Emilia Connolly 4A 

a 
CAREER 
as a  
SOLICITOR 
 

 
 Introduction

I have chosen to do my careers project on a job in law. I have chosen this career because I am
very interested in the Irish law system and also because I would like to learn more about the
qualifications needed and the different courses available to me. Many people believe that a
career in law is like living in the world of ‘Suits’, however it can be very hard work and less
fashionable at times i’m sure!

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 Personality and Interest Tests

In my careers module in school, we took some personality and interest tests on the website
www.careersportal.ie​. This website can be used to help students decide what they might be
interested in doing when they leave school and also details the courses provided by each of the
colleges and also the points needed for them.

The first test that I took was the ‘career interest’ test. This test asked me a series of questions
such as “would you prefer building something out of wood or organising all your music and
books?”. With my answers to these questions they put together the type of careers that I would
be interested in and details on each of these careers. Here is my results of this test:

These results show that social, investigative and administrative are my strongest interests. Here
is the meaning behind the following interests ➝

Social: ​This is someone who likes working with people and likes to be in direct contact at all
times. Usually jobs that involve this involve helping, teaching or talking to people.

Investigative: ​This is someone who likes working with their mind and likes work that challenges
them. The aim of the work of these people is to understand the world better.

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Administrative: ​Someone who is administrative likes to be organised and well prepared. They
enjoy routines and looking after information.

The second test that I took was the personality test. This test also asked a series of questions,
and with my answers decided what type of person I was based on my answers. The aim of this
test is to find the general type of person I am an and the profession most suitable for this
personality type. Here are my results of this test:

My top two personality types were stabiliser and idealist. Here is what they mean ➝

Stabiliser: ​Stabilisers value law and order. They like when there is clear rules and guidelines.
They are driven by a motivation to serve our society's needs. They like to feel responsible and
organised and respect loyalty and obligation. Stabilisers are most comfortable in business and
commerce, and strive in law.

Idealist: ​Idealists are concerned with their personal growth and they like to see people grow
and develop. They highly value truth and honesty.
They like to devote lots of time to what they are doing and they like to assist people to get along
and work together. Idealists stick to careers in the humanities. They like to facilitate the personal
growth of others and they feel happiest when they are helping others.

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 What is law?
Before I could research about the jobs available in the law sector, I had to learn what ‘​law​ ‘
actually is. ​The ​‘law’ ​is rarely out of the news and is often the focus for fictional drama. It is
something that touches our lives on a daily basis, it governs what we can and cannot do, it is used to
settle disputes, to punish and to govern. There are laws which are widely accepted and laws which
generate controversy. Laws play a central role in social, political and economic life. Law exists in
many different jobs and today, a job as a lawyer is in high demand.

Within the world of law there is many different jobs one can do. Lawyers is the broad term for jobs in
the sector. Barristers and solicitors are the specialist names for different types of lawyers. A barrister
represents people in court by stating their case before a judge and a jury. Generally speaking,
someone will visit a solicitor first if legal advice is necessary, but they will be referred to a barrister if
a court case arises. ​Solicitors provide people with legal advice and assistance. They work directly
with their clients and are usually the first point of contact for anyone looking for legal advice. I will be
looking at a job as a solicitor as it matches the best with both my personality test and my careers
interest test.

​ An occupation as a solicitor involves these career interests...​.

​Administrative ​Investigative

Most solicitors work in a private practice in partnership with other lawyers. Others are employed
solicitors, who are employed to work in companies such as Apple or Google, or employed to work
in the government. Some private practices are considerably larger than others. Larger firms
usually specialise in certain areas of the law, or have several departments working with different
sectors such as conveyancing, family law or probate. Smaller firms tend to deal with aspects of the
law only.

Different roles of a solicitor -

Conveyancing: ​Conveyancing means the transfer of property from one person to another.
Usually, because this is such a large transaction, people will put their faith in a solicitor. ​Solicitors
carry out in-depth checks (called 'searches') on all the factors that may affect the buyers, for
example, rights of way, ownership of adjoining fences and walls, and planning proposals for new

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roads, houses or factories nearby. After these searches have been concluded, the solicitor draws
up the contracts.
Family Law:​​ ​Family law is a legal practice area that focuses on issues involving family
relationships, such as adoption, divorce, and child custody, among others. Solicitors practicing
family law​ can represent clients in family court proceedings or in related negotiations and can also
draft important legal documents such as court petitions or property agreements. Many solicitors
may specialise in one of these areas.

Probate: ​Probate refers to a person's assets after they have died. Usually they will have made a
will and the solicitor may help them with that. However also, they may help to liquidate the assets
after the person has died so they can be distributed to the family. ​They calculate the amount of
money that people named in a will are entitled to receive, and may trace named relatives who have left
the country.

These are just some of the many roles a solicitor can have. Here are some of the others.

● Personal Injury
● Estate Planning
● Bankruptcy
● Intellectual Property
● Employment
● Corporate
● Immigration
● Criminal

Those solicitors who deal with business law advise clients on issues such as taxes, employment
law, export law and company mergers. Some large solicitors' firms specialise in large, corporate
clients. Solicitors in these firms may deal with large, multi-million pound deals, perhaps involving
international companies.

Examples of law firms in Dublin

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6
 Personal Experience

To find out more about what is involved in a job as a solicitor, I spoke to my neighbor who has
just finished Business and Law college course in UCD. One of my first questions for her was
what leaving cert subjects would she recommended me to do if I am looking to do this course.
She said that unlike medicine, there is no subject requirements for the course, however she
recommend that I do business, as many of the topics covered in leaving cert business, overlap
with the topics covered throughout the course. She also advised me to do a language as she
said that during her first year, she was given the opportunity to do an internship at a law firm in
Spain, and here she was able to speak confidently in Spanish because of the Spanish she
learned in school.

I also asked her about the course itself. She highly recommended the course and went
through in detail what the course entailed. She explained how there are several modules that
you can choose from in first year, including family law, which I am particularly interested in.

She explained how the exams work also and told me how after you complete the course, you
have a business degree - provided you pass the exam - however in order to get your law
degree, you have to complete the Blackhall Place ‘Bar’ exams. These include four challenging
exams which you have to pass to get your degree.

In November, I plan to do a weeks work experience in Matheson Law Firm in town to get an
opportunity to see what it is like to work in a law firm. I also plan to spend three or four days in
the Four Courts, where many major court cases take place.

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 College Courses

Business and Law​​ - UCD (531 pts) : This course ​combines law and business in a single
degree. Students will be equipped with the analytical and advocacy skills that arise from legal
training, combined with the numeracy and financial literacy of a business degree.

First, second and third year​ - ​During your first three years you’ll study both business and law
modules in equal measure and you’ll learn how these two disciplines interrelate. In addition to
studying core Law degree subjects, such as Contract Law, Tort Law and EU Law, you may
choose from a large variety of other law modules including:
● Revenue Law
● Commercial Law
● Intellectual Property Law
● Employment Law

The range of business modules includes:

● Accountancy
● Management
● Finance
● Economics
● Marketing

Fourth-​ According to your preference and career plans, you can choose to specialise in Law or
Business.

BBL students may choose clinical legal education modules offered at the Clinical Legal
Education Centre (CLEC), including Competition Law in Practice, Alternative Dispute
Resolution, and Advocacy & Mooting.

Business & Law students can select the modules necessary for legal professional recognition,
which will allow them to go on to qualify as a solicitor or barrister, and work in legal practices in
Ireland or abroad. Graduates can also pursue careers in:

● Accountancy
● Finance
● Tax consultancy
● Corporate banking
● Business analysis

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BBL graduates also have the option of pursuing postgraduate qualifications in either Law or
Business.

Sample Business and Law timetable:

BBL graduates may go on to qualify as solicitors or barristers and work in legal practices in
Ireland or abroad. Graduates also pursue careers in:

- Accountancy
- Finance
- Tax Consultancy
- Corporate Banking
- Business analysis

Last year this course was 531 points which went up 10 points from last year. To achieve these
points you would need to get approximately 4H1s and 2H2s.

Minimum subjects :
2 H5 & 4O6/H7
O6/H7​ in English
O6/H7​ in Irish

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O6/H7​ in any other language
O3/H6​ in maths

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Law with History -​​ ​UCD (521 pts): ​This course allows you to acquire a highly respected
degree in Irish law, whilst also pursuing a passion for history and acquiring a deeper
understanding of past events that have shaped our current legal system.

First, second and third year:​ First year focuses on core Irish law modules, including:
● Constitutional Law
● Contract Law
● Tort Law

In addition, you are introduced to modern European and Irish history.

In second year, you’ll study:

● EU Law
● Property Law
● Criminal Law

You’ll also engage with international history.

Third & Fourth Year:

With a wide choice of law and history modules available, you can pursue your own areas of
interest. Modules include:

● Jurisprudence
● Legal History
● Criminology
● Fascism
● Culture & Revolution

You may also be interested in taking modules offered by our Clinical Legal Education Centre
(CLEC), such as Advocacy & Mooting, and Law, Ethics & Legal Practice.

You’ll attend lectures and tutorials, in addition to engaging in study and preparatory work.
Assessment includes end-of-semester examinations, essays and group projects.

BCL (Law with History) graduates can go on to qualify as solicitors and barristers, and pursue
law careers in Ireland or abroad. Graduates are also well placed to pursue careers in:

● Legal research
● Politics
● Journalism

Relevant graduate study programmes include LLM degrees in:

● International Human Rights

● European Law & Public Affairs
● Legal History

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Last year this course was 521 points which went down from last year by one point.

Minimum Subjects:
2H5 & 6O6/H7

O6/H7​ in English ​O6/H7

in Irish ​O6/H7​ in other
language

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Law with social justice -​​ UCD (521 pts) :The BCL with Social Justice programme combines
the study of Law with the study of social exclusion, its causes and remedies. It will appeal to
students who are interested in issues of equality, diversity and disadvantage, and who want to
look in-depth at the social context in which law operates.
On completion, you’ll be uniquely equipped to offer a critical perspective on issues such as the
adequacy of our criminal justice system, the legal treatment of women and minority groups, and
the underlying causes of social and economic injustice.

First and second year: ​First year focuses on core Irish law modules, including:
● Constitutional Law
● Contract Law
● Tort Law
It combines this focus with an introduction to normative theory on human rights, inequality and
global justice.
In second year, you’ll study:
● EU Law
● Property Law
● Criminal Law
At the same time, you’ll also take modules to develop your understanding of gender theory and
social justice movements.

Third and fourth year:​ With a wide choice of law and social justice modules, you can tailor your
studies by choosing modules that reect your areas of interest. Modules include:
● Criminological Theory
● Environmental Law
● Public International Law
● Employment Law
● Matrimonial Law
● Family & Child Law
● Childhood Inequalities
Clinical Legal Education Centre (CLEC) modules are also available, including Advocacy &
Mooting, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Law, Ethics & Legal Practice. Throughout the four
years of the degree, you’ll participate in a specially designed Law and Social Justice Seminar.
You may get involved in UCD’s Student Legal Service, which offers legal information clinics to
students.
You’ll attend lectures and tutorials, in addition to engaging in study and preparatory work.
Assessment includes end-of-semester examinations, essays and group projects.

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This degree will provide an ideal platform for careers in:
● National and international Non- Governmental Organisations as legal advisors or
researchers
● Public policy
Relevant graduate study programmes include:
● International Human Rights
● Criminology
● Equality Studies.

Last year this course was 521 points, this is one less than last year.
Minimum subjects:
2H5 & 4O6/H7
O6/H7​ in English
O6/H7 ​in Irish
O6/H7​ in other language
This degree will provide an ideal platform for careers in:
● National and international Non- Governmental Organisations as legal advisors or
researchers
● Public policy
Relevant graduate study programmes include:
● International Human Rights
● Criminology
● Equality Studies.

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Law ​- Trinity (533 pts) : In the first two years ​fundamental skills are taught through a study of
core legal topics: legal research, case law method, statutory analysis, oral and written
argument. In the Sophister (final two) years students have the option of choosing from an
number of modules. In their final year, students may choose to take a Clinical Legal Education
module, involving a placement in a legal service provider. Students also complete a major piece
of independent research in their Senior Sophister year.

Junior Freshman (first year):

● Torts
● Constitutional law I
● The Irish legal system (including Legal skills)
● Contract law
● Criminal law
● Legislation and regulation

Senior Freshman (second year):

● Administrative law
● Constitutional law II
● Equity
● European Union law
● Land law
● Private law remedies (including Mooting)

The Sophister years (third and fourth year):

Throughout the four years of study, students must take modules worth 60 ECTs (European
Credit Transfers) each year. The majority of modules bear 10 ECTs; however, in the Sophister
years there are also 5 credit modules available. The modules which may be available to study
are as follows:

● Advanced European Union law

● Advanced evidence
● Child law
● Collective labour law
● Commercial law
● Company law
● Comparative law
● Corporate governance
● Criminology

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 ● Critical perspectives on law
● Economic and legal aspects of competition policy
● Employment law
● English land law
● Environmental law
● European human rights
● EU food law
● Evidence
● Family law
● Intellectual property law
● International family law
● International human rights law
● International trade law
● Jurisprudence
● Legal philosophy
● Media law
● Penology
● Public interest law
● Public international law
● Refugee and immigration law
● Restitution
● Tax law
● Transnational contract law
● Sport and the law

In the Senior Sophister year, students may opt to write a research dissertation on a topic of their
choice in place of a taught module.

Last year this course was 533 points which is one less than last year.

Minimum subjects:

3 H5 & 3O6/H7

O6/H7​ in English
O6/H7 ​in any other language F6​ in
maths

A law degree provides the ideal foundation for the aspiring solicitor or barrister. Our degrees in
law provide students with a challenging and rewarding legal education but also instil more
general skills such as critical thinking and problem solving. Our graduates go on to enjoy
successful careers in the top law firms in Ireland, UK and abroad.

The skills learned through studying law in Trinity are useful in all walks of life and offer wider
opportunities than professional practice alone, with many graduates finding employment in

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public administration, business, journalism, accountancy, banking, insurance, politics, foreign
affairs, diplomacy and international financial services both in Ireland and abroad.

In general, most of the courses that I would be interested in doing to become a solicitor are 3-4
years long. All of them overlap in many areas and many of the modules are the same, upon
completion you would be given a level 8 degree, however there is alternative routes of receiving
this degree also and in all of the courses it is possible to switch from certificate to degree.

For all of these courses, it is not necessary to have a science subject, however another
language as well as irish is compulsory. Doing business is also a very good idea as it will make
your integration into the course easier for you and you will already have a basic understanding
of the course.

All of these courses are over 500 points, which is very difficult to achieve. An example of one
way you can get over 500 points is by getting all H2s, which would get you 553 points, including
the extra 25 points for higher level maths.

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 Career Progression

In total it takes three years of training to become a solicitor and it takes place at the Law Society
of Ireland in Blackhall Place, Dublin.

The next step is the Final Examination FE-1 exams. If you don’t have a law degree, you must
complete a preparation course before being eligible for the FE-1 exams. It is possible to take a
course in different colleges such as Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) where you will gain a
foundation in all 8 FE-1 subjects.

Once you have done this, you must secure a training contract with a qualified and approved
solicitor before beginning the two year Professional Practice Course. You will begin full training
once you have finished Course I and this leads to the Final Examination FE-2 exams. Then you
take the 12 week Professional Practice Course II which leads to the Final Examination FE-3
exams. Once you complete this, the Second Irish Examination and your training contract and
you will be placed on the Roll of Solicitors. During this time it is possible to be employed as a
paralegal or apprentice at any law firm.

If you decide to become a solicitor in a private practice, it is possible to earn a graduate salary
of €45,000-€55,000 per annum in Dublin and €40,000-€50,000 in the nation’s other cities.
Within a couple of years, this could rise to €65,000 while solicitors in Dublin in could earn up to
€100,000 a year once they have more than 5 years’ experience.

Becoming a property solicitor could also be lucrative as they earn up to €45,000 a year upon
graduation in a career that can net you more than €90,000 a year once you have 5+ years
experience. For most solicitors, the goal is to climb the corporate ladder because once you
become the head of a company’s legal department; your salary could exceed €200,000 a year.

In Ireland and globally at the moment there is a desire for lawyers of all types, including
solicitors. The reason for this is that all big and small companies have a need for a lawyer, for
advice, legal help or even to represent them in court cases.

Positives -

As a solicitor, you have the opportunity to genuinely make a difference in people’s lives. For
instance, you could decide to work in the charity sector to help disadvantaged people. When
you help a client win a case, you feel as if it is the most rewarding job in the world. It is also an
extremely challenging job where your skills will be tested to their limits.

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Additionally, being a solicitor can be an extremely lucrative career move and it is consistently
ranked as one of the highest paid jobs in Ireland. You have a wide choice when it comes to
picking your specialisation and there are plenty of opportunities for promotion.

Negatives -

If you decide to become a solicitor you need to be prepared to work very long hours in a role
that is demanding both emotionally and mentally. You will come across certain cases that take
up a lot of your time and may also require you to spend a lot of time away from your loved ones.
You may even be woken up in the middle of the night and asked to assist a client in an
emergency.

You must also be prepared to study because to become a solicitor you need a lot of
qualifications. In order to gain your qualifications through the traditional route, you will have to
spend a lot of money and this path is not immediately affordable for a lot of people

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 Family Influences
In my family, nobody works in the law industry, however many are highly involved in business
and commerce. My Dad works in the Data industry and one aspect of his job is raising
awareness of the new GDPR acts. This ties in with the law as the GDPR are the new laws
regarding privacy online. He also regularly makes presentations and speaks to large groups of
people which is something a solicitor may have to do in court or speaking to clients. Because
Data is a new and up and coming field in the employment industry, I am able to keep up to date
and I feel that this will be beneficial for me in the future. While this career seems very interesting
to me, I feel that i would be better suited to a job outside of the technology industry.

My Aunt works in Ulster Bank, and because of this she has to converse with the solicitors that
the bank employs.

Although law is a new field for my family, they are very supportive of this career path for me
should I choose it in the future.

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 Conclusion
When I began this project, I really had a very basic idea of what it would be like to be a solicitor,
or have a job in any part of the law industry for that matter. However now, after thoroughly
researching the courses, qualifications, salaries and different branches that a solicitor can get
involved in, I can say that I feel I would be very suited to this position and would enjoy studying
law. I know that I enjoy working hard and working on things that challenge me, and from the
sounds of it, law would do exactly this. I also aspire to eventually work in an environment where
I hold an authoritarian position and by looking at the career progression of a solicitor, if I worked
very hard I could get there and potentially be a role model for someone. Without being soppy,
even when I was younger, before I had any clue what I wanted to be, I aspired to be successful
and I think that if I go down this career path, success will follow.

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