What Qualifications Do You Need To Be a Lawyer?

Becoming a lawyer involves working through a series of academic stages, and it can help to think of the process in three broad phases rather than a long list of individual requirements. This guide sets out the full law qualification requirements across each phase, from your first exams through to professional training.

Phase One: Level 2 Qualifications

The first phase covers your GCSEs, or an equivalent Level 2 qualification. There is no fixed list of GCSEs that regulators require, but universities do use your results as an early indicator of academic ability, so they remain important. A general guide is a minimum of five GCSEs at grade four or above, with a strong result in English Language being particularly valuable given how much reading and writing legal study involves. You can review the full GCSEs required for law that universities tend to ask for. If GCSEs are not the right fit for your circumstances, Functional Skills Level 2 in Maths and English is generally treated as equivalent to a grade four pass, can be studied and sat entirely online, and typically returns results within around ten working days. It is worth reviewing the current requirements for law to see how this alternative route compares.

Phase Two: A Levels

The second phase covers A Levels, which remain the main entry route into a law degree. Most courses ask for grades somewhere between BBB and AAB, with the most competitive courses sometimes asking for AAA. A Level Law itself is not required, and plenty of successful applicants have not taken it. What tends to matter more is choosing essay-based subjects that demonstrate strong analytical and written argument skills, such as English Literature, History, Politics or Economics. It is worth reviewing the full law A Level requirements so you can plan your subject choices with confidence.

Phase Three: University And Professional Training

The final phase covers university and the professional stage that follows. Most students go on to complete a Bachelor of Laws degree, usually known by its abbreviation, LLB, a three-year full-time course covering core areas such as contract, criminal, tort, public and land law. A one-year conversion course is also available for those who study a different subject first, providing the same core legal knowledge as an LLB. When comparing course requirements across universities, the law degree UCAS guide is a useful reference point. After graduating, you will train as either a solicitor or a barrister, and the job profile for lawyer on national careers service is a helpful place to see what both roles actually involve on a day-to-day basis.

Final Thoughts

At Skipton Tutors, we know how much of a difference structured, one-to-one support can make across all three of these phases, which is why we always recommend seeking guidance early wherever a particular subject feels difficult. Whichever phase you are currently working through, you can explore Pass Learn courses to see what is available to you.