Advice from solicitors who've taken a career break, please.

[hel9a]

I am a solicitor and I work in commercial law but I have been unemployed since September and am struggling to get a new job. I am beginning to think that I could use this time to have babies instead.

I am 38, we want to do it soon and maybe this would be a good time to do it because we could survive on benefits, with mortgage holiday and then I could go back to work in a couple of years when the world gets back to normal (my husband would be happy to give up work and take over childcare and I am our main breadwinner when I'm working).

When I was working, I was only entitled to 6 weeks' paid maternity leave so would have been looking at a long period on benefits and with a mortgage holiday anyway. Am I being totally irresponsible?! and would this be career suicide?

Have you thought about a change of direction? I left practice in 2006 to teach the LPC. You didn't need any teaching qualifications but you had to be at least 2yrsPQ. I love teaching and it fits in really well with summer holidays etc... Money isn't bad and you can do overtime by teachin the part time weekend or part time evening students

Yes, have thought about that! (Was thinking bout teaching until the city picks up again...)

and thanks for the info bout not needing teaching qualifications. Hope you don't mind but I have some questions for you:

I've had a look for vacancies at various colleges but haven't found anything - would you recommend just writing to them on spec? what time of year do they reruit teaching staff?

any info you can provide will be very gratefully received!

Not sure about applying on spec. A good way in may be to go in as a "visiting lecturer" i.e. teach part time students because the full time staff won't volunteer to cover. Any law school would still give you the usual training (on how to handle a class, deal with different levels of ability) and then you would be around to hear of any full time vacancies.

Where have you tried? Col of Law, BPP, Kaplan are the only London ones I know (I am based in the north west). But if you google list of LPC providers you should come up with a few more.

As for time of year - all year round really (especially as most members of the teaching staff where I am are constantly pregnant!)

Brilliant. Thank you.

are there any other solicitors who've taken time out?

i.e. if I have a baby now and then try to re-enter practice in a year or two, will I have committed career suicide? (See my original message below). Surely, I saving an employer from having to deal with my maternity absence?! but how dificult will it be to get back into work from nowhere? I'd really appreciate people's words of advice...

Hi hel9a. I'm on a career break and have been since January 2006 when I gave up work to temporarily move abroad to join my husband who is working in the Middle East. I'd originally planned on 2 years out of work and after having DD in October 2006 I was thinking at the beginning of last summer of going back to work last September. However, unexpectedly found I was expecting again (due in 17 days) so all my plans went out the window. To be honest, the way the job situation is back home its probably not a bad idea to be off a few more years but the one thing I've always done is keep up my CPD to keep my practicing certificate. I know it costs a bit to do it but I think it is well worth it. Also, I've made sure I've done other training courses as well since I've been off work. I'm a family lawyer and so a couple of years ago I flew back to the UK and attended a family mediation course and qualfied as a mediator as well and I'm also now doing a correspondance course in Corrobative Law as I think that will be the way to go when I eventually return to practice. I think its important to 'fill' any gaps on your CV if you can even by just home studies. I was reading an old ILEX journal a few weeks ago and they are now offering all sorts of correspondance courses for people who are looking to re-train in other areas and some of the courses are from as little as £150 which isn't bad when you think about it and potentially that could count towards your CPD.
Good luck to you

Thank you, mumoverseas. Yes, I'm bit worried bout not having a practising certificate but they're so expensive!! I agree that it's important and am keen to keep up with training if only to keep my brain working if nothing else!

Anyway, you've chosen a great time to have your new baby. Wishing you lots and lots of luck with the next few weeks!