UK LAWYERS-what is it like to practice here

[christie1]

I finish my masters of law at lse in the fall. I am going to a presentation on the program for qualifying in the UK for lawyers already qualified in another country. What is your experiences, good money, good work, discrimination for women lawyers...Probably it is the same everywhere but we are talking about should we stay here or go home and I wonder how hard it would be to find work here for me.

What is your specialism?

Very much depends on your specialism and what you want out of it (e.g. success in the City and lots of cash depsite personal cost or reasonable quality of life and a calm but interesting 9-5).

What do you want to do and what are you aiming for?

PS Don't believe everything that they tell you at presentations. I used to be involved in doing them as a lawyer and am now an academic lawyer so advising my students from the other side. It's all a bit more rosy than reality...

I have been a government lawyer for most of my career, as a crown prosecutor and aborginal law lawyer (which I know would have no market over here). I chose this path after a few years of private practice to have a family so t isn't about money. I have been out of the workforce for a few years and looking to get back in but balance is key for me (don't know if it is even possible as a lawyer). I specialized in criminal law and criminal justice policy at LSE so, perfect job, back to criminal law courts either crown prosecutor or defence. Obstacle is my kids right now, so maybe something along policy lines with government but hten, would they want a non-uk lawyer for that. I suspect private practice is as difficult for women with children (or without) as I read in papers as home (canada). But dh really wants to stay in the UK and I do not want to give up law forever.

you'd find work pretty easily here, especially in London, but work life balance is difficult. Maybe try the website for the Government Legal Service - they list vacancies and they like people with all round experience. Local authorities also employ lawyers so check their websites. Pay is not close to private practice, but the pension rights, holiday and working hours are very good. I do deal based, corporate M&A in the City, with terrible hours (last couple of weeks have been 80 hours+) and very unpredictable timescales - doesn't mix with family life at all so it sounds like this would not be for you, although the big firms are desperate for more people.

Or you could try the Crown Prosecution Service. You'd have to qualify in England and Wales but that shouldn't be a problem if you are already qualified in Australia. A friend of mine started doing this a few years ago. She'd been an M&A lawyer in the City, taken quite a few years off to have kids and had done no criminal law since Uni. She really enjoys it and has very flexible working (part time and changes to hours in vacation etc) to fit in with kids. They have an ongoing recruitment drive. I'm sure they'd snap up a lawyer with good criminal experience even if you have to retrain for English law (my friend effectively had to retrain)

GLS is also good though less so if you are not London based.

This is good advice, like I mentioned there is QQLT (qualified lawyers transfer test) talk at lse next week and it sounds like from their website I only have to write a transfer exam and obviously learn the applicable law in my area. But my year at lse has exposed me to quite a bit of criminal law in the uk and our jurisdictions (uk and canada) are very similar in practice from what I can tell. I like the fact the crown office is open to part-time/flex-time hours. THat would work for me really well. I enjoy that kind of work too, I just can't do the long hours despite the good money even if it was just me and no kids. I never got into law for the money. Why the heck did I get into law anyway, I forget now. THanks for the advice. It has been very helpful. If you run into a 40 something lawyer with alot of kids and a canadian accent someday, you can say youwere responsible!