Absolutely not. I am a languages graduate, and I qualified as a solicitor last year having done the GDL after graduating. I know a lot of other languages graduates who have all made a sucessful transition into the law.

You should study what you enjoy at University, not only because you will put in more effort than you would with a subject you don’t find as stimulating, but because you won’t have as good an opportunity to do it again. Whilst doing the GDL is the more expensive and long-winded way of getting into the Law, I do not regret for one second having done a languages degree first because it has given me life skills and I had the chance to live abroad for a year (with the assistance of a student loan!) Plus, Law in practice is very different to Law as an academic subject, and I really think I would have found a Law degree quite dull.

The only thing you need to have in mind is that when you come to looking for training contracts or pupilages further down the road, you will be asked about why you chose to study languages (or any other subject for that matter), and you will be expected to give a well reasoned answer.

There’s plenty of time to think about a career further down the road – do what you enjoy now (you never know – you might have changed your mind about going into the Law in three or fours years’ time).