Your specialist subject...

For me, it would have to be criminal law as it's the most interesting area.

Career prospects after completing a qualification include:

• parole/probation officer,
• forensic scientist
• criminologist
• detective
• criminal lawyer

I love programmes like Sherlock Holmes, CSI and Ripper Street.

Conveyancy and Probate are the least appealing

 

All aspects of law are about a forensic attention to detail.
Having successfully acted on my brothers behalf in a matter against his ex-wife (and solicitor and barrister) I have developed an interest in family law. It amazed me how well paid professionals made so many errors or allowed errors by others to get into their position statements/evidence packs.

 

Human Rights

 

I worked in criminal law in The States for over 10 years and loved it. English law was too old fashioned, stuffy and drawn out for me so went into human resources specialising in employment contracts specifically expatriate law. I did my own conveyancing in the UK, a real doddle, but am really fascinated by forensics.

 

For early retirement, go for EU law

 

I think, what matters most would be, what matters most to *you*!

If you are going to commit your time (money?) on a new qualification, you need to choose something that you feel passionately about/most interested in!

It could be, given your current experiences, that business law would be an ideal opportunity but you may have no interest in that at all!

What do you mean by "forensics"? Are you referring to the scientific field? Or, are you referring more simply to Rudyard Kipling's "six honest men": the who, what, why, where, when and how aspect of analysing data?

If it is the former - no issue; you simply call upon a scientific forensic "expert" to either confirm or deny your line of argument, depending on the scenario.
If it is the Kipling aspect ... you are going to need that mind set in order to take any qualification in law (or any other professional qualification). It is the basics of analysis no matter which profession you wish to enter/be successful in. I think you have that already

It may well be that you would prefer to "experience" an element of "law" in practise before making up your mind? In which case, there are volunteering opportunities which may hone your interest. For example, you could volunteer some time to spend as a Magistrate (either criminal or family); you could volunteer to spend some time as a Special Constable (exposure to both criminal and domestic). Both would expose you to different elements within the broad terms of "law". Either would give you some experience, before committing yourself to any major career change/investment.

Ultimately, making any career change my advice, based on personal experience, would be this: the bottom line has to be that *you* must feel passionately about what you are going to do! Having an inkling may not be enough; if you feel strongly, that will be your chief motivator for those days when you feel it is so overwhelming you question why you took that road in the first place! Not met anyone who didn't have *those* days!

I'm a firm believer that you can do whatever you make up your mind to do! Once you have discarded the bits you know you do *not* want to do ... the rest doesn't take long to fall into place

Wishing you all the Best of British in finding your road

 

Oh, just so my Rudyard comment makes sense, this is where it comes from:

I KEEP six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.
I send them over land and sea,
I send them east and west;
But after they have worked for me,
I give them all a rest.

I let them rest from nine till five,
For I am busy then,
As well as breakfast, lunch, and tea,
For they are hungry men.
But different folk have different views;
I know a person small—
She keeps ten million serving-men,
Who get no rest at all!

She sends'em abroad on her own affairs,
From the second she opens her eyes—
One million Hows, two million Wheres,
And seven million Whys!

 

I studied business law and also the small claims court system including the filing of liens and other instruments of compensation or recovery. Consumer law I also studied because I had an interest in that as well. I passed with good grades in both disciplines and gained confidence which enabled me to represent people, also pro bono, who needed my help.

Business law was useful for me when I was a credit manager in the steel industry, I would work with many companies to help them through times of cash flow problems but if a company was just trying to screw mine, I would file papers to force receivership or force restitution.

I also studied and wrote my exams for window treatment specialist because I enjoyed the hobby and then landed up turning it into a business. All of my accounting background, legal knowledge etc helped me to run my business.

If I wasn't so ancient I would start studying family law. Hopefully soon they will allow papralegals to represent clients before tne courts with many issues instead of high priced lawyers. Been there and done that for myself and family members ... the courts do not like my aggressive tone and the other lawyers do not appreciate my dressing them down, however I do it in a respectful manner. And then they go to the loo to ....

To me family law would be tne most humane avenue... If one doesn't use it like a licence to print money!

 

Jokingly. "What's that?