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Careers

We're committed to helping our students enhance their employability. A law degree offers you the opportunity to embark upon a diverse range of careers.

Professional Links
Careers support
Career choices

Skills for success

We equip you with the skills and experience sought after by all types of employer, including:

  • capacity for logical and critical thought
  • excellent oral and written communication skills
  • ability to make a persuasive argument based on factual information and theoretical knowledge
  • high levels of computer literacy
  • interpersonal skills
  • ability to:
    • conduct independent research
    • collate large amounts of materials
    • produce relevant responses from data

Studying law equips you with analytical, problem-solving skills, ability to analyse material, identify salient points and summarise conclusions in concise, objective written or spoken form. Such skills are applicable to a career in the commercial world.

Imtiaz Ahmad, 1994 Law graduate
Executive Director, Morgan Stanley

Links to professions

We take pride in our links with the legal profession and regulatory agencies in the region. We make every effort to ensure our students enjoy the benefit of these links.

Working in partnership with Newcastle solicitors
We arrange a series of events with representatives from law firms. They help to make sure you are fully informed, at each stage of your degree. You learn how to market yourself to potential employers.
 
From induction week onwards, we bring the law firms to you. They give you up-to-date advice on the legal professions and answer your questions.
 
Local solicitors judge first year students in our Client Interviewing Competition. They help our students to hone their legal skills from the outset of their studies.
 
Prominent regional and national law firms and organisations assist us with sponsorship. There are prizes for outstanding performance, from solicitors and legal organisations, including:
There are prizes from bequests to the Law School and prizes from law publishers. Law firms sponsor other activities.
 
Ward Hadaway and SSD sponsor student scholarships, awarded at stage 2 of the LLB.
 
The successful Ward Hadaway scholars and SSD scholars are also awarded work placements.
 
Cartmell Shepherd, solicitors, kindly provided help to create our new state-of-the-art Mooting Room.
 
Last year, Lord Hope of Craghead, Deputy President of the Supreme Court, honoured us. He acted as judge for the Cartmell Shepherd Senior Mooting Competition.
Co-operation with the North-East Circuit Barristers

Local Barristers help out at Newcastle Law School. They drop by to judge rounds of the inter-mural Cartmell-Shepherd Senior Mooting Competition. They adjudicate upon the prestigious inter-varsity mooting competitions.

Links to Newcastle Combined Courts

We have excellent links with the Newcastle Combined Court Centre. It's the hub of legal activity in North East England. Every year, we bring our students on court visits. They familiarise themselves with the workings of the criminal and civil justice systems.

Judges sitting at the Combined Courts regularly visit the Law School. They share their insights into the legal profession with our students. They judge student mooting competitions.

Environmental Agency internships

Each year the School and the Environment Agency work together. We give one postgraduate chance to work with their Environmental Crime Team. The student works as an Environmental Crime Technical Assistant.

Careers support

We commit ourselves to helping students with their employability and employment.

Personal tutors

Personal tutors check student CVs and offering initial career advice.

Careers support in the Law School

There are talks from people in practice to prepare students for what to expect. For more information on our careers support, please contact Elliot Winter or Jos Harrison, the Law School Law careers liaison. 

Newcastle University's Careers Service

Our Careers Service help students in all aspects of career planning and job search. This includes specific advice about the legal professions.

They offer a whole range of support to maximise your potential.

We hold regular talks to help you think about what you want to do and how to do it. We provide key information such as when, where and how to apply.

The Service also provides:

  • individual and group advice, including information about different careers
  • help with applications and interview skills
  • information about internships and work experience and gap years 

Find out more about Newcastle University's Careers Service

Careers fair

Each year, in conjunction with the Careers Service, we organise the Law Careers Fair. It gives you the opportunity to meet legal employers.

The Careers Service organise fairs like Job Fast and Newcastle Graduate Recruitment Fair. They are for all students. They open up opportunities for those seeking careers outside law.

Choosing your career

The legal professions offer great career prospects, high salaries and personal job satisfaction.

The Bachelor of Laws (LLB) is a 'qualifying degree' for English and Welsh legal professional exams.

Students can proceed to the professional phase of legal education. They can become a solicitor or a barrister following graduation.

A Newcastle LLB is a 'qualifying degree' for Northern Irish legal professional exams, with the right optional modules. We can advise you on this.

Many students complete further training and experience to qualify as solicitors and barristers.

Solicitor

For information in how to qualify as a solicitor in the United Kingdom, visit Solicitors Regulation Authority. You can also find information about the University of Law's qualifying courses on our website.

Barrister

To use your law degree to become a barrister, you must first join one of the four Inns of Court. You complete the one-year Bar Professional Training Court (BPTC). You then undergo practical training under the supervision of a qualified barrister (pupillage). Please visit the Bar Standards Board and the Bar Council [PDF: 0.5MB] for more information.

When you've qualified as a Solicitor or Barrister

Once qualified, a solicitor or barrister can enter into private practice or employment. You can work for:

  • the civil service
  • large companies
  • the Crown Prosecution Service
  • local authorities

There will be opportunities for solicitors and barristers to work in:

  • organisations attracting outside investment
  • multi-profession organisations
  • international organisations
  • high-street brands providing legal services (eg, Co-op Legal Services)
Alternative careers

A law degree is not only a route to the legal professions. A law degree opens up a wide vista of possible careers. The degree prepares you for just about any career that requires:

  • critical thought
  • excellent communication skills
  • independent work

A significant number of our law graduates go into accountancy firms. Others go into:

  • management
  • insurance
  • banking
  • teaching
  • public relations
  • the civil service
  • the armed forces

More unusual paths include the theatre, a farmers' union and a commercial pilot.

For further information, advice and support, visit the Careers Service page for Law.

Newcastle Law School students will be able to find further information on Canvas in the ‘Law School Employability and Careers’ community pages.

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