All Topics  
Training contract

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Training contract
 
 
  Topics Training contract Topic Home

A training contract is a compulsory period of practical training in a law firm
Law firm

A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service provided by a law firm is to advise consumers about their legal rights and Obligation, and to represent their clients in civil case or Criminal law, business transactions and other matters in which legal assistance is sought....
 for law graduates
Legal education

Legal education is the education of individuals who intend to become legal professionals or those who simply intend to use their law degree to some end, either related to law or business....
 before they can qualify as a solicitor
Solicitor

In the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers, and a law practitioner will usually only hold one title....
 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
, Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
 and Hong Kong
Hong Kong

Hong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located in Southern China in East Asia, bordering the province of Guangdong to the north and facing the South China Sea to the east, west and south....
. A full-time training contract is normally for two years, and applicants must have first completed the Legal Practice Course
Legal Practice Course

The Legal Practice Course , also known as the Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, is the vocational stage for becoming a solicitor in England and Wales....
. During this training period, they are known as trainee solicitor
Trainee solicitor

In the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong and certain other English common law jurisdictions, a trainee solicitor is a prospective lawyer undergoing professional training at a law firm to qualify as a fully-fledged solicitor....
s.

The barrister
Barrister

A barrister is a lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions that employ a split profession in relation to legal representation. In split professions, the other type of lawyer is the solicitor....
's equivalent would be twelve months' pupillage
Pupillage

A pupillage, in England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, is the barrister's equivalent of the training contract that a solicitor undertakes....
 under a pupilmaster, in barristers' chambers
Chambers (law)

A judge's chambers - often just called his or her chambers - is the office of a judge.Chambers may also refer to the type of courtroom where motions related to matter of procedure are heard....
.

Trainee solicitor
Trainee solicitor

In the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong and certain other English common law jurisdictions, a trainee solicitor is a prospective lawyer undergoing professional training at a law firm to qualify as a fully-fledged solicitor....
s and training contracts were formerly known as articled clerk
Articled clerk

An articled clerk is an apprentice in a professional firm in Commonwealth of Nations countries. Generally the term arises in the accountancy and in the law firm....
s and articles of clerkship, respectively.

btain a training contract, a graduate must apply for an opening for such position at a law firm usually a year of two in advance of the start of their employment.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Training contract'
Start a new discussion about 'Training contract'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


A training contract is a compulsory period of practical training in a law firm
Law firm

A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service provided by a law firm is to advise consumers about their legal rights and Obligation, and to represent their clients in civil case or Criminal law, business transactions and other matters in which legal assistance is sought....
 for law graduates
Legal education

Legal education is the education of individuals who intend to become legal professionals or those who simply intend to use their law degree to some end, either related to law or business....
 before they can qualify as a solicitor
Solicitor

In the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers, and a law practitioner will usually only hold one title....
 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
, Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
 and Hong Kong
Hong Kong

Hong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located in Southern China in East Asia, bordering the province of Guangdong to the north and facing the South China Sea to the east, west and south....
. A full-time training contract is normally for two years, and applicants must have first completed the Legal Practice Course
Legal Practice Course

The Legal Practice Course , also known as the Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, is the vocational stage for becoming a solicitor in England and Wales....
. During this training period, they are known as trainee solicitor
Trainee solicitor

In the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong and certain other English common law jurisdictions, a trainee solicitor is a prospective lawyer undergoing professional training at a law firm to qualify as a fully-fledged solicitor....
s.

The barrister
Barrister

A barrister is a lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions that employ a split profession in relation to legal representation. In split professions, the other type of lawyer is the solicitor....
's equivalent would be twelve months' pupillage
Pupillage

A pupillage, in England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, is the barrister's equivalent of the training contract that a solicitor undertakes....
 under a pupilmaster, in barristers' chambers
Chambers (law)

A judge's chambers - often just called his or her chambers - is the office of a judge.Chambers may also refer to the type of courtroom where motions related to matter of procedure are heard....
.

Trainee solicitor
Trainee solicitor

In the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong and certain other English common law jurisdictions, a trainee solicitor is a prospective lawyer undergoing professional training at a law firm to qualify as a fully-fledged solicitor....
s and training contracts were formerly known as articled clerk
Articled clerk

An articled clerk is an apprentice in a professional firm in Commonwealth of Nations countries. Generally the term arises in the accountancy and in the law firm....
s and articles of clerkship, respectively.

Route

To obtain a training contract, a graduate must apply for an opening for such position at a law firm usually a year of two in advance of the start of their employment. One concern is that each year the number of applicants exceeds the number of contracts available. A large number of unsuccessful graduates will have accrued sizeable debts with no guarantee of being able to qualify as a lawyer. However, it should be borne in mind that in years past it was common for aspiring lawyers to in fact pay law firms to train them.

Alternative routes


Legal executives

For a legal executive
Legal Executive

Legal executives are trained legal professionals in England & Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia who often specialise in a particular area of law....
, who normally does not hold a law degree
Law degree

A Law degree is the degree conferred on someone who successfully completes studies in law. However many law degrees are insufficient education for a license to practice law by the administrative body of that jurisdiction....
, a training contract is not normally required to qualification as a solicitor. Non-law graduates typically advance toward qualification by passing exams administered by the Institute of Legal Executives
Institute of Legal Executives

The Institute of Legal Executives is a professional body in England and Wales to which all legal executives must belong as well as an examination board providing qualifications for legal executives, paralegals and legal secretaries....
 (ILEX), while working under the supervision of a solicitor
Solicitor

In the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers, and a law practitioner will usually only hold one title....
.