Thinking of becoming a family lawyer? We explain what qualifications and training you need and what you can expect from a wide range of jobs in the arts sector. Career and family law is a demanding and challenging field. Your involvement with clients and the ability to provide legal advice to those in distress can be extremely rewarding.
A family lawyer will provide legal advice for families and relationships. Family law deals with personal and sensitive areas of a client's life, which is why it can be one of the most emotional areas of law. Family law is also remarkably diverse, so while you'll be reading about major topics (such as children, marriage, and divorce), studying family law opens up many areas of learning.
What Types of Persons Are Right for Work in Family Law?
Having the right attitude towards family planning is very important because of the nature of dealing with children and adults in crises. These soft skills make the difference between the successful and the unsuccessful:
- Social skills and communication skills - you deal with clients who have a difficult time, so you need to be a good listener to hear what is being said and what is not being said. Social work - in addition to a sharp legal mind, you will also need social skills such as tact, compassion, empathy, and an appreciation for many different aspects of human nature.
- Professional and objective - the ability to withdraw from the personal level (from children and adults in distress, such as cases of abuse) while acknowledging the problems faced by clients. Hard work and a positive attitude
- Patience and ability to remain calm - with clients, opposing counsel, court staff, procedures, and emotional outbursts.
- Resilience and confidence
Why Do People Specify Family Laws?
Most people major in family law because they have a deep interest in the human side of law and how the law can help people during some of the most difficult times in their lives, including family problems and relationship breakdowns.
A good family lawyer can show compassion and inspire confidence that they will guide their clients through this difficult time, always focusing, but also ensuring that they provide the best legal and procedural advice. study family law
What degree do I need?
There are many ways to qualify as a lawyer requiring different levels of qualifications. All will require GCSE and A-Level qualifications (or equivalent qualifications).
Some law firms offer legal training for students who have completed A-Levels but have not yet achieved a degree which involves a combination of education and experience leading to qualification as a solicitor in around 6 years. There is also the option of qualifying as a Chartered Legal Executive Attorney, which also includes both education and practical experience for at least 5 years.
The new SQE pathway (see below) requires a minimum degree, then further professional qualifications and practical training afterward. Degrees can be in any subject; it doesn't have to be a law degree.
What Professional Qualification and Practical Training Do You Need?
New Approach (Lawyer Qualification Test)
The new SQE pathway was launched by the Solicitors in September 2021. It will eventually replace the traditional pathway entirely and become the central pathway to qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales. This requires the following:
- Scores on each topic.
- Two years of qualifying full-time work experience.
- Passed two rounds of the new lawyer qualifying exam; and
- Meet the SRA's identity and competency requirements.
This route takes a minimum of 5 years but is likely to take 6 years after completing A-Level, possibly 7 years (depending on the degree being pursued). You should carefully consider the courses offered for your undergraduate degree to determine how well the course they offer will prepare you for the SQE.
This may indicate the value of having a law degree to increase your chances of passing the SQE (as opposed to a fully independent university degree). In addition, SQE preparation courses can be taken to help prepare candidates.
Preparatory courses are not mandatory. The SRA believes that your education and training and relevant work experience will give you the knowledge and skills you need to pass the audit.
However, the preparatory classes are still there (and have previously replaced the classes). These can help you pass the SQE exam.
Here are some links that may be useful to help with this decision-making process:
The new route removes the GDL, LPC, and PSC courses that were required for the old qualification route. Instead, it introduces two new standardized tests known as Lawyer Qualifying Exams (SQE) that must be passed. They are divided into two levels and applicants must pass level 1 to progress to level 2.
Step 1
Unit 1 examines knowledge of working law and professional ethics and conduct. It consists of 2 exams each with 180 multiple-choice questions and each takes 5 hours. The exam is a closed paper (meaning candidates cannot take notes, books, or study material inside the test).
Step 2
Part 2 tests the professional skills required in practice, such as client interviewing, advocacy, case analysis, legal research, and writing. These areas are monitored over 5 half days as follows: written exam over 3 half days and oral exam over 2 half days. This course includes 14 hours of exams in total.
Qualified work experience
The qualifying work experience component will change significantly under the new approach. This still requires 2 years of full-time work, but the experience can now be gained with 4 different employers over 2 years. The work may be paid or unpaid and may include paralegal experience. , time spent advising at a student clinic, volunteering at a law firm or citizen advisory firm, or any placements made during the degree. There is also an opportunity to complete 2 years with one employee in the traditional way.
It is important to note that law firms can often decide how they want to provide training and how any previous experience is accepted. It is believed that most companies will still require applicants to complete 2 years of qualifying work at the company to qualify.
All qualified work experience will need to be signed off by an attorney who will review the work and provide feedback. The SRA gives employers discretion in terms of training but provides that the experience must enable the individual to develop the skills and abilities required in practice.
Is work experience before and during college important and do you need relevant work experience?
Yes, work experience will always help you progress. Having general work experience in a professional environment where you deal with colleagues, customers and clients are always beneficial. Specific options to consider are:
- Casual work experience in a family law firm - beneficial
- Complete a vacation scheme https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/law-sector/law-vacation-schemes.
- Complete a student minor working with a family law attorney.
- Summarization (review) by a judge sitting in a family case.
- Participate/win a prize in the university's family law essay contest, demonstrating your interest in the field.
- Participate in pro bono family services and legal clinics.
Salary of a family lawyer in the UK
The average salary for a family lawyer is £41,796 per year in the UK according to data from Indeed, although this varies depending on where and what company you work for.
Salaries for qualified lawyers in all disciplines vary widely across the UK and can range from £26,000 to £55,000, with London City firms paying the highest on average. Legal professionals earn some of the highest salaries in the UK, with many companies offering salaries and benefits, depending on your chosen specialty.
Although the legal profession can be well-paid, the practice of law serves others. The professional satisfaction you will feel knowing you played a vital role at a vulnerable and critical time in a client's life - such as seeing a parent and child reunited - is essential to your work.
There are also intellectual rewards – constant learning and diversity make your job more interesting. Those looking to make a difference in the lives of individuals will find the practice of family law to be a rewarding career path.
