City lawyers - advice needed - want to do something 'meaningful'

[FreckledLeopard]

So, I'm a 2 year PQE lawyer working in litigation in a City firm (most of my work is for banks or large corporates). I really enjoyed the GDL and enjoy reading case law. I like the academic side of things and litigation was the closest thing to academia I could find.

I trained in the City almost by default - everyone else was doing it, I needed GDL/LPC funding and wanted a job with a good salary (am a lone parent). However, I loathed the LPC (have no interest in the world of business and finance) and found much of my training contract pretty dull (though did enjoy my seat in litigation).

Now, 2 years down the line, I'm even more disillusioned. I still couldn't care less about finance and business and find it hard to muster any enthusiasm for the clients I work for. I enjoy cases which have a personal interest angle or something at least I can relate to. These, however, are rare and more and more of the workload I'm getting is regulatory investigations.

It's appraisal time and my lack of enthusiasm for certain work has been noted. Similarly, my dedication to CSR initiatives has been criticised (my focus should be on fee-earning, not social responsibility apparently).

So - trying to figure out what to do. I'm looking at opportunities at smaller firms with broader client bases as one option. But I still fear that this will involve a lot of commercial work (though less financial stuff). I keep coming back to the issue I have in that I want to make a difference and help people, not corporations. I want to fight for the underdog. But how on earth does someone with a City law background manage to move into a different area of law (personal injury maybe, or medical negligence/industrial disease etc)? There's the immediate issue of salary - it would involve a substantial pay cut - plus how does one market oneself to potential employers when I've barely any experience in 'meaningful' areas?

Has anyone managed to change specialisms? I've been googling but can't find much out there. I just cannot face doing this job for another thirty years and need to do something about it. As much as I'd like to completely re-train in another field altogether (medicine perhaps) I think it's more feasible to focus on finding an area of law that I can really engage with.

Any advice would be very welcome.

Could you move into public sector work - there's a lot of commercial legal work with NHS/local authority due to the reforms - and currently there's a lot of breaking new ground due to the legal frameworks.

Have you thought about applying to the CPS?

I'm sure the charity sector may need similar skills - many are the same size and complexity as the clients you've worked with.

I'd think about either moving to the Government Legal Service (where lack of experience won't matter because people move to new areas all the time) or going in-house for a big charity that would be able to use your commercial experience, but you'd feel it was a bit more worthwhile.

My first thought was 'public sector'. I left private practice for Civil Service and I really enjoy it.

Per hour I'm better off. I am part time since having DCs and whilst I do put in extra hours in the week the weekends are my own.

I did think about CPS but have no criminal law experience whatsoever, though find it very interesting. I'm thinking perhaps speculative applications are the way forwards, highlighting transferable skills and emphasising willingness and commitment to learning new area of law?

Public sector. I am a civil engineer, 10 years ago I was disillusioned with building stuff to help make rich folk richer. I joined the Environment Agency, and now love that I build stuff (flood defences) that help people. Our Regional Solicitor says something similar. We don't employ many solicitors, but we do employ some. I imagine that somewhere in the public or charity sectors there could be a rewarding niche for you.

Moving into different areas of law at 2 years PQE is more common than you can imagine, but if you are going to do it, you need to do it now and not when you are 4 or 5 plus years PQE.
I was likewise working in a city law firm in their litigation team & decided that if I didn't make the break then, I would never have the guts to do it. Several law school friends also did the same. It's so hard to know exactly what area you want to qualify into (along with the pressure of which departments have vacancies and how many others want them) so I wouldn't worry about feeling how you do.
I left litigation and went in-house to do something completely different; you're going in at a junior level so I don't think it matters so much.
I also wouldn't get too hung up on the salary - quality of life becomes more important the more PQE you become (unless you are obsessed about being made a Partner) & once you take pensions, company car allowances & a bonus into account, I found that the actual difference was nominal.
But it is a scary decision (I know!) but the best of luck. It does sound as if your heart really isn't in it, so I would jump before you're pushed....

Not a lawyer but accountant, I was a personal tax specialist , Lloyds underwriters and high net worths FGS,with a very large firm, also married to a lawyer who moved to medium sized firm where the financial pressure and commercial base is just as bad TBH.

I took a leap of faith into the charity sector , at times I miss practice I won't lie but when things are rough or busy nor frustrating there is always that thought that you are in some small way "making a difference" and I don't regret it.

So how would you broach things? Would anyone use a recruiter or should I approach firms myself?

Recruitment agency definitely. They will have people that specifically deal with NQs and they will have seen & heard it all from people in identical situations as you before! They will also know what the market is like and what's out there - they're a bit like therapists in that you meet them, pour your heart out over what's wrong with your job and then they make you feel better by telling you that it's all going to be ok and here is a list of jobs that you can apply for. I would recommend meeting up with a couple of different ones and also ones that deal with both private practice and in-house.

Recruitment agents serve their purpose, BUT in my experience they 'talk the talk' (they are sales people on commission at the end of the day) so take some of what they say with a pinch of salt!

I just wonder if I might be able to sell myself better with a direct approach to partners at the law firms I'm interested in.

i think the GLS has a minimum PQE requirement which might be worth checking up on first.

you might also consider the Financial Ombudsman Service. your previous experience could be very relevant and it might give you the "making a difference" satisfaction you are seeking. and I think the payscales are quite reasonable. and it seems to have plenty of work so presumably jobs.

I work for a medium sized firm with a broad client base and we have a large, PI, clin neg and ID departments. We struggle to find NQ-2 solicitors so I would echo what otgers have said in that now is the time to change before you get firmly in the 2-4 PQE bracket.

In your shoes I'd go and work for the FCA.

You have the right skills/experience - so wouldn't be too bad a drop down in level of work - would still be a pay cut but nice benefits and better hours may offset that. And you'd be fighting baddies. You could focus on fraud type cases which have more of a personal angle and are less dry than pure regulatory. Even if it's still a bit too financey for you, you could see it as a stepping stone to other public sector work perhaps?

I think private practice is a non starter for you. Fighting for the underdog is not really what private practice is about. Most law firms will take on equal numbers of "underdog" and "top dog" clients, if they want to make a profit. That said - take a look at Stewarts and see if it appeals?

In house at a charity or similar is a good idea. But hard to come by especially at junior level.

By the way - hats off to you for holding down a City law job as a lone parent - I have no idea how you managed but it must have been tough.

Recruitment agents pretty useless IME - they are working for the employer not you, so will sell you the job they need to fill. Do your own research!

I know a litigator who moved to the Serious Fraud Office for similar reasons. Might be worth a look

Does your law firm allow you to help out at voluntary legal surgeries for local people? I know there's one held weekly in White Chapel. At my (former) City law firm, juniors were encouraged to take on voluntary cases and would get credit for the work as accountable hours. Aside from knowing that I was doing something worthwhile, it was also excellent experience of running my own cases and dealing directly with a client.

Not a solution to your problem, but if its an option it may help you feel more fulfilled in the sort term. Good luck.

The GLS includes the Solicitors in most central government departments. (CPS isn't part of the GLS).
I know that HMRC recruits about twice a year and offers litigation or advisory solicitors roles from 2PQE (also considers NQs but on a lower salary). Lots of successful applicants are new to the work and seeking a change of direction - as an earlier poster noted, the GLS encourages lawyers to move around in their careers and try different areas of work. So, you won't be at a disadvantage moving into the GLS and starting a new practice area.
Central London location, PT and FT roles, more flexibility than private practice. Also remember that as GLS is Public sector, there are less resources so you do more tasks yourself and you won 't have a PA or PSL for example. The work is high quality and you will be fulfilled. HMRC is currently recruiting specialist commercial lawyers but does recruit more generally about twice a year. Hope this helps and very best of luck with your query and job search.

I'm on mat leave at the moment and won't be returning - Senior Associate who is fed up to the back teeth.

I have a strong suspicion that I know what firm you are at

I'm an employment lawyer. Only deal with Respondent work but would you consider moving into employment - doing Claimant work? Have a look at Leigh Day and places like that. They do a lot of group litigation type stuff that is pretty impressive

Thank you for comments. I take on board what you say about the Financial Ombudsman/FCA etc, but I really, really want to escape all things financial/banking related.

Claimant employment work might be an option. Any claimant work, actually, would be good, though keep finding myself drawn to the clinical negligence side of things. I had quite a good chat with a recruiter yesterday about changing specialism and am in the process of drawing up lists of what motivates me, what my skills are, what my weaknesses are etc, to try and identify which areas of law would suit my need to fight for the individual.

I'm also looking into more quirky ideas and considering changing career altogether and retraining as something else, though the prospect is very scary and the financial implications somewhat of a hurdle too.

All I know, though, is that I CANNOT do this job for another 30 years. Can barely see myself getting through the next 30 days in all honesty .

PM me :)