Dear Cian, 

Obviously, I know that this finds you well. 

You have finished your masters degree of philosophy and sociology now and you're looking around wondering what next. 

Get into law, save up the wages, buy the books, study hard and get those FE1s done. 

The best advice I can give you is this - the FE1s are difficult and they will be more difficult for you without a law degree - but they are doable. They are just exams and while there is a lot of anxiety around them and everyone knows someone who has failed one or more - they are doable. And you can do them. 

Getting a training contract will be difficult. You are going to be looking for a traineeship during one of the worst recessions in the country's history - but it is doable. 

Life as a solicitor will be challenging. You will not become rich overnight (or maybe even at all, I'll let you know) - but it will be doable. 

But here is the thing about overcoming all of this difficulty - you will make a difference, every single day that you go to work. You will help people when they need help the most. You will fight for people who cannot fight for themselves. You will sit and speak in rooms where some of the most important decisions are made. You will guide people through traumatic times and people will rely on you and place all of their trust in you.

The feeling of achievement and purpose you will experience from a career in law will far outweigh all of the difficulty and all of the hard work and once you experience that feeling of achievement all you will want to do is tackle the next difficult case and help the next person who needs it.  

No one ever makes a difference from only doing things that are easy and you will only feel that huge sense of achievement after you have given all that you have got. 

Hard work and fulfilment go hand in hand. So, whenever things feel like they are at their most difficult you will know to keep the head down, keep going and that achievement lies just on the other side of what's in front of you. 

So, go do it...... and enjoy it. 

Cian