Calling ye lawyers! What would you do if you were made redundant now??

[maggiethecat]

I'm a property lawyer affected by the downward spiral and needless to say am finding it very difficult to secure another job. The agents are so eerily quiet.

I am hoping that there is still enough life in certain sectors of the commercial property market (eg. L & T, social housing) that will provide some opportunity for permanent or temporary work. However, there seems to be a daily swelling of the unemployed rank and the economic forecasts do not help matters.

I'd like someone to assure me that it's not that bad and that things will get better soon. Failing that, inspire me - what would you do with your skills to earn a living and keep sane at the same time?

[mummypoppins]

Private client work.....retrain. I have so much work I have no idea how I am going to get it all done !!

[maggiethecat]

It's good to know that some people are quite busy. How long do you think it would realistically take for someone to retrain in an area like PC?

My difficulty is that I enjoy property and don't really want to practise another area.

[dilemma456]

Message withdrawn

[mummypoppins]

6 to 12 months I guess and you would need to take a salary drop. Where are you ?

[maggiethecat]

Cynicism quite common these days.

North West London.

[fruitcorner]

How about landlord and tenant litigation (high end stuff) or leasehold enfranchisement work or PSL or lecturer or can you locum on short-term contracts to cover mat leave or holiday for the next year or so? I'm not property lawyer but work in law

[maggiethecat]

Will have a look at PSL and locum options also possibility of in-house.

Depending on how bad things are may even have to leave law (hopefully temporarily)for financial reasons.

[armarda]

Have you considered teaching on the LPC? If you're in London you've got BPP, CoL etc and they're frequently recruiting.

[fridayschild]

Maggie - sorry I got your mail at a bad time and will reply now.

CLT run a course for lawyers wanting to re-train in private client. It is 4 days long - here. I think for some reason apart from this thread that mummypoppins is a private client partner, and actually I'd be quite interested to hear her views on this course. I have always seen the flyers and wondered if they are just taking money because they can.

I am ready to bet that the College of Law and BPP have plenty of every experienced property lawyers suddenly ready to consider teaching.

[mummypoppins]

Yes I am a private client partner.

The course looks very good actually. The thing that will be missing is the different skillset needed for dealing with clients in the PC world rather than corporate cleints. This is something you may alraedy have in your own specialisms but dont underestimate that a good bedside manner is essential. Sometimes we are social workers and counsellors too.

I am in the midlands. If any of you do lose your jobs and fancy jumping on a train to Worcester and spending day/days with me to get a feel you would be more than welcome.

I promise not to mark your will drafting attempts out of 10 LOL!

[Seabright]

I'm a property lawyer too and am about to go on maternity leave. What about contacting firms local to you to see if any of them need temporary locum cover?

Remind them they'd save a fortune on agency fees if they dealt with you direct. Good luck.

[katface]

mummypoppins - my cousin is an lawyer, hasn't worked for 5 years or so, at home with kids.

could you tell me what sort of money (yearly salary please !!) she could expect if she decided to return to work - if she retrains to do PC ? not partner level obviously, but junior level. She was 3 years qualified before she gave up work.

is the work flexible, i.e. could she work for a firm part-time, take work home, etc, once she has got work through a PC firm ?

any replies musch appreciated !
cheers !

[maggiethecat]

Appreciate your comments.

I'm afraid I'm a diehard property lawyer and would rather not retrain - heart would not be in it.

If I had to leave profession bcos of market forces who do you think would find legal skills attractive to their organisations??

[mummypoppins]

Hi Katface much would depend on where in the country she is located.I would be prepared to pay her circa 30k FTE a year but not much more if she wanted such flexibilty.

I know its not PC to say so but Ptimers are a PITA in the legal world. We charge well for our services and clients expect us to be there all the time. A part timer just means that someone else does your work for you when you are at home and in most team environments that just aint fair!

We would all like to work part time but someone has to cover it all.

Having said that many firms are much more relaxed than the one I am a partner in so its finding the right job fit that will be key for her.

HTH

MP

[katface]

thanks poppins - yeh the reason she hasn't returned to work in the legal world is exactly what you have said - part-timers are seen as PITA and it means a huge drop in salary and status for her to do it.

i considered doing legal work myslef years ago, but the hours she was working before she had babies (she was doing corporate work in the City) put me off for good. She was well-paid, but for me nothing replaces the time I have free to spend with my son.

i used to work in the City too, but in finance. have never looked back once i had my son.

i am now a freelance lecturer (i teach business studies), i love it and i like my students. it means i don't have a boss hovering over me 24/7 and i get as much or as little work as i wish.