calling mn lawyers...is law really las full of money obsessed workaholics as the interweb leads me to believe?

[hatwoman]

I'm pondering a career sort of change. Have worked in a law-related job in the not for profit sector and am wondering whether to train and qualify. So I've been doing some research - found various forums etc and they really portray quite a horrific picture - 60-70 hour weeks being unavoiadable, more than a fair share of mysogynists, pregancy frowned upon (not that I'm having any more babies), etc etc. Is it really so bad?

I should say, given my background, I'm not remotely interested in corporate law. nor working in London.

I would say your biggest problem would be finding a job. If you can do that you are a strong enough person to deal with the other matters you've mentioned.

Finding a job would definatly be the hard bit. Very few firms are taking on trainees.

Yes, the hours are long and the fabulous saleries you read about are only at the Magic Circle firms. The rest of us earn OK, but not spectacular sums whilst trying to afford ever increasing PI insurance.

If I was starting again now, I wouldn't go into law.

you're really selling this to me... the job market is part of the reason why I'm reluctant to even start the GDL without a tc, esp as the area of law I've worked in to date (but not as a lawyer) is most likely massively diminishing.

Just a personal overview, I have had over 20years of long, long hours, doing more and more (and as Seabright says, with increasing personal liability exposure )for effectively the same fees and in a sector where it is difficult to accommodate flexible working.

But I do love doing my job,... most of the time!

its not a nine to five - its not a doss - its not the golden goose the British public think it is. But it is, for me, an honorable profession. many areas are now being deregulated and work is being done other than by solicitors and barristers. So I would think ahead a little and consider the direction of the profession generally as to whether your GDL/LPC will take you where you want to go. Good luck!

DH isn't money obsessed or a workaholic, however to be fair, when he was a trainee and a junior associate (at Magic Circle firm) he put in some serious hours, overnights and whatnot.

When you say 'various forums' do you mean RoF? You need to find some high street discussion boards, if they exist.

If you work in corporate law in london, then sadly yes it is.

If you work outside of london, it is still quite hard work if in a city practice - if in a high street practice, you wont work such crazy hours (but depending on the kind of law you do - eg. criminal, matrimonial) it can be more taxing personally, hard work and variable hours which can be quite antisocial.

Corporate law in London can be pretty hardcore. I basically haven't seen my DH for the past fortnight. He's been in the office at 8am and doing at least 14 hr days, including over the weekend. That is not unusual.

I used to work in the magic circle but am now in house at a bank. Much more civilised, with even the possibility of flexible working hours but you've got to do your time at a law firm first. They don't take on trainees or even NQs.

But looking at that alone is like looking at medicine and only considering what it takes to, I don't know, do brain surgery (NOT that I think corp law is akin to brain surgery!. There are many different areas of practice with their advantages and disadvantages.

thanks - a wee bit more encouraging this time! re forums I've looked at ROF, traineesolicitor.co.uk and, worst of all, legalweek and its career clinic. I do realise that many of the people posting are young, incredibly ambititous and have genuinely no clue what it's like to be a (sorry) proper grown up with responsibilities etc. I too once saw my role in the world as having little to do with the people around me...you know, I would forge my way and the people around me would meld to me (or fall away). once you're married, have kids and are a bit more wordly-wise you realise it's so much more complicated than that.

All of this is why I really really really want the summer work placement I've applied for - I want to get a better picture (I acknowledge a week won;t tell me much...but it'll be more than I know now)

I'll have a hunt for some more specific forums too. Any other general tips on researching all this would be extremely welcome.

is the monkey one still going, law monkeys or something like that? that had lots of mature students, it was probably not even called that though, I am probably just thinking about monkeys for no reason

Look lets face it,

1. if you are on mumsnet at night talking about law and find law interesting, a good deal of your reading of documents about interesting cases, nuances of defence, tactics, new laws, quirks and case law is not going to feel like work in the way most of us percieve it.
2. Money is not necessarily the thing for all lawyers - hourly rate may be high and professional protection may allow you to charge high fees irrespective of how much people are willing to pay, but you a) don't have to work all the time if you don't want to b) can do cause work probono etc as well

1. most of the tools on forums think that they are all going to be perry mason, atticus finch and will from will and grace rolled into one... by the time they are 23...ignore them! being a lawyer is not just about stripy suits, and poncing about! You can be dumpy cardigan-wearing and disrespectful and still win cases at high court (no names!!)

thanks heroine. if being on mn talking about law counts as evidence of my interest...how about spending tonight preparing a presentation I'm doing later this week at a well-known london chambers...? I do actually really like law. really like law. but after a lot of talking/reading/researching and writing about it I (think I'd) like to have a go at doing it.

good use of the word tools btw. it's a word I forget to use but such a great one