Lawyers out there... Advice on changing practice area please

[Cupcakeaddict]

I noticed that there are a few lawyers on here, so I hope someone can offer some advice.

I qualified 18 months ago in a practice area I have no interest in, but the market was tough and I needed a job. I fell pregnant soon after and I have been on maternity leave for 6 months. I have been looking for a job in my preferred practice area since on maternity leave, but all recruitment consultants i have spoken to have been very negative/pessimistic about my prospects of switching to a different area of law, despite having paralegal experience and one year of my training contract spent in that department or in a related area. I trained and qualified with a top 40 firm.

Has anyone gone through this? Is it really impossible? I took the job in the first place because I thought it would look better to be employed than joining the mass of NQs who haven't found a job, but it looks like I have now been pigeon-holed in a fairly niche area. I don't know what to do, I really don't want to return but there are few vacancies around and most of them are for smaller firms, which seem to reject my application on the basis that I am too qualified/earn too much - I keep highlighting that I am prepared to take a pay cut for the right job, but no one listens... I have applied for paralegal jobs as well, and was rejected straightaway, despite explaining the reasons for such a move. I feel really depressed but I can't afford to stay at home and I love being a lawyer anyway, so I wouldn't be happy being a stay at home mum in the long term I don't think.

Has anyone got any advice/experience to share? Thank you!

Hi I think the problem is that things are very difficult generally about getting a job.I changed area when I had my DD to work in a more family friendly area but that was a few years ago.If you can go back to your job (I was not sure from your post) I would do that and look to move from there.Firms will have plenty of people to chooose from who are experienced in the area ,they do not need to take a chance on you.Much easier to diversify from the position of working Good luck

I am about to change area. I qualified into private client in a top 50 regional firm back in the days of the economic boom. I then moved to London when I was 18 months PQE and switched to pensions, joining a magic circle firm.

At that time, they would more or less take anyone with a pulse to do pensions. There was so much work and virtually no experienced candidates.

I stayed there for a few years before moving back to the north west into a regional firm to do pensions, then more or less immediately got pregnant and am shortly due back after mat leave.

I have just been offered a job back in private client, which I am enormously relieved about. I never enjoyed pensions.

Anyway, I guess what you can take from this is that it is possible, but you will need a much better recruiter and you will have to be patient and realistic. What area are you trying to move into? Is it very popular? Is there a similar area that you could use as a stepping stone (e.g. if you want to do comm lit, could you do fraud/insurance or something where there is high demand?)

What do you do now and why do you want to switch?

I was quite fortunate that the two areas I have done are quite similar in many ways (technical, non-contentious, lots of drafting etc) - you may struggle more if you want to switch to an oversubscribed area of law that is utterly different from what you do now, but honestly if you have good academics and experience in a top 40 firm plus relevant experience in the area you want to switch to, the key thing you need is an excellent recruiter who can get you in front of an interview panel.

The recruiter I used (both times) is someone I know quite well through networking events etc. Think it helped that she had met me in person and felt able to 'sell' me. Have you got a recruiter who is taking you seriously? It may be worth picking one and meeting them face to face and keeping in touch with them regularly.

I am taking a pay cut and demotion to switch areas again (got a pay rise last time due to moving to a magic!) and this was a concern for the firm I am moving to, but I was able to discuss this with them at interview and deal with it.

I don't think that switching is impossible, but you do need someone on your side to get an interview. What area are you in? I know of one recruiter in London who helped a friend of mine switch practice areas when no other recruiter would even put her forward for roles in the area she wanted, and the one I used (and really rate) is based in Manchester. Happy to pass on the details if you're interested. As I said, though, you would be best advised to go and meet them face to face.

Ooh giant post sorry

I went back to work in the same practice area after I had DS, but as a PSL. I now do 3 days a week, and I'm much happier. I have friends in the same position as you, and they are finding the situation to be as you describe.

If I were you, I would go back to my previous job, as it is much easier to look for work whilst in work. Diversify as much as opssible within your workplace by doing business development with other practice areas, volunteer for pro bono work which may give you insight into the practice area you are really interested in, netweork as much as possible (there are women in business, executive coaching type groups in London - sorry, I don't know where you are based) etc.

Godd luck.

Thanks for all your replies. I work in property and would like to move to employment, which (unfortunately!) is very popular. This is however the area in which I spent most of my training contract and also worked as a paralegal beforehand.

I have one recruitment consultant who seems to have taken me seriously. We met and we discussed my objectives. There is another RC who seems to be fairly pro-active, so I will follow your advice and meet up in person with him.

Thanks for the positive replies, I am so worried that going back means being stuck in my practice area forever. It is true though that it may be easier to find a job whilst working, at least there won't be a baby crying in the background when I talked to RCs!

Emsyj, it would be great if you could pass me the details of the recruiters you and your friends have used, it would be very helpful.

Thank you ladies