
- Help you decide whether you are right for the job, and whether the job is right for you;
- Understand the nature of the profession and what it entails;
- Provide a step-by-step account of the process of becoming a solicitor, including education, skills, qualifications and experience;
- Give you an insight into what employers are looking for in terms of potential employees and the opportunities available;
- Guide you through the interview stages and the typical questions you are likely to be asked;
- Provide tips, advice and helpful resources to aid you on your journey to become a UK solicitor.
Where to study your law degree

Aberdeen University Web: www.abdn.ac.uk/law/ | Manchester Metropolitan University* Web: www.mmu.ac.uk |
Anglia Ruskin University Web: www.anglia.ac.uk/law | Newcastle University Web: www.ncl.ac.uk |
Aston University* Web: www.aston.ac.uk | Northumbria University* Web: www.northumbrialawschool.co.uk |
Bangor University Web: www.bangor.ac.uk/ | Nottingham Trent University* Web: www.nlu.ac.uk |
Birkbeck College (University of London) Web: www.bbk.ac.uk/ | Oldham College Web: www.oldham.ac.uk |
Birmingham City University* Web: www.bham.ac.uk | Open University Web: www.open.ac.uk |
Birmingham City University Web: www.bham.ac.uk | Oxford Brookes University* Web: www.brookes.ac.uk |
Bournemouth University* Web: www.bournemouth.ac.uk | Oxford University Web: www.ox.ac.uk |
BPP Law School* Web: www.bpplawschool.com | Queen Mary University of London Web: www.law.gmul.ac.uk |
Bradford College Web: www.bradfordcollege.ac.uk | Queens University, Belfast Web: www.qub.ac.uk |
Brighton University Web: [email protected] | Reading University Web: www.rdg.ac.uk |
Brunel University* Web: www.brunel.ac.uk | School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)(University of London) Web: www.soas.ac.uk |
Buckingham University Web: www.buckingham.ac.uk | Sheffield Hallam University* Web: www.shu.ac.uk |
Buckinghamshire New University* Web: www.bucks.ac.uk | Southampton Solent University* Web: www.solent.ac.uk |
Cambridge University Web: www.cam.ac.uk | Southampton University Web: www.soton.ac.uk |
Canterbury Christ Church University Web: www.canterbury.ac.uk | St. Mary’s University College Web: www.smuc.ac.uk |
Cardiff University* Web: www.ct.ac.uk | Staffordshire University* Web: www.staffs.ac.uk |
City University* Web: www.city.ac.uk | Sussex University Web: www.susx.ac.uk |
Coventry University Web: www.coventry.ac.uk | Swansea Metropolitan University Web: www.smu.ac.uk |
De Montfort University* Web: www.dmu.ac.uk | Swansea University* Web: www.swan.ac.uk |
Dundee University Web: www.dundee.ac.uk | University College (University of London) Web: www.ucl.ac.uk |
Durham University Web: www.dur.ac.uk | University of Bedfordshire Web: www.beds.ac.uk |
Edge Hill University, Lancashire Web: www.edgehill.ac.uk | University of Bolton Web: www.bolton.ac.uk |
Greenwich School of Management Web: www.gsm.org.uk/en/ | University of Bradford* Web: www.bradford.ac.uk |
Holborn College Web: www.holborncollege.ac.uk | University of Bristol Web: www.bristol.ac.uk |
Huddersfield University Web: www.hud.ac.uk/ | University of Central Lancashire* Web: www.uclan.ac.uk |
Hull University Web: www.hull.ac.uk | University of Chester Web: www.chester.ac.uk |
Keele University* Web: www.keele.ac.uk/ | University of Cumbria Web: www.cumbria.ac.uk |
Kent University Web: www.ukc.ac.uk | University of Derby Web: www.derby.ac.uk |
King’s College, London Web: www.kl.ac.uk/ | University of East Anglia* (Norwich Law School) Web: www.uea.ac.uk |
Kingston University* Web: www.king.ac.uk/ | University of East London* Web: www.uel.ac.uk |
Lancaster University Web: www.lancs.ac.uk/ | University of Essex Web: www.essex.ac.uk |
Leeds Metropolitan University* Web: www.leedsmet.ac.uk/fbl | University of Exeter Web: www.ex.ac.uk |
Liverpool John Moores University* Web: www.livim.ac.uk/ | University of Glouchestershire Web: www.glos.ac.uk/ |
London Metropolitan University* Web: www.londonmet.ac.uk/ | University of Greenwich Web: www.gre.ac.uk/ |
London School of Economics and Political Science Web: www.lsbu.ac.uk | University of Hertfordshire* Web: www.herts.ac.uk/ |
London South Bank University* Web: www.lsbu.ac.uk | University of Law Web: www.law.ac.uk |
University of Leeds Web: www.leeds.ac.uk/ | University of Northampton Web: www.northampton.ac.uk |
University of Lincoln* Web: www.lincoln.ac.uk/ | University of Plymouth* Web: www.plymouth.ac.uk |
University of London External Programme Web: www.londonexternal.ac.uk | University of Portsmouth Web: www.port.ac.uk |
University of Manchester Web: www.manchester.ac.uk | University of Salford Web: www.salford.ac.uk |
University of South Wales* Web: fbs.glam.ac.uk/school/law/ | University of Sheffield* Web: www.shef.ac.uk |
University of Strathclyde* Web: www.strath.ac.uk/humanities/lawschool/ | University of West London Web: www.uwl.ac.uk |
University of Sunderland Web: www.sunderland.ac.uk | University of West of England, Bristol* Web: www.uwe.ac.uk |
University of Surrey Web: www.surrey.ac.uk | University of Westminster* Web: www.wmin.ac.uk |
University of Teesside Web: www.tees.ac.uk | University of Winchester* Web: www.winchester.ac.uk |
University of Ulster Web: www.ulster.ac.uk | University of Wolverhampton* Web: www.wlv.ac.uk |
University of York Web: www.york.ac.uk | Warwick University Web: www.warwick.ac.uk |
Training Contract Salaries and Salaries Upon Qualifying

Law Firm | Starting Salary for Training Contract (£) | Starting Salary Upon Qualification (£) |
Allen & Overy LLP | 39,000 | 61,500 |
Ashurst LLP | 38,000 | 61,000 |
Baker & McKenzie LLP | 39,500 | 63,000 |
Bird & Bird LLP | 36,000 | 59,000 |
Burges Salmon LLP | 33,000 | 41,000 |
Clifford Chance LLP | 39,000 | 63,500 |
Clyde & Co | 36,000 | 59,000 |
CMS Cameron McKenna | 37,500 | 60,000 |
Edwards Wildman Palmer UK LLP | 38,000 | 58,000 |
Field Fisher Waterhouse | 35,000 | 58,000 |
Government Legal Service | 23,250 | 35,000 |
Herbert Smith Freehills LLP | 39,000 | 63,000 |
Hogan Lovells | 39,000 | 63,000 |
Ince & Co LLP | 36,000 | 58,000 |
Jones Day | 41,000 | 72,500 |
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP | 41,000 | 97,560 |
Lawrence Graham LLP | 35,000 | 54,000 |
Linklaters LLP | 69,500 | 64,000 |
Macfarlanes LLP | 38,000 | 61,000 |
Mayer Brown International LLP | 37,500 | 61,000 |
Mills & Reeve LLP | 25,000 | 36,000 to 56,000 |
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP | 38,000 | 63,000 |
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (Europe) LLP | 38,000 | 65,000 |
Osborne Clarke | 32,000 to 36,500 | 40,000 to 58,000 |
Reed Smith | 37,000 | 59,000 |
SGH Martineau LLP | 23,000 | 36,000 |
Shearman & Sterling LLP | 39,000 | 78,000 |
Shoosmiths | 24,000 | 38,000 |
Sidley Austin LLP | 41,000 | 72,000 |
Simmons & Simmons LLP | 37,500 | 59,000 |
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom (UK) LLP | 42,000 | 98,000 |
Slaughter and May | 39,000 | 63,000 |
Stephenson Harwood LLP | 37,000 | 60,000 |
Stevens & Bolton LLP | 33,000 | 44,000 |
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP | 50,000 | 97,500 |
Travers Smith LLP | 39,000 | 63,000 |
White & Case LLP | 42,000 | 75,000 |
Law Societies
Below is a list of law societies: This is a helpful resource as it allows you to research into different law societies which will prove valuable to you as you progress through the stages of becoming a solicitor.· Bedfordshire Law Society · Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Law Society · Birmingham Law Society · Bournemouth and District Law Society · Bristol Law Society · Bromley and District Law Society · Cambridgeshire and District Law Society · Cardiff and District Law Society · Chichester and District Law Society · City of London Law Society · City of Westminster and Holborn Law Society · Cornwall Law Society · Derby and District Law Society · Devon and Somerset Law Society · Doncaster and District Law Society · Dorset Law Society · Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Law Society · Halifax Law society · Harrogate and District Law Society · Hastings and District Law Society · Hertfordshire Law Society · Isle of Thanet Law Society · Isle of Wight Law Society · Kent Law Society · Leeds Law Society | · Leicestershire Law Society · Lincolnshire Law Society · Liverpool Law Society · Manchester Incorporated Law Library Society · Medway Law Society · Mid Essex Law Society · Middlesex Law Society · Newcastle upon Tyne Law Society · Norfolk and Norwich Law Society · North Staffordshire Law Society · Northamptonshire Law Society · Nottinghamshire Law Society · Oldham Law Society · Plymouth Law Society · Sheffield and District Law Society · Suffolk and Northern Essex Law Society · Surrey Law Society · Sussex Law Society · Tees Valley Law Society · Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and District Law Society · Warwickshire Law Society · West London Law Society · Worcestershire Law Society · Worthing Law Society · Yorkshire Law Society |

Further Helpful Resources
Below are some helpful resources to further your understanding regarding the process of how to become a solicitor. These links will prove useful in your research in relation to the following: how to become a solicitor, educational requirements, work experience, training contracts, career guidance and professional advice that will ultimately assist your preparation and research.- TraineeSolicitor.co.uk (to find a training contract, discuss training contracts etc)
- TheLawForum.co.uk
- Professional Forum for UK Solicitors (LinkedIn)
- http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/careers/becoming-a-solicitor/
- https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/solicitor.aspx
- http://www.prospects.ac.uk/solicitor_job_description.htm
- http://www.cilexlawschool.ac.uk/prospective_students/qualify_as_solicitor/introduction
- http://allaboutlaw.co.uk/stage/becoming-a-lawyer/how-to-become-a-solicitor
