Hi hun

Firstly, you don't need what is called an unrestricted practicing certificate to practice law. What an unrestricted practicing certificate allows you to do is run your own lawfirm and have a trust account (hold money on behalf of your clients). If you always want to work for someone else then there is no need to get it, but after you have done your first two years you can do the course for an unrestricted certificate any time you want (it is run by the NSW Law Society - there is probably info on their web site - it isn't like a uni course - more like a couple of weekends and a couple of assignments to do - but it is constantly changing) You would find that probably 60% (I am guessing here) of solicitors on NSW don't have an unrestricted practicing certificate. And if anyone is telling you that you earn less if you don't have it (if they are offering you a job for instance) then they are yanking your chain.

As for hours, depends a bit on where you work and what sort of law you practice. Something like criminal law can take more hours because you are working in court, and specially out of cities you can need to work some weekends to see the people who have been locked up on a Friday or Saturday night (sorry - I don't know exactly where you live - but in regional areas the solicitors in town generally share the duty - so it is usually only once a month or couple of months that you are on call for the weekend). Generally something like property law generally has better hours but is a bit dry - you are however unlikely to get clients demanding to see you at a moments notice.

However, as a young practitioner (in experience rather than age ) who isn't in a major city the chances are that you will do whatever the senior members of the firm don't want to do. Think the crazy woman who is onto her eleventh divorce and brings all 16 of her screaming children to every appointment (a slight exaggeration but still...)

In the end, with regard to subject choices, it may be that you don't get much (depends on where you study - some courses are quite prescriptive, others let you study pretty much anything). Do things that interest you if possible, it is always easier to do well in things that interest you. Career wise, it won't make much difference what subjects you chose.

Age, I personally dont think it is an issue - particularly if you want a job in the area you already live, showing that you aren't going to run away to the big smoke as soon as they have trained you is probably more important.

Good luck with your decision.