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Original poster

Dilemma over job offer- views (especially mn lawyers!)

19 replies

cocopops · 08/09/2005 20:19

I need your collective wisdom. I am a corporate lawyer (regional firm)- 10 years qualified. Went back to work f/t last year after having DD. It was all getting a bit much and asked for p/t at the start of the year but it was refused on "business grounds". I have been really really unhappy ever since and looking around for something.

To cut a long story short, l've been offered a PSL job in another large regional firm. The job spec is great, the hours seem steady 9am till 5pm (shorter "contractual" hours than my current firm)- only thing is salary. I knew l'd have to take a cut- I get pretty well paid- but the offer that came back was on headline salary, almost 15% less than l'm on just now.

Pros for new job- shorter hours, no moaning clients, no overnighters, see a bit more of DD

Cons- EEK, am i clever enough to be a lawyer to the lawyers, l'd have to give training seminars to my peers and above (scary thought)what if I hate it?

My DH is being very supportive- we could live on the lesser salary but would need to cut corners. It may put private schooling for DD in jeopardy....I could hold out for in house job but I don't think that's an easy life either

could I have the benefit of your wisdom (especially if there are any PSL's out there)

OP posts:
Twiglett · 08/09/2005 20:21

not a lawyer but

if you hate it you can get another job

teaching people is a matter of knowledge and confidence.. they obviously believe you have both to have offered you the job

the hours sound pretty good .. is it a 15% discount in hours and stress ..

it sounds pretty good tbh

KBear · 08/09/2005 20:27

I am a PSO working for a couple of PSL's in a City law firm. They work very hard and there are occasional queries that crop up that require a late stay at the office but on the whole it is a much less stressful position that that of a fee-earning lawyer. One of my bosses has three young children and I know she wouldn't want to be a fee-earner at the moment, it suits her perfectly. She also works part-time (as do I). PSL is the way to go for less stressful career whilst keeping in the "know". Good luck with your decision.

WideWebWitch · 08/09/2005 20:32

Well it seems obvious to me: overcome your fears about training your peers - the company wouldn't have offered it to you if they didn't think you can do it - and prove to yourself you can do it. I think in your position I'd see if I could renegotiate the offer from the new co in the first instance - tell them you won't consider 15% drop in salary but you will consider a 5% drop. And then let them come back with 8% and they'll feel they've gained something in the negotiations. If they don't move, nothing lost and you can still take it at a 15% drop.
I'm not a lawyer btw but I do have to negotiate my rates quite often. Good luck, the new job sounds miles better in terms of quality of life and if you can make it a smaller drop in salary then it's win win imo (to use a tossy management phrase!) I doubt you'll hate it, I bet you're just telling yourself that because you're a bit scared.

KBear · 08/09/2005 20:40

And the training seminars will be prepared over a matter of weeks, you won't be thrown to the lions on your first day. You will have plenty of time to prepare. Got for it. You might even get a lovely assistant like me to do the groundwork for you!

Original poster
cocopops · 08/09/2005 20:50

KBEAR- I am intrigued- what is a PSO?

OP posts:
soapbox · 08/09/2005 20:58

Cocopops - I head up the technical department of an accounting firm - which does the same for acccountants as you would be doing for lawyers. I also still do some client work - forensic stuff which keeps my hand in!

Would it be possible for you to retain a couple of clients??

I like the job and the working patterns and hours are much more family friendly than being totally client facing. The big difference is that I'm paid a lot more than the equivalent fee earners are - techies are very much in demand in the accounting world thankfully

I love not having whinging clients to deal with - but dare I say it, the 'internal customers' are a damn site more demanding and annoying

It is probably worth giving it a go to see if you like it - if not you can always go back to a fee earning role can't you?

KBear · 08/09/2005 21:00

Professional Support Officer. I do the research, deal with the queries from lawyers, admin etc. The PSL's right-hand woman in fact!

Original poster
cocopops · 08/09/2005 21:06

so what does the PSL do then if you do all that? In my geographical location (don't want to say too much in case someone identifies me), we dont seem to have people like you and the PSL does it all!

OP posts:
Original poster
cocopops · 08/09/2005 21:11

soapbox- interesting...... I can't wait to get away from moany clients.. that is a big plus side although I agree, internals can often be more difficult.

I would actually be moving from one firm to another so retaining clients isn't actually an option although l'd been thinking also that if I didn't like it, I would probably be able to get back to fee earning/client advising- at least I would have been at the forefront of new laws etc in the interim...

while there are some elements of the job that need to be done e.g. updating precedents etc, they said I could pretty much make it what I wanted it to be. If i wanted to be involved in pitches, I could do- they seemed to think with my experience there was a lot I could develop into.

OP posts:
KBear · 08/09/2005 21:11

Well I can't give legal advice as I'm not a lawyer. I research certain areas of law, find legislation updates, precedents of previous deals, find examples of previous cases or trades that have been issued before (I'm in capital markets). My boss might be writing a paper on a subject and need the background set out as a starting point. The internet is invaluable and I spend lots of time on there tracking down bizarre things like the selling restrictions in Sweden or whatever. It's very interesting actually - no two days are the same which is what I like about it. Of course I also get the boring jobs like filing looseleaf books!

sparkly · 09/09/2005 12:19

Cocopops, I thought of becoming a PSL last year but have stuck it out (in commercial law for large international firm). In the end my employers were willing to more flexible about fee targets and I now do more seminars etc than I ever did before.

I think our PSL is great. Ours is a woman who came back after being out for about 5 years after having her children and she works flexible hours.

If you're unhappy in your current job then you should really consider it.

ickleharpsichordcarrier · 09/09/2005 12:28

I think it sounds like a really good option. 15% doesn;t seem like a high price to pay for the reduced hours and increased time with dd. the reduced pressure/over nighters will be the biggest change I bet.
I haven't been a PSL but I have been in house (and out) and it really isn't an easy life, and I bet you would be talking an even bigger cut in salary.
I'd go for it. If you hate it you can always go back. bet you anything that you will still hav moany clients though, just different ones...

namealtered · 09/09/2005 12:28

Sorry, thread hijack here. Dou you get PSOs in areas of law other than corporate / commercial? (barrister who has wondered about this as a possible better life...)

namealtered · 09/09/2005 12:37

Er, that should be PSL, getting confused with acronyms

Original poster
cocopops · 09/09/2005 13:33

Oh yes, namealtered- you get them in property,pensions, tax, trusts, employment- you name it!

OP posts:
namealtered · 09/09/2005 13:48

oh, thank you cocopops, maybe the time has come to investigate. I have a vague impression some barrister mothers go into this to get more sensible hours but don't actually know anyone who has...

rickshaw · 10/09/2005 17:27

Hi Cocopops. The PSLs I know have all taken more than a 15% pay cut, so I think you've probably had a very good offer (mind you, all the PSLs I know are in London and maybe that makes a diffeence, though I'm not sure why it would). I bet you'll be working at least 15% fewer hours and just think of the reduction in stress! Also, I wouldn't worry about not being clever enough. For a start, you'll have the time to research the law properly, so you'll probably get a more in depth knowledge of new law/cases etc than your stressed-out and time-starved colleagues. On top of that, it's always better to have a practical PSL rather than someone who's too academic (and tells you about technical bits of law that nobody is ever going to use). Finally, you can always do what one v good PSL I know does: organise talks where you do a general intro then throw open the tricky points for a discussion which you facilitate. It's more energetic and you can avoid being shot down for making points nobody agrees with or thinks boring. Good luck!

Original poster
cocopops · 16/09/2005 10:57

Update- I have decided to take the job and resigned from my existing one on Wednesday. I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I have turned into the person I used to be before I got stressed out with my job!

My boss was very understanding and said he totally understood why I was leaving. I am waiting to find out when they will release me as l'm on 3 months notice......

So, all change- now l'm going, I am very excited about it all

Thanks very much for all your advice- helpful as always!!

OP posts:
harpsichordcarrier · 16/09/2005 11:02

good for you
I would be interested to hear how you find it - I must say it got me thinking about it as a future possibility.
good luck

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