Sorry I haven't been back to this in a while, I couldn't for the life of me remember my login details (I promise this has no reflection on my intellectual abilities, just in case any of you think my OP is now redundant).
The discussion that's gone on since my last post is basically the conversation I have with myself in my head every day! Jizzy, though, again, has hit the nail on the head with it all coming down to the timing of things. I do want a career in law but the length of study involved has recently become off-putting when pitted against the prospect of entering into a much shorter study period and subsequently being in a full-time career much sooner.
AnthonyBlanche - I did consider taking the LPC route, however, through the experience I have gained I know I am more suited to the BPTC & working as a barrister. Having said that, the work is not greatly dissimilar when working in-house, but the TC is a year longer than the pupillage. However there is the option for the Paralegal Shortcut with LPC, so this adds another brain pain. I agree with your post about the location playing a large factor in this too, I am in the North West and have no plans to move to the City. I have seen plenty of contented solicitors with a great work/life balance working in small high street firms and in-house but I haven't met anyone just starting off their studies/NQ years and planning on starting a family either alongside or straight after. So it does come down to the age & timing thing again.
I certainly don't think it's impossible to start a family alongside starting a career, like Jizzy pointed out - it worked out in the end. I do, however, think you have to really want it to make it all work though and this is my worry. I'm feeling exhausted with the chase of it all and the teaching option is fresh, new and certainly less stressful with much quicker results. My biggest concern though, like Anthony Blanche stated, is regretting it later on in life.
If I did choose the law route, I would ideally want to continue working in-house for a previous employer. It is commercial based but there's also some immigration/child law too, which keeps things extremely interesting. The pay would not be anywhere near the City equivalent for commercial solicitors/barristers, however, it is perfectly comfortable and there would always be the option to go on and earn more.
With teaching, I don't see that much scope to work in different areas and increase earning potential. There's teaching different subjects or in different settings, but this seems to be a huge issue for the teachers I have met (and those I stalk on the staff room board). There seems to be a lot of NQ teachers, and plenty part way through their career, who now wish they had something else to fall back on and instead take positions as teaching assistant or school administrators to get out of the classroom.
The same can be said for a large number of lawyers I have met too, though. So I suppose it is a case of horses for courses, for every person unhappy & discouraging in either career there will be someone who wouldn't dream of doing anything else.
There have been a couple of developments since my OP. The college I work for recruited a large number of new staff in January. Since then, 40% have handed in their notice/left. I thought this was shocking but upon speaking to the administrative staff, apparently this is the norm and they have always had a high turn over and are no different to other FE institutes in the area. I'm now wondering if I do have blinkers on and if it all might become reality once I've settled in properly but there is no way of knowing without continuing.
I also have an interview for a scholarship to find the MA. If I got this, there is no way I would turn it down so I would most definitely be going through with that stage of the studies, however, who knows after that! I also had a good chat with my OH about all of this and he admitted he was really excited at the thought of starting a family sooner than I had planned and being settled without the career plans looming over us. This would make me feel a tad guilty now if I were to say 'oh, actually changed my mind. Soz.'
Thank you for finding that other post, Jizzy. I did come across it in my early, late night anxiety induced Google sessions but it was good to have another read through. Thank you to all of for your replies, I do appreciate the help.