Solicitor, Scotland : Entry requirements

Currently, all prospective trainee solicitors in Scotland must study for and gain a Scottish Diploma in Legal Practice. The course lasts 26 weeks and is available at the Universities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Stirling, Glasgow, Strathclyde and Robert Gordon University.

To qualify for entry to the diploma, students must obtain the Bachelor of Scots Law (LLB) degree, which is offered at the above institutions plus the University of Abertay in Dundee, Glasgow Caledonian University, and Napier University in Edinburgh.

Although LLB courses normally last for four years for an honours degree (three for an ordinary degree), graduates with degrees in other subjects may take accelerated courses and gain an ordinary degree in two years (or an honours degree in three).

It is also possible, under the Law Society of Scotland rules, to qualify for entry to the Diploma in Legal Practice course by completing a three-year pre-diploma training contract with a Scottish solicitor and passing the Society's own professional examinations. However, very few solicitors offer such contracts.

After gaining the Diploma in Legal Practice, prospective solicitors need to complete a two-year post-diploma traineeship with a practising solicitor in Scotland. Lawyers already qualified in another UK or EU country may qualify to practise in Scotland too by studying for and passing the appropriate tests set by the Law Society of Scotland to confirm their competence in Scottish Law. Some graduates without a recognised Scottish LLB therefore choose to train and qualify first as lawyers outside Scotland, even if their long-term aim is to practise in Scotland.

There are some significant changes that will come into effect in 2011. The LLB will be replaced with a new foundation programme. This will be offered at the same level as the present degree programme but will feature more flexibility and will deliver subjects required for entry to the solicitors’ profession. This will make up the Professional Education and Training (PEAT) 1. The Scottish Diploma in Legal Practice will also be incorporated into PEAT 1, with increased choice and flexibility around electives. See the Law Society of Scotland  for more details of the upcoming changes.

Candidates for employment as solicitors need to show evidence of the following:

• a high level of intelligence;
• the ability to assimilate large amounts of information quickly;
• excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
• stamina;
• resilience;
• the ability to think on their feet;
• the ability to work under pressure;
• discretion;
• strong advocacy skills;
• an even temperament;
• business awareness, particularly for entry into the commercial or corporate legal field.

In recent years, competition for traineeships has grown as the number of diploma students has increased whilst the number of traineeships has remained fairly static. Improve your chances by gaining a legal vacation placement, offered by many of the larger firms, or finding work shadowing or work experience opportunities with smaller firms.

Any work experience which develops your communication and interpersonal skills, customer focus and business awareness is valuable. Taking on a position of responsibility in a student or community organisation will develop useful communication, teamworking and organisation skills. Joining mooting societies and volunteering, particularly with any organisation offering an advice service to the general public, e.g. Citizens Advice Bureau, develops your skills and give you an advantage in the job market.

In applying for a traineeship you will find that many firms, especially small ones, do little or no advertising and simply recruit from speculative applications. Some will send vacancy notices directly to law schools. Locate firms through the database of law firms on the Law Society of Scotland website or in The Scottish Law Directory.

Larger firms, the Government Legal Service for Scotland (GLSS), the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service tend to advertise directly with law schools and/or careers services. Many also attend recruitment fairs in law schools at the start of the academic year and post details of their traineeships on their websites.

Traineeships in local authority law departments and in government service also tend to be advertised in the principal Scottish newspapers.

For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.