The advantages of a non-law degreeBy Danny Lee;
GONE are the days when solicitors and barristers were expected to have buried their heads in law books from the day they finished potty training. Law firms and chambers are increasingly recognising the value of degrees such as languages, music, history and economics.
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"Some students will bring with them a wider knowledge of the law. Others will bring different skills such as languages, scientific or business knowledge," a spokeswoman for the Law Society of England and Wales says. "All subjects can be of benefit when in practice."
Law Society statistics show that 18 per cent of entrants to the profession have a non-law degree. Research by the department for education and training at the Bar Council of England and Wales shows that 25 per cent of those enrolled on the Bar Vocational Course have a non-law degree, a figure that has risen over the past ten years.
"We have a positive attitude towards recruiting those who have not studied law as an undergraduate degree," says Deborah Dalgleish, head of UK graduate recruitment at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Her intake includes between 40 to 45 per cent of non-law graduates. "We want people with the right intellectual raw material — it is up to us to identify this through our selection process. If the right raw material is not there, no amount of legal study can compensate for that."
Claire Cherrington, head of graduate recruitment at Linklaters, which recruits one third non-law graduates, believes that there can be advantages to a non-law degree. "People must think about a career in the law as something they really want to do because they’re committing themselves to the extra year of study," she says. "They can tend to be more focused because of that." Certain subjects may also offer skills useful in law, she says. "History, economics and some of the sciences give students useful skills, such as analysis, research and problem-solving abilities, for becoming a lawyer."
Cherrington does not think that the extra year should deter anyone from studying the subject of their choice, however. She points out that "most firms will sponsor law and non-law students alike, including for the extra year. We would encourage people from all backgrounds. We even have a music graduate."
Recruiters do not seem to place graduates from any subject beyond the reach of a career in law. But some point out that if recruits do not have a degree related to the job, there may be some extra explaining to do at the interview stage. "If someone has studied something that does not look business-orientated then, as a commercial firm, we would be bound to look at that. But it wouldn’t rule you out," Cherrington says.
Opportunities for the non-law graduate at the Bar present a similar picture. Helen Mountfield, who has a history degree, is chairman of the training committee at Matrix Chambers. Its intake includes 25 per cent non-law graduates. "We try to look for people who have something else to bring to law, not just academic brilliance," she says. "We will look for a real interest in access to justice, which may have been demonstrated in one or more ways. When we shortlist for interviews, out of usually about 450 applications, we assess potential recruits on a points system with a maximum of 14 points, at least 10 of which must be scored to get through to the first interview. Only five of these points are awarded for academic ability, the rest are awarded for some wider engagement in, for example, advocacy, voluntary or political work. We have people here who have studied all sorts of degrees, including politics, economics and engineering."
David Douglas, chief executive of Littleton Chambers, says its intake breaks down 75:25 in favour of a law degree. "There is a strongly held view that diversity can be a strength and we welcome applications from those with any relevant degree," he says. "Great emphasis is placed on the breadth of interests and activities followed at university and the ability to communicate and interact with solicitors and clients."
Nick Root, a partner in Taylor Root Legal Recruitment, has the final word: "Going back a few years there were one or two firms that preferred law degrees. Now that is not an issue once people are qualified. People look at the level of degree, but not the subject."
If you don’t have a law degree, you will need an extra year of study for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) or Common Professional Examination, which teaches you the law, before starting the Legal Practice Course. A law school, Law Society, Bar Council or Inns of Court scholarship scheme or sponsorship from a firm or chambers may provide funding for this extra year. Leading banks will also provide career-development loans. Apply for funding at least a year before you intend to start the course.
John Herrmann, careers director of BPP Law School, says: "Applications for the course starting in September open on November 1 the year before and close on February 1. Although you can apply to start the GDL right up until just before the course starts, the best law schools fill up quickly, so the earlier you apply the better. Most large and many medium-sized firms recruit two years in advance so you should be applying for training contracts to this type of firm around this time. Other firms recruit one year or even a few months in advance."
GDL applications are made through the Central Applications Board: www.lawcabs.ac.uk