Five Top Courses for a Fulfilling Law Career

A career in the legal profession can be one of the most fulfilling and rewarding professions to embark upon, helping to uphold fairness and the law, and ensuring justice and aid to those in difficult times. To make your law career even more rewarding, it is key to find the legal area that matters to you most. Here are five top courses for a fulfilling law career:

What does it entail?

A career in Family Law will cover divorces, child custody battles and other domestic disputes such as domestic violence or child neglect, as well as wills, inheritance and other domestic financial matters.

Why is it for me?

Those who work in family law will often be naturally obliged to form a close and personal relationship with those they represent with their legal services, potentially taking on families as lifetime clients. It will be necessary to have the patience and understanding for dealing with the complexity of family matters, and the sensitivity required for handling them appropriately. If you are compassionate, patient, and if you like the idea of making a true difference in the lives of your clients, Family Law promises a rewarding legal career.

How can I do it?

Having a base in Law is a good start when interested in pursuing Family Law. Once you have a base understanding of the subject – and perhaps some work experience too – taking a course in Family Law will help consolidate and modernise your knowledge et expertise, helping you progress towards a rewarding legal career. The entry requirements for courses in Family Law will depend on the institution offering the course, and whether the classes are conducted online or in the classroom.

What does it entail?

Human Rights Law ensures the protection of the basic fundamental rights accorded to each citizen and ensuring they are upheld in instances of injustice. As a human rights lawyer, you might find yourself defending such liberties such as freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, as well as freedom from discrimination due to age, gender, race, or sexuality.

Why is it for me?

Human Rights Law is for you if you like the idea of upholding justice, and defending those whose liberties have been breached or violated, whether it be by a tyrannical government or a tyrannical employer.

How can I do it?

Human Rights Law courses are typically offered as part of an LLM law degree taken full-time at university. Entry requirements can vary, but high-ranking universities will typically demand at least a 2:1 in undergraduate Law from an accredited institution – but note that 2:1 is the minimum, and these courses remain heavily competitive. Elsewhere, other institutions offer distance learning in Human Rights law – some with more relaxed entry requirements – but note that having a basis in law already will be essential.

What does it entail?

Being a paralegal means having a sound and thorough knowledge of the law and legal practise, as you will be employed by an attorney, a law firm, a law practice or other organisation to assist and take charge of all legal issues. The position of a paralegal is technically a supporting role, but demands impeccable knowledge of the law and legal practice; you will be obliged to manage and draft legal documents, give legal advice and conduct legal research, as well as aiding your attorney or organisation in preparation for trials and hearings.

Why is it for me?

Being a Paralegal is for you if you like the idea of working in Law but haven’t yet found the area of law that interests you the most. Being a paralegal gives you the opportunity to work in multiple different areas of the law; for example in criminal law, business law or family law. Being a paralegal can also offer you a stepping stone to becoming a solicitor in the future, by compounding your legal work experience with the correct training.

How can I do it?

Becoming a paralegal is one of the simplest ways to enter the law profession, as the entry requirements are less rigid than in other areas of the law: to become a successful paralegal you should either have a base already in law – for example as a legal secretary – a good academic education or the appropriate paralegal training – no bachelor’s degree is mandatory! To train as a paralegal, many opt for the National Paralegal College, where distance-learning courses at the advanced and entry levels are offered, and where prices range from £40 to £2000 for entry-level and advanced courses respectively.

What does it entail?

Business Law unites the customer, the employer and the employee under the law, ensuring the upholding of fundamental rights and protections for each. A career in Business Law means dealing with issues such as fraud, bankruptcy, intellectual property and illegal trading, as well as business regulation. For example, as a business lawyer, you might find yourself defending a business against a charge of unfair dismissal, or discrimination.

Why is it for me?

Becoming a Business Lawyer opens many windows of opportunity in the business world; you can easily move from Business Law into finance management, risk analysis and general business management. Becoming a Business Lawyer also guarantees a variety of employment, with the possibility of working for multiple different types of businesses and organisations.

How can I do it?

Many universities offer Business Law as an undergraduate degree, typically combined with Law as a joint honours degree wherein the entry requirements for the top universities will usually veer between AAA-ABB in A-Levels. However, you can also study elsewhere: many courses online offer distance learning for those with already a base in Law who wish to move their legal career into the world of business.

What does it entail?

Criminal Law involves dealing with crime that is considered to have been committed against the general population: this typically involves violent crime such as assault and murder, as well as theft and damage inflicted to persons or property. Criminal law thus handles the punishing of offenders, representing the local government in the upholding of its laws.

Why is it for me?

Criminal Law is hard work; you will be obliged to have an exemplary knowledge of criminal law and its proceedings, and your daily workload could often be strenuous as well as emotionally demanding. Criminal lawyers will often find themselves having to research police records, take witness statements, as well as interview the perpetrators, victims and suspected perpetrators of – often violent and serious – crime. Whilst the ins-and-outs of the job can often be emotionally taxing, the compensation is knowing that your daily work helps to uphold the law and contribute to the overall wellbeing – and justice – of society.

How can I do it?

Criminal Law is one of the most popular branches of Law for law students and is typically offered as an LLM post-graduate course, the entry to which – by the top universities – will be a graduate diploma in law at 2:1 or higher. For undergraduate law students seriously motivated on the career path towards Criminal Law, the LLM is the optimal route after graduation. Other courses with less rigid entry requirements can be found online and via distance-learning, for those who wish to consolidate an already-established law base or for those who cannot access higher education. Entry requirements for criminal law courses online will vary depending on the institution.