What Draws People into the Legal Profession?

As of this year, there were approximately 285,000 legal professionals working in the UK, with this number having increased incrementally from a starting point of 189,300 in 2010.

There’s no doubt that the legal profession provides an attractive and viable career option for individuals, while it’s fair to say that people have different reasons for wanting to work as lawyers.

We’ll explore some of these in the article below, based on both current trends and the universal factors that make the legal profession stand out.

#1. The Legal Industry is Diverse

Ultimately, the legal industry is renowned for its diversity, both in terms of the fields that you’re able to operate in and the roles that can be undertaken within a particular legal firm.

In terms of the former, there are multiple areas of legal practice to consider, from conveyancing and family law to helping clients process brain injury claims in the field of personal injury.

Secondly, there are various career options you can pursue in the legal sector, outside of being a practicing lawyer.

For example, you can also operate as a paralegal or a legal secretary, while also working as a mediator or consultant depending on your level of experience and precise expertise.

#2. Excellent Remuneration

Although there’s no official minimum salary for trainee lawyers (and such individuals won’t be able to immediately command huge wages), the Law Society recommends a starting salary of £22,794 for individuals training in London and £20,217 for those working elsewhere.

Of course, trainees in London can earn considerably more, while those who qualify for their second year may see their salaries rise to between £53,000 and £55,000.

Salaries can rise even higher as you develop your skills and progress over time (there’s ample opportunity for this in the legal sector), while you can earn a comfortable six-figure salary once you become a senior lawyer or a partner in a reputable firm.

Remuneration may also be high if you evolve to become a freelancer who offers consultancy services, especially if you’re able to command a lucrative client base.

#3. Job and Career Security

Last, but not least, it’s fair to surmise that the legal profession offers relative job and career security in the UK.

After all, legal firms tend to provide crucial services in various commercial and non-commercial sectors. Conveyancing solicitors are pivotal when buying and selling real estate, for example, while those active in family law will help to process amicable divorces (for which there’s a constant and long-term demand).

Even sectors such as personal injury law have boomed in the wake of no-win, no-fee representation, with this now worth a staggering £4 billion in the UK alone.

Such demand and security also highlights why legal firms are so focused on nurturing talent, as it’s much cheaper to develop skills among existing employees and minimise staff turnover over time.