Becoming a Solicitor or Advocate in Jersey

Entry to the legal profession in Jersey is governed by the Advocates and Solicitors (Jersey) Law 1997 and the rules made under it. Specific questions about eligibility to qualify as a Jersey lawyer should be addressed to the Deputy Bailiff’s Office (not the Institute of Law). The Law Society of Jersey is the professional body for both advocates and solicitors.

In outline, to qualify as an advocate and be called to the Bar in Jersey you must have:

• obtained a recognised law degree or a Graduate Diploma in Law (a one-year ‘conversion course’ for non-law graduates);
• passed the Bar Professional Training Course or the Legal Practice Course in England and Wales (or similar professional courses in Scotland or Northern Ireland);
• enrolled on the Jersey Law Course and passed the Jersey law examinations;
• and two years’ practical experience in a Jersey law office.

To qualify as a solicitor in Jersey you have must have:

• obtained a recognised law degree or a Graduate Diploma in Law (a one-year ‘conversion course’ for non-law graduates);
• enrolled on the Jersey Law Course and passed the Jersey law examinations; and
• three years’ practical experience in a Jersey law office.

There are other requirements and routes to qualification set out in the Advocates and Solicitors (Jersey) Law 1997. Many law firms offer bursaries to support students during the process of qualification. Law firms also offer employment opportunities for lawyers qualified in other jurisdictions and for legal assistants without formal legal qualifications.

Everyone who will be eligible to be called to the Bar or admitted as a solicitor in Jersey is guaranteed a place on the Jersey Law Course.

Further information on the routes to qualification as a Jersey advocate or solicitor is available here: Routes to qualification as a Jersey solicitor or advocate (Apr 2016).