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Police cautions and the legal profession

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Hi, I need some advice and help. I'm currently studying for a law degree and am in my final year. However, about 2 and a half years ago i was given a formal caution for travelling with a child travelcard. I thought there was a fine system in place but oh well. The police told me they were doing their annual run of trying to prosecute everyone they could find. Ironically, i was on my way to uni that day. However now, i have to apply for student membership with the Law Society (to become a solicitor) as you have to apply before you start your LPC. Im really worried they will reject me. I have so much regret over what happened, and i think i fell below the standards expected of me because my dad had been admitted into hospital the week earlier because of risk of heart attack. I'm really upset and i've worked so hard at university and stuff. I don't want it to go to waste. I've even done a lot of voluntary work, e.g, im a witness service volunteer - i work at the crown court!

But, what if the Law Society think im dishonest? As theyre trying to prevent dishonest people from entering the profession. Am i a threat to the public image of the legal profession? Would i be?

Does anyone know of anyone or anything that's happened. I know there are lawyers who have convictions for drink driving/public order and stuff. But is what i did really bad? I know it is caution, but still? By the time i am admitted to the roll (after the lpc and training contract) it will have been 6 years since the caution, probably longer if i do not find a training contract immediately.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    star2858 wrote: »
    about 2 and a half years ago i was given a formal caution for travelling with a child travelcard. .

    If thats your only crime I wouldn't worry. Your going to have to become a lot slippery than that to make it as a lawyer :p
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    A caution is still classed as a conviction, mainly for the purposes of if you get caught doing something again. In real terms a caution for something as minor as not paying for a ticket 2 1/2 years ago isn't really going to affect you. You may have some searching questions in terms of honesty put to you, but other than that I shouldn't worry. Just make sure you don't try and hide it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hey, thanks. I feel somewhat reassured now. No, i won't hide it from them. The minute i get an offer for the lpc im going to send off all the documents required to the Law Society. Hopefully, they will see that i want to be an asset to the legal profession, not a black mark to it. The Law Society are only so cautious because of the vast amounts of lawyers being corrupt and breach the code of conduct etc.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    lacrymosa wrote: »
    I don't think that will really affect your application tbh. I'm not 100% sure. It was only a caution, its not like you were convicted of a crime or anything. Have you looked on the Law Society's website? I'm sure you will be fine :)

    Well done on getting work experience :) I'm trying to get experience at the moment. I'm going to study the LPC at BPP Law School in September. I graduated in June but wasn't sure whether I wanted to do it or not. Doing it part time though whilst still working full time (which is going to be really hard :()

    Hey, well done on graduating! If you're doing the lpc part-time then why not get some work experience or a job to keep you entertained? Might be a good idea to enhance your CV. I spent my entire summer last year getting work experience! Being a witness service volunteer is great and there's so much satisfaction in it too. BPP is a good law school, you should be able to get a training contract after this. Best of luck to you too =)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Whowhere wrote: »
    A caution is still classed as a conviction,

    is it? in job applications etc it asks if you have any criminal convicitions, i never thought you had to state any cautions?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sometimes it asks for cautions as well.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    yup but it asks specfically for cautions, i didnt think a caution was classed as a regular type of conviction that you have to state
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    the system is so fucked I wouldn't mention it first time, if they find info they will write back something like "are you sure thats all" type of letter

    Then confess if so and play the stupid card
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    z- wrote: »
    is it? in job applications etc it asks if you have any criminal convicitions, i never thought you had to state any cautions?


    It depends on the job you're applying for, but a caution will show up in a criminal record check, so if it's asked for then you have to disclose it. It's considered "spent" after 5 years though.

    It's only classed as a conviction for policing purposes, a caution is a warning, it helps the custody officers and CPS decide on how to prosecute you.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i very much doudt it, not like you did anything major
    & there are SO many police men and stuff out there with criminal records for burglery and stuff so i doudt they'll hold it against you
    & a caution means your charged if you do it again, i dont think its actually matters at all aslong as you haven't got to go prison or anything
    i think your overreacting a bit dont worry
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    playdead wrote: »
    & there are SO many police men and stuff out there with criminal records for burglery and stuff so i doudt they'll hold it against you



    No there aren't. You might get a cop with a conviction for section 5 or criminal damage that has been spent, but never for an offence involving dishonesty, at least not on that scale.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Apparently, there are solicitors out there with criminal records for convictions for drink driving, public order and driving bans and all that. I don't know where my position is in all that. No, i don't intend on ever doing anything that would mean i would be charged full stop then.

    Applying to the law society is different from applying for a job. The Law Society even ask you whether you have ever been caught for cheating in an exam or anything. According to them, dishonesty is the top tier for catching lawyers out for wrongdoing. It is considered the most serious. They strike off solicitors for dishonesty, then for breach of code of conduct rules. Solicitor's who are dishonest are mostly dishonest in relation to client fund accounts etc.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    lacrymosa wrote: »
    Yeah, I'm trying to get work experience now :)

    Hehe, yeah, BPP is a good law school. Its more expensive too :( I was going to go the College of Law but that would mean moving. Theres two places in my area that teach the LPC but like, BPP has really good reputation. Its costing over over £2k more! Gutted! Lol! My friend who finished the LPC this year told me that BPP is harder than most places too because they aren't allowed to take things into the exams like other places? Mmmm :(

    Yeah, its got a good reputation but I only got a 2:2 (had problems in my second year). Thats where my problem is going to lie I think, especially as I didn't go a top university or get straight A's! I'm going to try my best though. Thats all I can do. At least then I can say I've tried!


    Hey, i see what u mean. It is competitive out there but being at BPP will no doubt give you an edge. The College of Law do an open book exam and therefore the exam is harder - i found this out from a lawyer friend i have who works in the city.

    I actually go to a reputable university and i have reasonable A level grades. I have so much experience and stuff, write for student newspapers and everything. Would be such a disappointment if the Law Society refused me because i bought a child travelcard over 2 years ago! Im just gonna pray for the best. Don't know what i'd do without a career in law though!! There's not much else i'm good at! I think il have to plead my innocence under 'character and suitability' issues. However, i've noticed in the law society application form that there's no specific box for if you have a caution. They have boxes for everything else: convictions, cheating in exams, disciplined by employer/regulatory body. Did you notice this too?

    I still can't get it out of my head that i may never make it and that my destiny rests in a Law Society adjudicator's hands :( . I've even asked myself questions like, am i really that bad? And, would i be a threat to the public image of the legal profession?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    lacrymosa wrote: »
    I haven't applied to the Law Society yet. I don't need to yet as I'm not going until September and the latest you can apply is Aug 1st so I'm going to do it in a few months time when I've got the money to pay for membership. How much is it again?

    Also, BPP is the only place at present that lets you upgrade your LPC to an LLM. I'm probably going to do that...http://www.bpplawschool.com/programmes/awardofllm/award_of_llm.htm

    It will help me stand out from the crowd. I'm not sure how much extra it will cost me yet though! I've got to do everything I can tbh.

    Hey, yea!! I want to do the masters top-up too. Looks really good. I think i've gotta apply before April 1 because im classed as having 'character or suitability' issues. I probably will do in January. How much work experience do u have? Did u do any vacation placements?
  • BunnieBunnie Posts: 6,099 Master Poster
    hey star,

    All you can do is try. But just to let you know, someone who has a training contract in my firm knows of an old uni friend who tried to jump the train and was also given a caution whilst he was doing his TC and as he was about to qualify he was told he couldn't due to the caution.

    Personally I would call the Law Society and get proper advice.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    the system is so fucked I wouldn't mention it first time, if they find info they will write back something like "are you sure thats all" type of letter

    Then confess if so and play the stupid card

    I wouldn't - I know someone sacked from a post recently because they hid a conviction (when the original conviction wouldn't have disqualified them). Unless its a serious conviction you can explain it away as a youthful mistake- trying to hide it shows that you currently have problems with honesty.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Bunnie wrote: »
    hey star,

    All you can do is try. But just to let you know, someone who has a training contract in my firm knows of an old uni friend who tried to jump the train and was also given a caution whilst he was doing his TC and as he was about to qualify he was told he couldn't due to the caution.

    Personally I would call the Law Society and get proper advice.

    Really? Maybe that's because it was after all his legal education, lpc and everything. This happened like in my first week of uni. I don't know what's going to happen to me, but i feel really worried. What else do u know about this person and what happened?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It was probably because it was a recent caution maybe, since he was about to qualify. Mine will be 6 years by the time i qualify, probably longer if i don't find a training contract immediately.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    lacrymosa wrote: »
    Doing it part time though whilst still working full time (which is going to be really hard :()

    Yeah, but in the long term it makes you more employable.

    I'll be holding down my full-time job as a debt and benefits adviser with the part-time LPC on weekends. Guess I'm going to be knackered for two years :grump:

    To answer the OP, you really need to call the Solicitors Standards Authority (that's what used to be called the Law Society) to check before you spuff away a lot of money on something you might not be allowed to do. I don't think a caution should affect you too much, but you need to know now.

    You also shouldn't be relying on advice on a message board on a matter like this because you don't know how accurate the advice is.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kermit wrote: »
    Yeah, but in the long term it makes you more employable.

    I'll be holding down my full-time job as a debt and benefits adviser with the part-time LPC on weekends. Guess I'm going to be knackered for two years :grump:

    To answer the OP, you really need to call the Solicitors Standards Authority (that's what used to be called the Law Society) to check before you spuff away a lot of money on something you might not be allowed to do. I don't think a caution should affect you too much, but you need to know now.

    You also shouldn't be relying on advice on a message board on a matter like this because you don't know how accurate the advice is.


    I did ring up the Law Society. The lady said that cautions don't affect you so much but you still have to provide extra references and stuff. That's what i'll have to do. I don't frankly think i could be threat to the public image of the legal profession.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm more employable than someone straight out of uni because of my legal experience. I have experience of dealing with the most vulnerable people and I have some experience of representation.

    I think it stands me in good stead, especially as I want to work in social welfare and/or criminal law. I have the good degree from the good university, but I have a little bit more too.

    That doesn't mean I think I will breeze into a training contract; I'm not that naive. But I have a fairly good job so the pressure is off. If I get stuck doing this for longer I really won't cry, I enjoy my job.

    I'm nervous about doing both things at the same time, but I'm more nervous about paying for the blasted thing.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I only got a Desmond, I believe that its how hard you work that's the deciding factor.

    I'm never going to get a training contract with a big corporate firm, but then I don't want a training contract with a big corporate firm. I don't want to do corporate law, I want to do social welfare law.

    Different places have different criteria for their "paralegals". Apply for some jobs, some of them (minions in factory firms) don't need experience and it's a good stepping stone. I started out as a minion in a factory law firm and now I'm a minion for a welfare law charity.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    playdead wrote: »
    there are SO many police men and stuff out there with criminal records for burglery and stuff so i doudt they'll hold it against you
    thats bollocks. there are no police men out there with criminal records for burglary. perhaps a minor spent crime but thats all.
    star2858 wrote:
    Mine will be 6 years
    tbh you should be okay. it will be considered spent. but be honest about it.
  • BunnieBunnie Posts: 6,099 Master Poster
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