Any solicitors out there?

[WheninWinsteria]

I've been offered a training contract with a small law firm - I'd be expected to pay 12k for the LPC myself as is the case with lots of small firms (completing the LPC part time during the TC).

I have been a paralegal there for six months but find the work incredibly dull and not at all challenging (mostly conveyancing/land forms). This is the area I would qualify into.

Are there any solicitors out there who have any advice? Would you do the same again career wise? Has anyone left law for another career?

I stopped being a solicitor after my first baby. I also paid my own way through law school and qualified in a small firm. The training is just the training though. You can move on once you’ve the LPC and TC finished.

IMO the securing the TC is the hard part.

I'm a qualified solicitor and honestly no I wouldn't do it again. I was in a private firm for 8 years and it was just not compatible with family life. Many friends who qualified with me have left after having children. In my experience it's de rigour to have emails on your phone, expect long hours and heavy stress for pay that is not compatible with what is expected of you. I was on £32k when I left but that was 4 years qualified and quite senior (North West mid sized firm). I'm now in the public sector in a legal job but not practicing as a solicitor and so much happier. Much different quality of life, better pay, benefits etc

Another solicitor here! I actually do love it most of the time. Yes it’s late nights, no you can’t escape the client emails and you’re always going to have to work with some “characters” but there are loads of upsides too.

Getting offered a TC is an achievement so we’ll done. It doesn’t sound like exactly where you want to be though. How many other applications have you put in? What areas of law will they be able to train you in?

But despite all that love, no I most definitely wouldn’t do that for £32k. That is taking the piss a bit and I think I’d have left too. I think that is only slightly more than my trainer salary (and that felt pretty harsh considering how much is expected of you as a trainee. I’m not in London but am in SE.

I wouldn't do it again if I could go back. I was disappointed by what a tedious career it turned out to be, if you find being a paralegal to be so, it's really not much different. The LPC is very expensive too. Most solicitors are nothing like as well paid as people assume.

If you find conveyancing dull (understandably IMO!) could you not qualify into a different area? What other seats would the TC offer?

I’m on mat leave from a full time solicitor role at a city firm. The salary is very good but I don’t think I will be returning because the firm culture is very incompatible with family life. I will probably look to go in house.

Once you’re qualified it opens up a lot of doors. You don’t have to stay at the firm you qualified at doing work you dislike.

You just have to find the right firm for you. Mine does not encourage late working or the like. I would either get out now or look at securing a training contract at another firm.

Different areas are horses for courses. I hate Wills and Probate and was much more drawn to Commercial stuff. My friend from LPC loved this area and qualified into it.

Is there another career you had in mind?

I'm really reluctant to spend 12k on the LPC when I'm disliking the work this much.

I would qualify into land law mostly and there has not been any discussion about other seats. The firm is mostly just high street work and very dull.

I have thought about teaching but I'm well aware that that isn't a bed of roses either but at least I wouldn't be by myself in an office all day (just after the kids had gone home).

I get that. It’s a lot of money.

You have to do 3 areas of law (as I’m sure you know). Is there anything else that the firm does that you’re more interested in?

Was your degree law or non-law?

LLB degree which could narrow my options with teaching but I've spoken to a few providers and they have said I could teach English, History or Primary.

I wouldn’t do it if I had to do conveyancing! But I work in litigation, which I love.

Is there any prospect of completing your tc and then moving into more interesting work? If not then I would look for a tc in a firm that’s more to your tastes.

@Highlowpo £32k at 4 years qualified? no wonder you left! That’s ridiculous.

I would suggest that if you want a career in law you jump at the opportunity of a training contract, they are so scarce you would kick yourself for turning one down. Check what seats are available and that you will get some variety (some firms can only offer a couple of areas of law). Get as much experience as possible then as you approach the end of the training contract apply for a NQ job elsewhere doing something more enjoyable than property.
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There are legal jobs that are more compatible with family life than others so don't be too put off by those comments. My firm is very family friendly, some aren't though.

It isn't generally as well paid as other professions but the money is ok.

I’m a lawyer and qualified through a different route there are other options. I’m 4 years pqe and earn a substantial amount That I’m happy with. Three to six months as a paralegal is not long. Yes the training contracts are hard to get but there are quicker and cheaper routes and now with the new super exam.

I would find an area you enjoy, and qualify in that. I don’t know where you live but I moved from Devon to London to pursue mine. I doubled my salary in two years. I started late and was a single parent, now with a 16 year old. I love my job it’s not all long hours in the office there are some good firms out there who really do the work life balance.

Former lawyer, now retired. Get qualified, then worry. In my case, law gave me a good job, part time working when I needed it, and largely interesting work. Yes there are stresses, but overall I'd do it again. The training at a small firm can be brilliant, much more exposure to different types of work, and more autonomy sooner than at a big firm but it does depend on the firm, the type of work etc. I know the training regime is changing, but I think it will still be obligatory for you to have experience of other departments. And who knows what might have changed in terms of what you want to do/what the firm needs by the time your TC ends, so it might not be a given that you will be a conveyancer for life.

Basically now you don’t have to do the LLB you can cross qualify which is what I did. Yes it takes longer more exams but you can earn more whilst working. I’m my firm you need to be a paralegal for at least 12 months before you can apply for a TC but then you pretty much get your NQ in the area you want.

I guess you've got yourself in a difficult situation, getting a training contract is fantastic, but you're with a high street firm doing work you don't enjoy with little room for change.

Would you be willing to relocate? What class of degree did you get?

My daughter is going through something similar, she graduated in the summer and is working as a paralegal in one of the multi nationals and just started doing her lpc, she is being sponsored by one of the partners to get a training contract with them, but ultimately she still has to perform at assessment centre etc, her salary is good, she will earn this year, her first year, close to what the four years qualified poster was earning, but clearly she wants a training contract and is also Doing other applications.

It is a huge amount of work. The lpc isn't complex but on top of the day job it's a lot.

Have you tried applying to the larger firms? Would you be willing to work as a paralegal with them? And as said, class of degree it does seem to be important, as can which uni you achieved it at.

However on saying that, a training contract is worth its weight so it's a tough call.

I graduated with a first class degree from a top university. I've compromised on firm and location for family reasons but would be willing to relocate as I feel it's the only way I will find fulfilling/interesting work.

What are your academics? No point taking the LPC if you have anything less than a 2:1 from a redbrick in my opinion otherwise you'll end up at a high street practice forever and if you don't like it now, you won't like it in 5 years time.
I did the city thing - now at a regional firm with a healthy work life balance (but I paid my dues believe me!). Law in the City is entirely incompatible with family life.
If I had my choice again I might consider teaching.

Have you been applying for training contracts with the bigger firms, or paralegal work?

I am Commercial Property Lawyer who has retrained as a primary teacher. I trained in London, throughly enjoyed it and worked in a City firm. I wasn’t immediately drawn to Property Law but did a lot of Corporate Support work which I really enjoyed. I got married and moved outside of London and continued to do Property law. I took a career break after my first child and having observed the less than flexible attitude to my colleagues on maternity leave and those with kids I thought long and hard about returning. I realised that I would want to be at home with my children as opposed to working late on deals so decided to change career.
I retrained as a primary teacher and graduated in July. I am doing supply work at the moment because it fits in better with my husband’s work and our childcare needs. I really love it and feel that I can give 100% when I am teaching. Obviously, the salary is a lot less but after being a student the last couple of years I don’t notice as much as I am just glad to be earning!

I’m a solicitor, 7 years qualified, I have worked in commercial lit and now work in property lit but I’ve also worked in house. Whilst I have experience of a few different areas my experience is mainly in litigation and I knew from early on that this is what I enjoyed.

It is really difficult to get a training contract so I would say only turn it down if you don’t want to qualify as a solicitor or if you are confident you would get one elsewhere.

You can change areas when you qualify, ideally into something else you trained in, but not necessarily. NQs are considered a blank canvas so you could change areas early on.

I'm a solicitor and mostly enjoy it. I'm not sure I'd go for it again as it can be quite limiting eg It's hard to move to another country.

My firm are fab with part time work (which is unusual) and I get paid a good salary which I've become used to. I can't think what else to do so I'm sticking with it.

It's not all bad tbh! It's stressful but lots of jobs are. Try to find the right firm and once you've got that you'll be ok.