Law degree opens up whole range of careers for graduates

College Choice: The news that many of the solicitors and barristers working at the various tribunals have earned fees of over €1 million makes the option of a career in law very attractive.

The reality is that only a small number of legal professionals command fees of this nature. For many young solicitors and barristers earnings can be quite meagre.

At the bar, those considered to be the best in their areas of specialisation manage enormous caseloads, while others struggle to make a living.

Among solicitors the picture is more even, although carving out a good reputation and establishing your own client base takes years of diligent work.

However, a law degree is a very broad qualification which opens up a whole range of careers to graduates: management consultancy, stock broking, banking, insurance, human resources, politics, journalism, accountancy, lecturing, property management, taxation and information technology. Last year 2,722 students listed law as their first choice option, down marginally from 2,776 the previous year. UCD, UCC and UCG offer a three-year BCL, with points requirements ranging from 500 to 530 in 2003. Trinity offers a four-year LLB, which required 550 points in 2003. For those interested in law who are not in the 500 points plus range, Griffith and Portobello College offer fee paying LLB degrees in Irish law, outside of the CAO, by direct application. Fees of €4,650 apply, which includes all books. Griffith College also offers through the CAO a law and business degree. The same fees apply.

A number of colleges offer a language option. Trinity offers law with French or German. UCC offers law with French or German or Irish, with points requirements of around 500 in 2003.

UCD offers a law and French law option. NUI Galway also offers a corporate law degree.

This course is a business and law hybrid and you also have the option to study French, German or Spanish. The University of Limerick's law and European studies degree combines all the core requirements for professional recognition with a European language and a choice of other disciplines such as history, politics or sociology.

For those interested in both law and business, UCD offers a highly regarded four-year programme, Business and Legal Studies. All these programmes will probably require 500 points or over. Most of the degree courses involve the same subjects: torts, criminal law, constitutional law, contract and European law. Most universities ask students to specialise in third or fourth year only.

Those interested in becoming a solicitor must take a set of eight three-hour exams set by the Law Society, although these are open to all graduates. Law graduates will have covered all the content in their degrees. About 350 qualify via Blackhall Place each year. They become apprenticed to law firms or they may choose to work for the Irish Legal Aid Board. For information about the precise steps to becoming a solicitor, consult the Law Society's website at www.lawsociety.ie

Graduates interested in becoming a barrister must take the King's Inns examinations. Law graduates are exempted from a major portion of these exams. For information on becoming a barrister consult the Bar Council on www.barcouncil.ie

Those interested in starting at certificate level with a modest leaving certificate can study at Letterkenny and Waterford Institutes of Technology or Griffith College. Add on degrees are possible in all cases.

As we are now within forty-eight hours of the initial deadline for applications to the CAO, and this is the second last column I would like to give some advice to anyone considering an application.

Technically the forms need to be with the CAO in Galway by 5.15 p.m. on Sunday, although staff there will not be picking up the post until Monday morning. Of course most of you will not be sending them in the post, but using the online option at www.cao.i.e. The deadline applies to online applicants too. Do not leave it to Sunday to go online.

However, it must be pointed out that if you are ill or otherwise pre-occupied you can still submit your forms up until May 1st. But you will be charged €80 for the pleasure of submitting it late, or €60 online. Also, you will not be eligible for the "restricted application" courses, listed in my article in this series. Also mature students beware - most courses are not available to you after February 1st.

However, if you have submitted your application, now is the time to forget about this process and concentrate on your studies until your exams are over.

The CAO will send you a statement of your application at the end of February. You may add a restricted application course at that stage. If you hear nothing by mid-March, the alarm bells should ring and you must contact the CAO explaining that you sent in your forms to find out what happened.

The CAO will want to see your certificate of posting, or your print out of your online receipt, but once you have that everything should be fine.

Teacher Training

Students in St Patrick's College Drumcondra and Mary Immaculate College Limerick can achieve an honours B.Ed in three years. There is a new four-year honours B.Ed. degree planned to start in September 2004 in Mary Immaculate College - Bachelor of Education and Psychology (MI008).

The University of Limerick provides two programmes in science teaching and two in the teaching of technology subjects.

Tomorrow: financial support in college

Brian Mooney's final column on CAO options, concentrating on financing your way through college, will appear tomorrow.

r You can e-mail Brian Mooney on bmooney@irish-times.ie

r Are you confident you will secure your CAO option? Join the discussion forum on Skoool.ie, the award-winning education website developed by The Irish Times, AIB and Intel.