To consider a career change from law

[Flamencoflamingo]

Hi all,

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I’ve been thinking recently about a career change from law, and I’d appreciate others’ opinions on my reasons/alternative career options.

I’m 26 and I’ve been treading the paralegal hamster wheel for the past 2 and a half years. In this time I’ve worked my way up from smaller regional to city firms, where I’d always set my sights for a career. I’m glad that I’ve reached this part of my career aim, but I continue to chase the ever elusive training contract and I’m starting to reconsider my options rather than blindly going after something which I’m beginning to feel may not materialise.

In addition, I don’t find my work particularly satisfying. I know this is normal at the outset of any career, but I think the issue isn’t so much that my caseload isn’t high-flying stuff, more that there is a lot of pressure on paralegals now to be responsible for court deadlines and form submissions, and I don’t feel well supported by my new team (which I moved to 3 months ago) in this. I’m working in a completely new area of law, and despite asking I still haven't had the processes in this area fully explained to me, and I constantly feel anxious that I’m teetering on the brink of a colossal fuck up (which I’ve seen happen to others).

In addition my recent scouring of MN threads on this subject tend to reflect my view that the market is oversaturated with graduates, and junior roles often aren’t compensated in line with the amount of hours put in and pressure applied! It certainly isn’t Suits.

I originally studied a humanities degree before converting to law. Areas of my work that I enjoy are the investigation process (interviewing and researching), problem solving, and building up working relationships with those involved in the investigation process.

The two careers I’m struggling to decide between are the civil service (problem solving, similar culture to law I imagine) and journalism where I could use my writing and investigative skills, but I wonder if I have a glamorised image of the latter? I also wouldn’t know the first thing about how to get into journalism, whereas the civil service has a similar application structure to a lot of law firms’ vac schemes and training contracts, and I suppose would be a more natural change.

Any advice or opinions would be appreciated!

What makes you say the police isn’t for you? There are lots of interesting roles that aren’t officers.

Current trainee here. Got a training contract to start straight after uni. Similar sized firm to you I think. All the advice I got from recruiters is they expect exceptional academics - First ideally, 2:1 if you can compensate - but the key thing is the extra curricular.

I essentially made applying a full time hobby. I knew every firm inside out, could name cases they worked on, senior partners, quotes in the news... I also practised questions non- stop with another friend who was applying for (and also got offers for) training contracts. It's hard work.

We have 250 plus applications for 8 TC places a year and expect a minimum of a 2.1 and AAB at A level. Do you meet these criteria? 15 applications a year does not seem to be very many and perhaps a more concerted effort in this area may be more fruitful. We are shifting over to offering TCs from 2 week internships which in effect become a 2 week interview. Firms thst tend to use paralegals on a hamster wheel basis are not necessarily known for being the most supportive/best at training staff because they basically use such staff for factory style law (pi, residential conveyancing, plot sales etc).

I would take stock and get applying for TCs on a wider scale bit bearing in mind many opened their application procedures in November.

*excuse typos, stubby fingers on phone!

I imagine it involves more research and reporting than anything else, but would also expect it to contain some “interview” elements in the course of analysing policy impact.

I think these days it mainly involves flying by the seat of your pants, hoping another body has done some research into the area already and analysts tend do the impact assessments.

It is really fun, or can be, but I'd definitely try and get some work shadowing or something to get a sense what it's really like.

15 applications a year doesn't seem a lot. Does it have to be a magic circle firm? A lot of the things you're complaining about may not apply in a smaller firm.

What about this? Very varied opportunities across the country www.local.gov.uk/national-graduate-development-programme/about-ngdp

OP: The two careers I’m struggling to decide between are the civil service (problem solving, similar culture to law I imagine) and journalism where I could use my writing and investigative skills, but I wonder if I have a glamorised image of the latter

I have worked as a solicitor in various City firms and feel your pain in being trapped in the "paralegal hamster wheel" - good way of describing it.

I am now working in risk and compliance in a City law firm. Someone with your skills and familiarity with Big Law practice will be fantastic material to train up, either in anti-money laundering or conflicts clearance or wider SRA compliance. It is a career path with salaries now going up to six figures for non-solicitors, and easily above that for solicitors, once this person has built up significant compliance and, particularly for non-lawyers, managerial, experience.

It is not just legal but multi-disciplinary with training, project management, IT/systems and process improvement skills. The law is rapidly developing in this field and anyone who can translate the legal requirements into organisational procedures and controls and training programmes is invaluable.

It is very much a problem solving role with writing skills - email comms, policies, guidances. training. Investigative skills are required because it is necessary to get to the root of problems to fix issues. A lot of persuasive and interpersonal skills to build relationships with other functional groups and the fee-earning population to embed compliance.

As a paralegal, I believe your role is quite cloistered within the practice group (I assume litigation in your case). But in a compliance role, you deal with the almost the entire lawyer population and from a systems and controls perspective, the rest of the support services.

Check out the job descriptions in this area to see if this is of interest.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is currently holding consultations to put in place a Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) route into becoming a solicitor without the necessity of a training contract in favour of a less restrictive 2 year qualifying work experience: www.sra.org.uk/sra/policy/sqe/solicitor-persona.page

Therefore, in future, the need for a training contract is no longer a bottleneck to becoming a solicitor. I believe under the new SQE route, paralegal experience can potentially be qualifying work experience.

However, these proposals are still in draft stage and subject to change. SQE is currently planned for implementation in September 2020: www.sra.org.uk/sra/consultations/new-regulations.page

There is hope down the road, if you are still interested in becoming a solicitor.

Thanks again for the replies.

With regard to grades and applications, I meet the requirements for AAA at A-level and gained a high 2.1 in my undergrad degree. I think the difficulty I’ve experienced is partly due to the fact that I averaged 55% on the GDL as I did the full time course whilst also working 4 days a week which probably wasn’t the right decision with hindsight. I’ve also turned down own or two TC offers from smaller regional firms as I’ve always aimed to train in the City, which is why I’ve used paralegal roles as stepping stones to gain the experience I now have. So the situation is partly of my own making, yet I see the level of competition and feel that perhaps my GDL grades will be what pull me down when put up against other graduates with great academics across the board.

I did in fact do about 30 applications in my first year, but was warned that this may dilute the quality of my applications. Since then I’ve been working full time whilst also making time to complete various application forms, but take on board that I should try to make more time for this to have a better shot at increasing my chances.

Thanks to those who’ve posted information about government schemes, researching further police roles and a career in compliance. I’ll be looking into all of these as they certainly sound as though they’d make use of my skill set and align with my career aims.

Blueshoes I’m keeping an eye on the SQA (a super exam which I hear will assess the equivalent content of the GDL and LPC in all of 6 hours, which will be interesting to see). I’m also aware that paralegal experience can currently be used to apply to the SRA to be exempt from a TC in part or wholly, so that’s something to consider if I do end up continuing down the solicitor route (although I feel this would be more for the reason of sticking with what I know than out of love for the profession)

If you're looking at the civil service, you could look into border force. I used to be a presenting officer (basically an unqualified lawyer defending the Govt immigration decisions) and many of my colleagues had legal qualifications but couldn't get a TC.

It was a really interesting role with interviewing and cross examination of witnesses/court skills.

If you like investigations work then banks will have a variety of such roles outside the legal teams often in places such as financial crime, compliance and security/cyber. I wouldn’t recommend joining an in house legal investigations team as a paralegal as you will always be second tier without a practising certificate.

If you're keen on the investigation and reporting side of things Loss Adjusting could be a good fit for you, whether casualty or property. Our place are always keeping their ear to the ground for people with "interesting" technical backgrounds, especially law.

HR might be another area to consider. I did HR and employment law consultancy for 10 years post qualifying as a solicitor.

I left the law 6 months after qualifying as a solicitor. I am now re-training to be a primary school teacher and definitely think it is the best decision I could have made.. I was so unhappy in my job and no wage could change that. No job is perfect, but you have to find some reward in what you do, otherwise you will start to resent your work.

In terms of training contracts, if you do want continue working in law, I would suggest applying to some smaller, high street firms. I was offered a training contract only a few months after working as a paralegal at a small firm, didn't have to go through a formal application process or anything like that. Even if that's not where you want to end up, at least you can get qualified and then move on to a different firm.

Hope that helps!

I'm 10 years PQE. I often think I should have done/should do something else. But what the fuck else?! If I was meant to do something else, if my perfect job that I was born to do was out there, I would know what it was.

I have long since given up the idea of being ambitious, rich, etc etc. I'm quite happy to work normal-ish hours in a local job and have my health and my life. And enough money to be comfortable.

Meh. All jobs are shite. Better the devil you know. Would be shit to start again at the bottom.

Just my thoughts tbh. Good luck with your decision.