I’m quitting my job in law to go and work for the NHS, AMA.

[NHSinterviewupcoming]

As the title says.

How are you booking them in then?

Can you be a lawyer in house for the public sector or a charity?

Family law - I would consider being a self employed Mackenzie friend so you can still use your skills.
Look at legally nik on Instagram

You’ll be answering phones, booking patients in, managing cancellations etc etc …

She meant she’s admin not clinical not that she wouldn’t have any interaction with patients

No. You haven’t said that at all.

You haven’t explained what the job is other than “for the NHS”.

Out of curiosity, which department will you be working in OP? By booking in, do you mean front desk attending patients for appointments? Or booking over the phone?

At 16.52 she said it was admin

I won’t be caring for patients.

im surprised by the number of people being so negative!

Hey OP I'm interested as I'm a lawyer thinking of a career change but what are you going to be doing in the nhs?

Good for you. I wish you luck.

im surprised by the number of people being so negative!

Me too! You've had a bellyfull of law and can afford to take a pay cut to do something less stressful - good for you, OP.

I think some people are trying to point out that NMW doesn't necessarily equal no stress. You have no autonomy or status and so much depends on the kind of manager you have.

However, this will give you breathing space and you have transferable skills to change jobs again if you wish.

All the best.

Unless you’ve been in legal private practice, this AMA will sound odd. I have, and I get it OP. There are far worse places to work than the NHS!

What made you go into law initially and will you miss any single thing about it? Obvs not the insane hours!!

A job in the NHS will not escape any of the issues you have listed; and will likely give you more.

Sorry 10 billable hours a day at a regional firm for £35k, that’s mental, no wonder you hate it! What area of law were you in?

Just good for you OP. I wish you the best of luck. I’m sure you’ll do a great job - every job in the NHS is important - and you’ll make it a little bit better with your experience.

I expect most people have no idea how grim some areas of law /law firms are

I left a job similar sounding to yours with no job to go to. My boss was an absolute bully and I just felt exploited.

I had a few years out and then felt a pull for the law again and now work in - house and love it.

But it's fine to say "never again" as well. There's a more to life than just running on a hamster wheel making rich people richer

Ignore the negative comments.
It's fine to take a break and do an entry level job for a bit. I never regretted it.

And as a manager now I happily employ people who have had long career breaks/career changes

I think people who havent worked as lawyers won't understand the particularly horrible stresses you will have been under

Pretty sure band 2 admin staff aren't working 50 hour weeks and having to account for every single second of their time on a time sheet.

And also the slog of working in a smaller firm, often very long hours but without the pay and benefits of a city job.

I'm in law, but in-house and a commercial/corporate lawyer so very different environment and clients to you. But its a stressful job, which I mostly enjoy.... but would be totally lying if I didn't also dream of jacking this in ASAP and getting a smaller admin role or something where I don't have to make loads of stressful decisions all the time. So I can totally get it - though the NHS is not where I'd have landed at for an 'easier' life at all!

For me, I'm well paid and have a better life balance due to being in-house (genuinely will never do private practice ever now) and the company has good perks so I stick it out. My little silly small dream is to work hard now and rack up decent savings so I can semi-retire early and then get a job in a cafe or something. Few hours a day, chatting to people and regulars and then not taking work home with me.

Do NHS staff have to account for their entire working life in 6 minute chunks? Are they at risk of getting unceremoniously hoofed if not enough of those 6 minute chunks are (a) chargeable to a client, (b) actually billed to a client and/or (c) paid by the client? (Just the words utilisation and realisation still bring me out in hives).

Oh and the fact that everyone outside of law thinks you're absolutely minted when, in reality, you take home less than MW per hour and have no pension - particularly irksome when your DH does actually work for the NHS and brings home 3 times your salary...

There is a good reason why all the current and ex lawyers in MN town pile on to the "shall I become a lawyer?" threads and unanimously say 'fook no'.

Good luck OP. No harm in taking a break out and doing a simpler job. It’s funny, as I often think about retraining (well I used to, but nearly into mid 40s, so I’ve missed the boat I think) in law. Reading posts from lawyers on other threads (and talking to lawyer friends who work in private practice) has made me rethink.

FWIW, I’m a B6 nurse in the NHS…nearly 27years under my belt. Obvs no need to monitor/bill my hours, but plenty of unpaid overtime and other crap (abuse, short staffing etc). Choose something you love to do, and hopefully you’ll feel a lot happier :)