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Original poster

Solicitor wanting to become ex solicitor

113 replies

StuckSolicitor · 07/10/2023 10:15

Help!

I’ve name changed as this is seriously outting in the small world that is law. I’ve changed some small details.

I am a solicitor in a really niche property law area. I have practised as both a contentious and non-contentious solicitor for 25 years. And on my goodness but I can’t keep going. I started out wanting to help families which failed at the first hurdle because I ended up getting a training contract at a corporate law firm and so got nowhere near anything other than large scale, high value clients and their matters.

I took 4 years out when I had my 3 children - not on maternity leave, I just quit and didn’t have a paid job for that time. And I went back when my youngest was 18 months.

I hate how the job has changed. Time recording is now the absolute be all and end all. Targets, business development (for which we seemingly receive no credit), supervision, marketing, know how, CPD, compliance and regulatory issues, being a team player, keeping up with the latest buzz words from the partnership and on and on and on it goes. All in making sure the PEP is as high as it can be.

The question is what on earth can I do instead? I’m based in a very rural part of England and cannot move for various family reasons so the job options seem limited. I would like to be able to do something that had more soul to it and meant I was doing something good. At the moment I simply seem to be making rich people richer and that sits very uncomfortably with me.

Are there any solicitors out there who have successfully become ex solicitors? I need to earn a minimum of £40,000 per annum as my husband’s teaching job is not very secure and we still have a large mortgage (although our house is small and nothing special - 2008 banking crash walloped us).

Any ideas or experiences?

OP posts:
Original poster
StuckSolicitor · 07/10/2023 11:21

WrongSwanson · 07/10/2023 11:15

Wow. Am in local govt and do zero time recording!

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Eeeek! I’ve got a friend who works for the LA and I’d thought that was a zero time recording, non target driven role. It sounds like something to be very careful about then given your different experiences (@Tiredemotional ‘s experience sounds like the worst of all worlds maybe)

OP posts:
kictenns · 07/10/2023 11:26

Have a look into legal tech. Lots of ex lawyers work in that area and it's really buzzing right now and set to grow.

It's all about helping translate lawyers and law firms needs into digital solutions.

Original poster
StuckSolicitor · 07/10/2023 11:27

Katrinawaves · 07/10/2023 11:19

Bloody hell that’s rude and not even correct!

I’ve worked in house for about 10 years in various senior roles at PLCs and one massive international US company. I and my colleagues are all from well known successful law firms or barristers set, lots are Oxbridge backgrounds and many of us have been Chambers or Legal 500 ranked when in private practice. We’re not the random rejects that no one else would employ and are all highly skilled and good at what we do.

As it would seem is the OP - so she doesn’t actually need suggestions for roles that will take any old person!

@StuckSolicitor in your shoes I would look into a portfolio NED career. You could make the transition gradually as you build up your appointments. Depending on the organisation and the time commitment required, NED roles can pay between £15k and £30k per year for a few days time commitment per month and most people have more than one appointment at a time. Legal skills are on high demand.

Show quote history

It’s ok, I didn’t take that as rude. I am good at what I do and I am especially good at black letter law and I supervise our trainees really well.

But, I am also very conscious at 50 I’m no spring chicken and I come with lots of restrictions about where and, to some extent, when I can work. Private practice, in my experience of working for 4 firms you’d all know, doesn’t seem to me to be geared up for women, and especially women with any caring commitments.

OP posts:
Fluffyhoglets · 07/10/2023 11:28

Tiredemotional · 07/10/2023 11:05

I work in a large local authority and beware there’s no guarantee of escaping the pressures of time recording - if anything it’s worse than private practice as it’s being policed and (constantly) chased by people who purely expect to see you at constantly at 100% of target and have no idea of non-chargeable work, recovery rates, WIP write-off - we’re expected to record 1300 hours a year with no discretion to write off time, reduce bills on files etc. The pressure feels endless.

Yes we time record to in publuc sector. 1200 target though.
But property lawyers are in demand and transferable skills are considered as its accepted someone coming in from outside won't know how it all works in house- but can learn.
Jobs are around 40-50k for qualified lawyers full time.

BlueSkiThinking · 07/10/2023 11:37

A solicitor friend worked as secretary for a small charity providing financial support to new graduates in a particular field of the arts. Very varied, very fulfilling in the sense of 'helping people'. Nothing to do with her previous field or expertise. The charity just needed a cool legal head, an eye for detail and the kind of person who could hold their own with some of the 'big personalities' on the board of trustees. I have no idea what the salary was.

hettiethehare · 07/10/2023 11:39

Can you work for one of those law firms like Setfords where you are a Consultant solicitor and more in charge of your own hours and work from home?

Cantthinkof · 07/10/2023 11:41

Hi I don't know how to DM you, but please message me and I might be able to help, I'm a legal recruiter. Making no promises!

Thequeenofwishfulthinking · 07/10/2023 11:44

I was you 8 years ago. I’m now non practicing and work in Education for the local authority.
it was the best decision I’ve ever made. No time recording, decent pension, better annual leave entitlement and better parental leave entitlement as I also have a SEN child.
I don’t know how old you are but is there time to I retrain to do something that will pay well and you will enjoy?
My job is fulfilling and I would never go back to working in the legal world. Its not like it used to be. There is no guarantee of the financial rewards anticipated and justice becomes secondary to the firms’ financial targets.
Have a really good think about things and consider work/life balance primarily alongside your personal circumstances.
The skills you have are portable and qualify you to do many other things. You’re not limited to working in a certain area for the rest of your working life.

Original poster
StuckSolicitor · 07/10/2023 11:47

hettiethehare · 07/10/2023 11:39

Can you work for one of those law firms like Setfords where you are a Consultant solicitor and more in charge of your own hours and work from home?

I’m rubbish at networking events and do win clients (and they do stay with me because I do above and beyond) but I can’t do big drink events. In part because of kids but also I’m an introvert. Hence I’d written all these sorts of solicitor consultancy places off. I was told once you only eat what you kill ( at places like that). I have to admit to being put off quite a bit by the phraseology.

OP posts:
Original poster
StuckSolicitor · 07/10/2023 11:50

Cantthinkof · 07/10/2023 11:41

Hi I don't know how to DM you, but please message me and I might be able to help, I'm a legal recruiter. Making no promises!

I’ll DM you in a sec - thank you 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
StuckSolicitor · 07/10/2023 11:52

chillipod · 07/10/2023 11:16

I practiced for 6 years and now work for a University coaching apprentice solicitors (making sure they stay on track with their studies, giving advice, helping a bit with pastoral issues, making sure they're getting enough experience in the workplace). It's almost entirely remote, as in I've been in once to collect my laptop since starting nearly a year ago.

I love the job, I feel like I'm helping people and no more targets/time recording etc., just a genuinely excellent work/life balance. FTE is just under £44k.

@chillipod I wondered if it was BPP you worked for or if this was elsewhere?

OP posts:
chocolateanddietcoke · 07/10/2023 11:54

Bump

Validus · 07/10/2023 11:57

I’m right here with you. I’ve set myself a 5 year ‘I quit’ target. I don’t hate it, but it’s hard to keep going. I’m praying my DD gets I to a state secondary that can handle her (and she can handle) as otherwise I might have to extend.

5 years takes me to 20 years in law, and that’s frankly enough.

changenameforname · 07/10/2023 12:01

Puppalicious · 07/10/2023 10:52

Go in-house. I hated private practice, everyone I know did. In-house so much better.

This. Even for a charity whose work you feel strongly about.

Bellyrumble · 07/10/2023 12:02

I’m in the same boat, though only 4PQE. I’ve two interviews lined up next week for in house roles, both of them I found by searching on LinkedIn.

I’m a litigator and also thought in house was only corporate commercial roles but I was very surprised when I started looking that there are other sectors too

I’ve 38 years to go until I retire- I can’t keep this up!

have you looked at the national trust or the land registry?

hope you find something soon- keep us all updated!

Original poster
StuckSolicitor · 07/10/2023 12:06

Validus · 07/10/2023 11:57

I’m right here with you. I’ve set myself a 5 year ‘I quit’ target. I don’t hate it, but it’s hard to keep going. I’m praying my DD gets I to a state secondary that can handle her (and she can handle) as otherwise I might have to extend.

5 years takes me to 20 years in law, and that’s frankly enough.

20 years is quite enough - I heartily agree with that.

I had to get SEN DC into a specialist secondary school which meant suing the local authority for the last 2 years alongside my day job/caring obligations.

it is very definitely time to quit now all of mine are in secondary and settled. I cannot take one more new buzz word titled initiative intended to tick some well-being box rather than the firm actually considering the impact it’s having on its staff. All of my DC have been told in no uncertain terms never to become solicitors.

OP posts:
Original poster
StuckSolicitor · 07/10/2023 12:07

Mumsanetta · 07/10/2023 11:55

Look out for jobs at the Woodland Trust and National Trust. Also send your cv out on a speculative basis.

https://jobs.woodlandtrust.org.uk/vacancies/vacancy/N2IySzZLZEhFb1laYThqMGogSTZYQT09/senior-property-solicitor-hybrid

Compliance and regulatory roles might also suit your skills set.

I so wanted that job. I just couldn’t commit to the 3 hour drive to Grantham very frequently. I must have visited that website more than 50 times whilst the job was live just looking at it and wishing I could.

OP posts:
chillipod · 07/10/2023 12:08

@StuckSolicitor No I work for a large more typical campus type of Uni up north Smile

Original poster
StuckSolicitor · 07/10/2023 12:10

@Bellyrumble exciting about your interviews. Fingers and toes crossed one of them suits you. Get out while you can!

I look at the National Trust vacancy page every week. They currently have an assistant solicitor role but I’d really rather go for their senior solicitor level vacancies as I can’t see I could work up to that level quickly enough for how long I’ve got left in my working life.

OP posts:
HamstersAreMyLife · 07/10/2023 12:11

Tiredemotional · 07/10/2023 11:05

I work in a large local authority and beware there’s no guarantee of escaping the pressures of time recording - if anything it’s worse than private practice as it’s being policed and (constantly) chased by people who purely expect to see you at constantly at 100% of target and have no idea of non-chargeable work, recovery rates, WIP write-off - we’re expected to record 1300 hours a year with no discretion to write off time, reduce bills on files etc. The pressure feels endless.

I came to say the same. CPS LA and lots of bits of government legal service are now monstrous for being overworked. GLD is probably the best depending on getting into the right area.

Bellyrumble · 07/10/2023 12:13

I interviewed for an in house role back in July and the reason I didn’t get it was because I was more PQE than what they were wanting, so I can sympathise there. Can you put your CV in on a speculative basis to them, or call the hiring manager and explain your predicament? You have a lot of experience and they may be willing to tweak the role to suit

StowOnTheWold · 07/10/2023 12:14

Consultant for a smaller firm?

Practice manager for a smaller firm?

AThousandStarlings · 07/10/2023 12:22

Do you know about Reignite ?

They help lawyers return after a career break and pivot into in-house roles or firms with good work/life/remote working. Their book of business tends to be specialised lawyers exciting magic circle, silver circle, US, who have really good experience and then have a career break/children and are trying to return to something or can't juggle the private practice hours and want to go in-house. They are quite helpful at the pivot. Even if your not London/SE - send them and email and give them a call. They are sooooo good and have lots of advice. The website doesn't really show case their breadth or experience - they know EXACTLY what your experiencing.

The website is reigniteacademy.co.uk

AThousandStarlings · 07/10/2023 12:27

Oh the other thing to consider - is Obelisk or lawyers on demand. Take a contract role and pivot. But speak to Reignite for guidance. :-)