Qualified as a solicitor, feeling let down

[Coffeetree]

I just qualified as a solicitor and although I love the area I work in I'm really feeling exhausted and let down.

I really am grateful that my firm sponsored me in a training contract and have now given me a raise to their standard newly qualified rate of £27000 pa. Except now they're hustling me into a leadership role with a lot of middle-management bullshit and oh could I do the billing now and the audit prep.. But for no extra money.

I'm 50 and I know I should have the negotiation skills to deal with this and get a raise but the truth is I'm still trying to sort of inhabit the role. I was a paralegal for many many years and although I did well in law school I am still seeing myself as a junior.

Also the worklife balance sucks if you want to deliver quality work for clients. I go to court regularly and I have a good reputation for winning appeals but that's because I prepare more than anyone else.

I guess I have the standing now to push back but that's a new feeling for me. I'm still in "proving myself" mode and trying to get a mindset shift.

Anyone know what I'm talking abou? Any tips?

@kirinm

I don't think regional firms are paying £40k for NQs. I know a senior associate role was going for £60k.

They are in many. Indeed in the small city I live £42k is the norm for NQ. I mean regional firms rather than High Street firms

Plenty of regional firms on this list. None below £40k for NQ.

www.chambersstudent.co.uk/law-firms/law-firm-salaries-compared

That is terrifyingly low pay—if it was a city firm you’d be on well over that in the first year of your training contract. I know Hugh street is a whole other ballgame, is the area you practice something that can transfer to a better paying part of the legal sector? If not unfortunately you’re a bit stuck really. You’d be better of getting a PA role in a different law firm.

Your years as a para legal would have given you enormous relevant practical experience.

They are absolutely exploiting you.

You need to move to be recognised.

I think that salary is very low too.

Do you work in crime / family? I'm guessing it had to be one of the two due to the reference to legal aid. Salaries are extremely low in those areas generally aren't they?

What area of law do you do? Plenty of legal recruiters out there - get some info on your area. NQs in let’s say Birmingham at the likes of a DLA are on on £50k! But if you were working at Tin Pot and Co then yeah you’d be on £25k as an NQ.

If you go to court you’re a Litigator and by the sounds of it a good one? There are less Lit NQ roles during the ‘good times’ but seriously there is so much more you could be making and actually moving firm might do you good - less expected of you as an NQ and more money!! Speak to a Legal Recruiter in your area PS in London there are NQs at US firms on £100k so it really depends on your background/area of qualification. Now is the time to make your money if you’re 50 don’t undersell yourself. If you want to stay then speak to recruiters and then take the info to HR/the Partners.

Just want to say thanks for the thoughtful responses. I have reached our to a few recruiters and to some friends/old colleagues. I will try speaking with my boss, just to be fair to them,but I fear I let things build up whilst I was a trainee and I may need to leave for a raise.

That’s fine then leave! It’ll do you good - you don’t need to act like you owe them anything. You don’t. If they value you they will pay you - I’m sure you’re billing more than 3x your salary. At least if you have the conversation now it won’t be a surprise to them when you hand in your notice. Get outta there! They still see you as the paralegal. You’re not - you’re so much more - go somewhere you’ll be valued!

Live update-- I had a meeting with managers yesterday about the team member who is struggling. We had to lay out a performance improvement plan.

I wanted to address the raise and job description issue and I wond
Er if they felt it coming because the meeting transitioned to "you didn't meet your billing targets last month coffee tree". Um because I was doing this management/audit crap? I evidently spend way too much time doing things that admin can do. Also before I he came in the director sat in his car outside and rung our receptionist pretending to be a new client and was told I didn't have a free slot until Friday zomg shock horror

I didn't even get into it and just smiled and nodded.

I don't want to sound like I'm resistant to feedback and of course billing targets have to be met but I didn't leave the meeting feeling motivated.

I think you really need to push back on all the billing you’re doing, especially for other branches - why are you doing this? It isn’t really a NQ’s role and it seems like it’s interfering with your fee earning which is all they really care about at the end of the day. Are they landing you with this because they still see you as a paralegal? Definitely worth looking elsewhere.

I’d leave-they are happy with you doing more for less.

There's no one else to do the billing at my branch. They've said explicitly that it's my job and also I spend too much time doing it.

I could just call their bluff and say, "Hey if I'm not meeting billing targets should I move to a consultancy role here?"

A new role with more responsibility, sounds good, 45k pa?

Yes please when do I start?

He phoned and found out you didn't have a free slot until Friday? This speaks volumes.

I would leave. You’ve been there too long and they are taking the piss because they think you will stick around forever.

That didnt strike me as collegial.

They are prepared to screw you into the ground with your workload and try and make you feel bad while doing it.

You need to stand up for yourself.

You will never get the respect you are due having qualified.
They still view you as a para legal, whilst very happy to exploit your new qualifications.

You need to put all your energy into moving job.

Perhaps if they see you dressed up for interviews and taking time off the penny will drop that you are moving on.

You need to stand up for yourself.
You have worked too hard for this bullshit.

Also before I he came in the director sat in his car outside and rung our receptionist pretending to be a new client and was told I didn't have a free slot until Friday zomg shock horror

What a shitty thing to do. Time to move on, OP. Best of luck.

Flipping heck, that’s a rubbish move by them. So so shortsighted. I’m rooting for you to find a new job, Coffeetree.

You need to leave. These are people who do not value you. They value the work you do and pat themselves on the back that you are naive enough to do their cheap Labour.

Find a new job that values you. You should be asking for a lot more than 27k even as NQT. You have experience prior to qualifying which is valuable. Dont undersell yourself.

The slimy wankers. You don’t need to stay there until you “have a breakdown/die”. Move now before they break you.

Do you know what to do? Disconnect emotionally, put all your energy into applying for new roles. Float in, do your job but not an iota more. Just get through the next while until you can start a new role.

it sounds like they've basically given you a full time admin job on top of your full time solicitor job, and are pissed that you're only able to perform one of these perfectly. Dicks.