law graduates and employers do recognise the breadth of knowledge and experience a non-law first degree can bring. In this case aspiring lawyers must complete a one-year conversion course in the form of the Common Professional Examination (CPE) or a Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PgDL).
After completion of the academic stage, solicitors-to-be must apply to the Law Society for Certificate of Completion of the Academic Stage of Training and enrolment with the Law Society. The vocational training takes the form of a one year (or two year part time) Legal Practice Course, currently offered by 23 institutions. City and commercial practices may assist with fees and maintenance costs of both the CPE and the LPC. This is less true of smaller firms. The practical element of training takes the form of a two-year paid training contract with an authorised law firm.
Entry into the Bar is more complex. In order to be a barrister, one has to be 'called to the bar' by the benchers of the Inns of Court. It is necessary to join an Inn of Court before beginning the vocational stage of training, the Bar Vocational Course (BVC). The BVC is a one-year practical training course currently offered by 8 institutions. Fees are expensive (usually in the region of #7,000) and funding and sponsorship is less common than for would-be solicitors. The BVC is usually followed by 12 month pupillage within a set of chambers, ideally leading to a permanent position, but it is not always this easy. The number of places on the BVC well exceeds the number of available pupillages. Competition is strong.
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