lawyer

#How a law degree could launch your career in politics

Sponsored by:

As any law student knows, it’s tricky to get a graduate job in the legal industry. Competition is fierce, the legal aid budget has been cut and crime is, apparently, falling. Law schools are still doing all they can to get more students studying the subject – around 20,000 are admitted each year. but there are only 4,500 trainee contracts and 500 pupillages on offer for graduates.

Luckily, the skills gained from studying law can be applied to other careers. Many people say they study law because of an innate sense of justice and public service – values that can go hand-in-hand with a career in politics.

“Studying law teaches you how to construct arguments, think critically and challenge policy – all valuable skills needed for a career in politics,” says Megan Carrick, a law student at the University of Kent. “It makes you aware of the application and different interpretations of policy within society, which is key to understanding the influence and limitations of politics.”

There’s precedent, too. Bill and Hillary Clinton met at Yale law school. while Barack Obama and a host of other renowned US politicians all went to law school before going into politics.

In Britain, according to statistics on the social backgrounds of MPs. around 14% of MPs in 2010 were formerly barristers or solicitors. Jeremy Wright, the UK’s current attorney general, is a former barrister, which obviously helps as the government’s chief legal officer. The former attorney general Dominic Grieve is also a barrister and QC.

Chuka Umunna studied law and worked at Herbert Smith solicitors, before moving into politics and becoming shadow secretary of state for business, innovation and skills. Even former prime minister Tony Blair spent eight years at the bar.

But there’s more to politics than becoming an MP. Many recent law graduates go into jobs as parliamentary researchers for MPs – running the MPs’ Westminster office and providing practical support and briefings on legislation.

For this role, being able to read and process large amounts of information and data – something any law student who’s had to read a 100 page judgement by Lord Bingham will have surely mastered – is a big help.

Joe Chambers, also a law student at the University of Kent, is considering a career in politics. He thinks his degree, which outlines the contexts in which laws arise, rather than just legal rules and principles, has helped.He says: “Reading law has taught me how the law is written, interpreted and applied.”

Studying law isn’t just about learning what the law is, it can also involve critically analysing why it is the way it is, and thinking about what it should be.

Law develops your ability to see both sides of the argument, in order to ascertain what’s right and wrong. Sam Foulder-Hughes, a first year law and German student at the University of Birmingham, and a former member of the UK youth parliament. says: “Law teaches you to look at an issue objectively, as opposed to with a strong ideological bias. That’s a really good skill, particularly in politics at the moment where anger and fear seem to drive a lot of the main parties’ policies.”

Furthermore, as a law graduate working in politics, you have greater awareness of the implications of what parliament does. Not to mention confidence, public speaking skills and the ability to effectively formulate an argument.

There’s a huge range of rewarding and interesting jobs in politics for law students – working in public relations, communications, consultancy, or even in the civil service. Law is a noble profession, but studying it needn’t limit your career options.

Keep up with the latest on Guardian Students: follow us on Twitter at @GdnStudents – and become a member to receive exclusive benefits and our weekly newsletter.