Temiladejesu - Misconceptions about studying law and the legal system

Misconceptions about studying Law

In this blog, I will be debunking some general misconceptions about the law. Some of these misconceptions I used to have, while others I have heard or read about from various sources, including people around me.

Here are a few:

Wearing black and white in University as a Law student: I used to think that all law students worldwide had to dress in white and black, especially because this is the usual practice in my home country. However, when I arrived in the UK, I discovered this was not the case, and we are allowed to wear whatever we feel comfortable in. while wearing black and white can provide a sense of formality and professionalism, having the option to wear what I feel comfortable in is quite good.

All lawyers are barristers: I often thought that anyone who studies the law automatically qualifies to represent a client in court. However, this is not true. Not everyone who works in the legal sector can represent a client in court; there are specific processes and qualifications needed. For instance, a solicitor can represent a client in court, but they must achieve the necessary qualifications. Therefore, not all legal professionals are barristers.

You can make a legal suit for anything: I often joke with my siblings about suing them, especially when they take my chocolates or any of my favourite snacks. However, we cannot take any case to court, especially one without substance. This is done to avoid a flood gate of cases and to ensure that the resources of the state are not spent on trivial matters.

All contracts must be written to be valid: Not all contracts need to be written to be valid, with the exception of the sale of land, which must always be in a written contract for validity. Verbal contracts are also valid, although they might be more difficult to prove. Regardless, the law recognises them.

You can sue an individual for an infringement over your right: Commonly, we think of human rights and assume that if an individual like ourselves stops us from expressing ourselves freely, we can sue them. This is not the case, as human rights infringement typically deals with public authorities. You can only make a claim when a member of the public authorities abuses their power and goes against your human rights.

Being a lawyer makes you so rich: Not all legal professionals start off by earning high salaries. In fact, pay depends on your level and the department you are in. An individual can earn as low as £20k. However, as a person progresses in the profession, their pay increases accordingly.

You may have heard about some of the misconceptions above. Let me know if you have more to add. I will be checking the comment section. Let us keep the fun going by adding our ideas.