With training contracts few and far between, Suzanna Ring talks to law students who have discovered alternative paths into the legal profession

In the wake of job cuts and rising competition, many who have completed law degrees and even the legal practice course (LPC), Bar Vocational Course (BVC) or Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) are finding themselves at a crossroads, with no training contract or pupillage, a lack of inspiration to work for a law firm and a decision to make about their legal future.

But is this future as simple as becoming a solicitor, barrister or nothing at all? For those who aren't ready to throw in the towel but who are finding that their career trajectory isn't shaping up the way they had planned, there are some other options to consider.

Crown prosecution service

The crown prosecution service (CPS) is the government department responsible for prosecuting criminal cases investigated by the police and preparing and presenting the relevant cases in court.

There are numerous roles in the CPS that use the legal skillset but do not require a full solicitor or barrister qualification – such as the associate prosecutor, caseworker or witness care officer roles.

Salma Yousef had completed a law degree when she came to the CPS in a human resources role. Yousef began studying for her BVC while she was working, and once qualified she applied and was accepted for a role as an associate prosecutor. Her job entails reviewing and presenting guilty pleas in magistrates' courts. She also supports lawyers in the courtroom, ensuring all documentation is provided and following up on any issues concerned.

"It is a fantastic role and great for anybody struggling to get a training contract or pupillage, because you get hands-on experience in court," says Yousef. "You get experience that you wouldn't get in any other role and the majority of training contracts and pupillages at the CPS are given to people with experience in an associate prosecutor role, as you have done 80% of the work that a prosecutor does."

The role attracts a salary of between £25,000 and £32,500, depending on where you are located, and you do not need to have completed the LPC or BVC to apply.

Another possible route at the CPS is to take a role as a caseworker. Caseworkers are responsible for the administrative side of court hearings, preparing case files for court and acting as the first point of contact for the prosecution department. It offers another route for those looking to obtain a training contract or pupillage with the CPS, and it is possible to work up from caseworker to chief crown prosecutor. Salaries range from £13,283 to £20,139.

The position of a witness care officer is also something to consider, and involves minimising the stress of attending court for victims and witnesses by keeping them up to date with any news, managing their care throughout the case and explaining any sentences given. Salaries range from £15,225 to £20,139 and can increase to £26,810 if you become a witness care manager.

Barristers' clerk

If you do not want to join the Bar or have had difficulty getting a pupillage, becoming a barristers' clerk could be another option.

Barristers' clerks, in effect, run the business, making sure everything operates smoothly in chambers, client relationships are nurtured and the set is marketed effectively.

Although you can apply for a junior position with just your GCSEs, there is an increasing trend for graduate hiring as the Bar goes through a period of re-assessment and there are now often opportunities for graduates to start at a slightly higher level. As a junior clerk you would be responsible for looking after and managing the diary, moving bundles from chambers to courts, answering the phone and dealing with clients.

Senior clerks are more entrenched in managing client relationships and deal with clients on a day-to-day basis. Depending on the chambers, some senior clerks are also involved on the strategic side, working with the chief executive officer.

Jeremy Hopkins, senior clerk at 3 Verulam Buildings, believes it is important to have the personal skillset to bring to the role as well as the academic qualifications: "Clerking roles require strong communication and organisational skills together with levels of commercial awareness and customer focus that you wouldn't necessarily expect to be taught in a law degree course."

As there is often no defined career track, the pace of progression is uncertain, so it is also worth getting an idea of how long people have been in their posts at a chambers to gauge how quickly you might be able to move up the ladder. However, strong graduates are likely to see a quicker progression than school leavers.

Salaries start at around £16,000 as a graduate junior clerk and can progress to around £300,000 as a senior clerk. To apply for roles you can go through a consultancy or look on chambers' websites for vacancies.

LPA recruiter Guy Hewetson adds: "Clerking is a unique business model and will continue to be so. Graduates who display a high degree of credibility and business acumen, however, may find their career projection to be quicker than what's on offer."

Paralegal

"A paralegal position is a good job to have and gives you legal experience. For those looking at smaller firms it is often a way into a training contract," says Gemma Baker (pictured), admissions and career service manager at Kaplan Law School.

Paralegals assist solicitors in legal research and on deals, which effectively offers the chance to shadow a qualified lawyer. You do not need to have completed your LPC, but it will be looked upon favourably. Last year, four Kaplan LPC students received training contracts following roles as paralegals at their respective firms.

Rohini Abrol, a former student of The College of Law York, was offered a training contract after less than a year as a paralegal. "From university through to the LPC I applied to nearly 40 or 50 law firms and was unsuccessful. I was advised that rather than producing lots of applications, I should instead apply for paralegal work or legal assistant work in order to get more experience in a law firm and, more importantly, get my foot through the door.

"I think this route is really important as it not only allows you to show the firm your dedication and what you are capable of in practice, but it also allows you to see if the firm is right for you."

Abrol advises others to get as much work experience as possible, even if it is just a few days or a couple of hours in court: "This will really help you get a feel of the area of law you would like to go into and help you justify the reasons for your choice. It is also very important that you network and make contacts and then actually go on to use them!"

Paralegal roles are not generally advertised, so approaching the firm directly to find out about upcoming opportunities and vacancies is advisable. Salaries for paralegals usually fall just under the starting rate for a trainee.

Other things to consider

If none of the above appeal, or you are just looking to boost your CV, legal charity work is a good option.

One example, LawWorks, is a charity that provides free legal advice to people who don't qualify for legal aid but cannot afford to pay a lawyer. As well as looking great on your CV it will give you the chance to do responsible work with good legal contacts.

Most of the top law firms are signed up to assist with pro-bono work done by LawWorks, which gives students or post-graduates the chance to work with some highly-respected lawyers. All roles are voluntary.

Kaplan's Baker says: "Charity legal work is a great option and will enhance your legal knowledge while you develop transferable skills. It is all relevant and shows you have searched for something alternative but related."

Other options to consider include court roles such as administrative officers, bailiffs, county and crown court ushers and clerks as well as research assistants for the Law Commission legal teams.

Baker concludes: "People who are thinking of dropping out of law altogether need to think carefully about all the options. Legal training costs a lot of money and before quitting altogether you need to think about what you can achieve by looking a bit further and wider."