Solicitor or Barrister

What are the main differences between a career as a solicitor and a career at the Bar?

If you're not sure which path you want to take, read on.

What both professions have in common

• proven intellectual ability
• analytical skills
• excellent communication skills
• commercial awareness
• demonstrable commitment to achievement
• organisational skills
• people skills

How do the professions differ?

These are the significant differences which are regularly referred to by practising lawyers:

The Bar offers

Greater independence

More opportunities for advocacy

Greater variety

Meritocratic environment

Series of barriers to entry

and demands

Greater personal confidence

Very high level presentational skills

Great flexibility and tolerance of stress

A willingness to take risks

The Solicitors' profession offers

A defined career path

Well resourced infrastructure (including training provision)

A supportive(!) peer group

A managed environment

Greater security

and demands

Commitment to a corporate culture

Team-working skills

Sociability

Adaptability

Greater conformity

So how do you really decide what route to follow?

Read the brief

Read up about each profession. Assess yourself as honestly as you can against the requirements and the rewards of each. Ask your friends and family to help you with your self-assessment. Talk to practising lawyers and barristers. Get work experience in the profession you favour.

Weigh up the evidence

How do you measure the risks of not making it to tenancy at the Bar against the attractions for you of the job itself if you were to succeed? To answer this you need more evidence. Talk to the people who are doing the job that interests you, get work experience and ask those in a position to know for an honest assessment of your chances. Remember too that your first choice is not final: you can always look again at other options should your first choice not work out. But do consider the financial implications before you commit yourself to anything. Seek advice from your careers service as well as from the professions.

Change your strategy

If you find that you now doubt your original inclination, what should you do? Firstly, is your realisation well founded? Have you checked out that what has put you off is a fair impression of that profession? If you are confident that it is, then you have probably now learnt all that is necessary to know about how to research a career option. Apply that strategy to other options! Discuss your situation with people who are knowledgeable about both professions, including careers advisers.

Paul Brown

Careers Adviser, Oxford University

www.lawsociety.org.uk

www.barcouncil.org.uk

www.lcan.csu.ac.uk