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Police cautions and the legal profession
Former 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.
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.
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Comments
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
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
is it? in job applications etc it asks if you have any criminal convicitions, i never thought you had to state any cautions?
Then confess if so and play the stupid card
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.
& 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
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.
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.
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?
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?
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
tbh you should be okay. it will be considered spent. but be honest about it.