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Title
Law careers
Category
international
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c66ad57a8060455da35bbe9f0246ce81
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https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/options/sectors/legal-...
Parent URL
https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/options/career-ideas/p...
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2026-03-20T07:24:58+00:00
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Law careers

Source: https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/options/sectors/legal-services/ Parent: https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/options/career-ideas/podcast/

Law is a popular and competitive sector for graduates.

As well as being a solicitor or barrister, there are other roles to consider, such as:

Find out about law

Key resources

Research the sector, keep up with current issues and find out about online law fairs and SQE preparation courses from Legal Cheek.

Listen to our What do you actually do? podcast:

Solicitors Qualifying Exam

The Solicitors Qualifying Exam is now the final, centralised assessment for qualifying solicitors (Law and non-Law graduates). You will also have to complete a total of two years' qualifying work experience (QWE). The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) provides detailed information about the SQE, including dates and costs.

Legal professionals expect AI to significantly impact the profession. AI can enhance productivity for Law firms by speeding up routine and repetitive tasks, such as research, sifting through information, and generating customised legal documents. Legal professionals therefore need good tech skills, as well as strategic thinking, negotiation, complex problem solving and ethical judgement. It is important to understand security and the need to protect confidential client data. See

What skills do I need?

Many jobs in legal services involve long hours and heavy workloads. On top of this, you’ll be expected to have these skills:

Think about how you can demonstrate these skills, using examples from your own experience. For more information about professional skills and how to develop them, see the York Strengths Professional Skills page.

Do I need a law degree?

You don’t need an undergraduate degree in law to become a solicitor or barrister. There are a range of postgraduate courses on offer to help you prepare for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) to be a solicitor, or the Bar course to become a barrister. As a non-Law graduate, you may choose to do a conversion course followed by SQE preparation, or you may find a course offering a combination of the two. The University of York's Graduate Diploma in Law covers the foundations of English law, and legal skills, for students from other degree backgrounds. Research different institutions and courses offered carefully to decide which is best for you, and explore law firms to find out their preferences too.

Both Law and non-Law graduates need:

You must complete both the QWE and SQE before applying to the Solicitors Regulation Authority for admission as a qualified solicitor.

Read more about the Solicitors Qualifying Examination and conversion courses on LawCareers.Net

Read more about Qualifying as a barrister (Law Central Applications Board)

It can cost a lot to become a qualified lawyer - read about ways to fund your studies. Some law firms will sponsor your training, and qualifying Masters courses may be eligible for the government's postgraduate student loan. LawCareers.Net produce a guide on the costs of law course fees. Some law firms are now offering a graduate solicitor apprenticeship, and cover the cost of SQE preparation and exam fees.

Routes into other legal careers are less structured and don’t normally require a law degree, but it is likely you’ll have to undertake further qualifications on the job:

Widening access to Law

There have been improvements in diversity in the legal sector, but it is still true that applicants from higher socio-economic groups are more likely to have good connections and work experience. Here are details of some schemes and organisations offering support to under-represented groups:

Information for international students studying Law

Becoming a lawyer in the UK: an international student's guide (LCN May 2025)

Make the most of the careers support available to you. Law students have their own Careers and development programme and can contact Chris Wilkinson, Employability Tutor in York Law School. All students can access appointments with the Careers and Placements team.

Work experience

If you’re interested in becoming a solicitor or barrister, gaining work experience through these routes will help you:

If you’re interested in another area of legal services, also consider:

Note that the kind of work experience listed above does not equate to the Qualifying Work Experience needed to qualify as a solicitor (which would need to include providing legal services, developing specific competences, and having your work signed off by a solicitor).

Find jobs

Aspiring solicitors can find training contracts on:

Make sure you check the deadlines for training contracts. Many commercial firms recruit two years ahead, though smaller regional law firms may recruit one year in advance. Law students can apply from second year onwards; non-law students apply during your final year. See key dates from TargetJobs. Similarly, UK Law Tracker can help you keep track of law recruitment programmes.

Aspiring barristers can find pupillages on:

Work experience may be via vacation or insight schemes, virtual work experience programmes, or experience in other sectors, see Prospects: law work experience

Use specialist job websites for legal vacancies:

Practice interviews on Shortlist.Me

Recruitment process

Recruitment with a large legal firm may include any or all of the following:

See the Applying and interviewing pages for further information. Make sure you research Law firms thoroughly; their website is a good starting point but you need to look beyond that, for example where are they in the news at the moment? LawCareers.Net has advice on applying for a training contract.

Pupillage recruitment is usually more traditional, with a single or multi-stage interview process and an assessed task on the day. Read TARGETjobs’ How to ace your pupillage interview.

Law firms vary in their approach to the use of AI in applications. Shoosmiths have some insights on their blog about AI in recruitment; other firms may have different views about whether or how it should be used. See also LawCareers.Net's article, Using AI in law firm applications for advice on identifying a firm's stance.

Art and Law careers

Combining your love of Art and cultural history with an interest in Law or business could lead to a number of different careers within the legal field.

This is a niche area, so you can't train specifically as an "Art Lawyer" in the UK - it's likely you would specialise in property, intellectual property, copyright or tax law and then work in a law firm which has art-related clients (like museums/galleries/private investors). A starting point for this could be to look at law firms affiliated with the Institute of Art and Law

Art Insurance, Auction Houses

There are specialist companies who work specifically with private collectors, museums, galleries, local authorities or commercial companies. You could help ensure collectors, buyers and sellers work responsibly by working for them. Looking for junior underwriter positions, ideally within a fine art department, may be the best way to get into this area of work:

Policy making and Arts funding

Organisations that implement (and potentially influence) government policy, make decisions on funding applications from museums, galleries and artists. Some examples:

Restitution/fraud investigation

Private companies, government bodies, local and national law enforcement organisations help advise on crime prevention and research restitution issues. Some examples:

Law enforcement/security

Working at a local, national or international level:

Work experience

What can I do at York?

There are many things you can do while studying at York to prepare for a career in legal services:

More resources: networks and blogs

Join York for Life to connect with our global network of alumni. Start building your own network - find people from your course, look at different careers, ask questions and request a mentor.

Use LinkedIn to make connections, follow organisations of interest, and find out what York graduates are doing. Find out more about using LinkedIn and networking.\ \ These LinkedIn profiles of  York law graduates may provide a useful reference as you begin exploring the field:\ \ Beth Brayshaw, Trainee Solicitor\ Rosie Preston, Masters of Art Law Graduate

Other law professionals' profiles

Blogs and podcasts

Videos: careers in intellectual property

supplied by Withers & Rogers LLP

Practice interviews

You can use Shortlist.Me to prepare for job interviews. Try these interviews with employers working in legal services:

Find out more about interview prep on the Applying and interviewing pages.