JobsAndCareersWithSarahWillingham2016 - 239

Could you do this?
* Do you do well when tested in a
high-pressure situation?
* Can you speak confidently
in public?
* Do you have an eye for detail,
always reading the 'small print'?
* Can you work both methodically
and analytically?
* Can you think not only logically
but also critically?

ACCESS ALL AREAS

Eight key specialist areas for lawyers
Corporate/commercial
More than 10,000 UK solicitors work
in-house for companies and businesses,
sorting out their legal issues. It's wideranging and demanding - from mergers
and acquisitions to ironing out employment
issues and industrial relations.

Crime
Barristers are key
players in the criminal
courts. They advise and
represent clients
in court on charges,
and could be called to
represent either
defence or prosecution.

cases affecting celebrities and
international law issues. Clients will come
in all forms - some may be low-income
refugees and others, huge media
companies and government departments.

Intellectual property
Lawyers in this area work to protect
intellectual ideas, usually through
copyright and
trademarks.

Private practice
More than 80,000
solicitors work in
private practice.
This means they help
clients with all aspects
of financial affairs,
including buying
and selling property,
advising on
capital gains tax and
making wills.

Employment
Barristers work on
disputes in employment
tribunals, appearing on
behalf of either
employee or company.
They also help to draft contracts and advise
on working hours.

Family
Barristers specialising in family law work on
financial negotiations, inheritance issues
and prenuptial contracts.

Legal executives
If you're a chartered legal
executive, you've got a career in
its own right. Whether you're a graduate or
not, you can work in a legal office, with the
option to later qualify as a solicitor through
further training. It's a tough option, but it
means you can earn while you learn.
More information: See the CILEx website,
at www.cilex.org.uk.

Legal secretaries
As a legal secretary, you'd
provide secretarial and clerical

Tax
A corporate tax lawyer advises clients on
the most tax-efficient way of buying, selling
or restructuring a company's assets.

See The Association of Costs Lawyers

Human rights

website: www.associationofcosts

This is a huge and varied area, including
immigration and asylum cases, privacy

lawyers.co.uk

support to solicitors, barristers and the law
courts, dealing with large quantities of
correspondence and helping prepare
documents such as wills, divorce petitions
and witness statements.
You'd need to be a really skilled specialist,
because legal documents are written
differently from other commercial
documents. You can find a job by contacting
firms directly or by checking with local
recruitment agencies.
More information: See the Institute of Legal
Secretaries and PAs (ILSPA) website at
www.institutelegalsecretaries.com.

Court usher
If you're a law graduate, you may
find working as a court usher
interesting. Duties include taking judges to
and from court, preparing courtrooms for
cases and closing them afterwards. There are
also admin tasks - getting the names of legal
representatives, preparing court lists,
maintaining courtroom order, administering
oaths and handing round exhibits.
More information: See the HM Courts and
Tribunals Service website, www.gov.uk/
government/organisations/hm-courts-andtribunals-service.

J O B S & C A R E E R S /// 2 3 9
JobsAndCareersWithSarahWillingham2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JobsAndCareersWithSarahWillingham2016
