I am a year 12 student and know that I want to be a lawyer. The idea of studying law for three years at university does not appeal but I am unsure what to do in its place.
I know that it’s advisable to study a more traditional option but I have my eye on studying languages and would love to work abroad in the future. Will this damage my chances of becoming a lawyer?
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).
I would imagine if you aspire to join the Magic Circle (or any City firm) then it would be a massive advantage as so many advertise international seats in their training contracts now. Plus you would be able to show greater cultural understanding and commercial awareness from international perspectives as a lot of (respected) language courses offer the chance of international work experience placements or at very least the oppertunity to live and work abroad in your summer holidays, immersing yourself in their culture without a phrasebook. Not to mention having a degree with most likely a higher grade because you would enjoy the course more than the traditional LLB.
The only problem then is funding the expensive GDL. But you can cross that bridge when you come to it.
Good luck in your applications!