The route into the legal profession has changed in recent years, with more options than ever before to qualify as a solicitor – whether you want to go to university or not.

Lanyon Bowdler, which has offices in Oswestry, across Shropshire and North Wales, has a long tradition of not only training the next generation of solicitors but giving them the opportunity to grow their careers within the firm.

In a new episode of the firm’s Legal Lounge podcast, managing partner, Brian Evans, explains how things have changed, with learning and development manager, Emma Harrison, outlining how people can qualify as a solicitor without going to university.

Brian says, “The process used to be very simple – you’d go off to do a law degree, followed by a Legal Practice Course, known as the LPC, and then look for a two-year training contract.

“Or the alternative if you did a non-law degree was to take the graduate diploma in law, then the Legal Practice Course before applying for a two-year training contract. But things are quite different now for our next generation of solicitors.

“The main difference is the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) which replaces the Legal Practice Course.

“The SQE is designed to standardise the qualification, as there used to be some variety between what the LPC covered depending on which institution you went to, whereas now everyone will have done the same exam and have the same basic knowledge when they join the profession.”

So, let’s look at a student who has just completed their A-Levels – what options are available to them?

“The first option, which is closest to the ‘traditional’ route, is to do a law degree at university, following which you can apply to law firms for work placements where you would work as a paralegal before taking the SQE and qualifying as a solicitor,” Brian says.

“If you choose to study something other than law, you can still do a graduate diploma or SQE preparation course and qualify that way, but it is worth noting that it can be quite difficult to get post-graduate funding for the SQE.”

Emma adds, “Another route which avoids the potential funding difficulties is a graduate apprenticeship, which includes working within a law firm while you prepare for the SQE.

“However, university is not for everyone, and young people are increasingly worried about the level of debt that comes with studying for a degree, so an undergraduate apprenticeship is a great route into law without the need for university.

“We offer a paralegal apprenticeship, which is a two-and-a-half-year qualification as a paralegal. It’s a great landing point which can lead to a long-form solicitor apprenticeship over the next three years – meaning you work towards your SQE qualification without having to find the funding yourself.”

To listen to the podcast in full,  search for The Legal Lounge on your usual podcast provider or visit www.lblaw.co.uk/knowledge.