Trainee solicitor
16th-century painting of a civil law notary, by Flemish painter Quentin Massys | |
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
Occupation type | Profession |
Activity sectors | Law |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Interpersonal skills, literacy, advocacy, analytical mind, critical thinking, commercial sense |
Education required | Law degree / Non-law degree + GDL, Legal Practice Course (and possibly Common Professional Examination) |
Fields of employment | Law firm, government, in-house |
Related jobs | Solicitor, pupil barrister, barrister, judge |
In the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland, and certain other English common law jurisdictions, a trainee solicitor is a prospective lawyer undergoing professional training at a law firm or an in-house legal team to qualify as a full-fledged solicitor. This period of training is known as a training contract and usually lasts for two years.
The barrister's equivalent would be twelve months' pupillage under a pupilmaster, in barristers' chambers, or for advocates in Scotland, eight or nine months devilling under a devilmaster.