Law

Jersey’s legal sector is a focal point of the financial services industry, with a range of firms servicing both the 'onshore' and local markets. The majority of lawyers in Jersey practice corporate and commercial law, working closely alongside lawyers based in other jurisdictions (particularly law firms based in the City of London) and professionals working in the banking, funds and trusts sectors.

Specific qualifications:

English barrister

• Bar vocational course
• 8 universities or Inns of Court School of Law
• 2:1 degree in law or non-law plus conversion
• To practice as a barrister – 12 months pupillage in Chambers

English solicitor

• Legal practice course
• 17 universities and 6 private institutions
• 2 year training contract (paid) in a qualifying English firm to become a solicitors
• Firms will look a A levels, first year degree results and detailed application forms

Jersey advocate/solicitor

• Not a taught course leading to a qualification
• 6 exams with 24 months to pass to all
• Local firms provide some support
• 2/5 year residency requirement
• LLB or equivalent also required

Qualification as a Jersey Lawyer
Relative to other jurisdictions, the route to qualification as a Jersey solicitor or advocate is still viewed as a relatively demanding process. As a result, many Jersey based lawyers holding professional qualifications gained in another jurisdiction choose not to qualify in Jersey. In addition, Jersey school leavers who may ultimately wish to pursue a career as a lawyer in Jersey will tend to gain their professional qualifications in the UK before coming back to the Island to practice.

It is the public examination process that makes qualification as a Jersey solicitor or advocate so difficult. This is largely as a result of there being a lack of printed source materials in relation to Jersey law and, until recently, the lack of a syllabus and an absence of organised learning opportunities in the form of lectures, seminars and tutorials. Studying for the examinations has proved to be difficult because students are reliant upon study notes passed down from former candidates.

But change is on the way, as the latter part of 2009 should see the launch in Jersey of the Institute of Law. The Institute is intended to oversee the teaching of core subjects through lectures and tutorials, and will also to assist the board of examiners in setting and marking examination papers. In addition, to facilitate teaching, the Institute intends to make a written guide available to students in relation to all core subjects. All in all, the work of the Institute of Law should help to reform the examination process such that, although no less intellectually demanding, it should become a less arduous process. This change may then result in a greater number of Jersey school leavers completing an undergraduate degree and specified professional legal studies abroad before returning to the island to study for their Jersey examinations.