Training Contract

[BlunderBus01]

I have spent several years abroad working in a marine claims consultancy firm. Such firms are not classed as law firms, but english legal advice and consultancy is provided. If I now study for the LPC can my years spent at such a firm exempt me from the two years' training contract time or will I have to go through this...

[buildersmate]

I assume you mean Legal Practice Clerks Ltd.
I think you will have to ask them if you can have that exemption - it's their call, not ours.

[BlunderBus01]

Sorry, I meant Legal Practice Course. I've basically spent a good few years as a paralegal in a marine claims consultancy abroad but now i think i will do the Legal Practice Course. I wondered if the time spent paralegalling will exempt me from the two years' training contract...

[humpy07]

Hi BlunderBus01

Provided that you were working under the supervision of a solicitor, you should be able to claim for partial exemption - this should be approx 6 months off the 2 year training contract. You will have to get the Law Society and training firm to agree to this, but essentially it is something that you will have to raise with the LawSoc when you apply for your student membership (which you need to undertake the LPC).

Speaking from experience, I would seriously advise you only to undertake the LPC if you already have a Solicitors who have offered you a training contract. If not, get a job as a part-time paralegal and do the course part-time.

From my understanding, the LPC is going through some radical changes at the moment. The major one being that you can study over more than one institution e.g. you could do the foundations (land, criminal, civil) at BPP, then your options (M&A, Commercial etc) at College of Law or UWE etc. This also gives you the option of studying part 1 (foundations) and part 2 (options) at the same time, effectively meaning you could complete the LPC in 6 months.

I'm not sure if these new rules have come into force yet, but it's something to look out for.

Hope this helps - if you want more advice, or other options (i.e. ILEX) then please get in touch.

[Eve]

Wow, LPC in 6 months, what a scary thought haha :)

I take it you have a qualifying law degree so you can go straight to LPC without doing the GDL first? Or do you already have the GDL?

It would depend on the experience I would have thought, not sure whether it has to be with others qualified solicitors to count as viable training (as happens on your training contract). Not sure what would happen if you have experience in a firm of legal execs or licenced conveyancers or similar either.

Worth checking with the Law Society on that one.

As above, you can only get a max of 6 months off and I believe the firm you train with can certify you warrant the time off do it may depend on whether they think you should be awarded the time off as at the end of the day they sign to say whether you should be allowed to be admitted as a solicitor (although references etc...are also needed as well when you apply for admission).

I think the experience should be able to speak for itself in practice during your training contract as to whether you deserve the time knocked off, it's not a given.

[humpy07]

Just out of curiosity, what was the name of the Marine claims firm you worked for, and are they recruiting? Well... if you don't ask!

[BlunderBus01]

As ever you have all been incredibly helpful. Many thanks.