Should I take this job or are they messing with me?

[Legallyblonde19]

I'm a qualified solicitor . I was on £X amount a year with my former employer.

I left in January to join a larger firm with higher pay and hated it, from the crazy late hours to really toxic coworkers. I realised how good I had it at my old smaller employer with a tight knit legal team and was lucky enough that they said I could rejoin.

However I won't be coming back into the same specialism. I will be working in a different specialism that I also already have experience in... but they're now offering me £X amount minus 13K ... but I can earn up to 40K extra in bonus for winning clients/cases, which wasn't an option before.
It's being sold to me as "dont see it as a 13K cut, see it as a potential 27K extra a year".

My mate had a similar thing happen to him when he tried to return to his old law firm and he turned it down. Said it was bu***t.

Am I being messed with here and they're offering me a job back with them on a lower salary to spite me? Or am I getting a good/better deal?

I doubt it’s to spite you, you left and they are letting you back, they don’t have to. Are you likely to be able to get these bonuses? It very much depends on you and wether you will have a good chance of making these bonuses really.

It's 50/50 really. I'm looking at other law firms to apply to. Part of it is ego I'll admit. It's going to look like I couldn't hack it with the big guns at a large law firm so I've come crawling back and accepted less money.

It depends how realistic the bonus requirements are. I would push back and ask to stay on my previous salary as it’s more secure for you. It’s definitely not a good deal for you, as there’s nothing stopping them from placing you on your previous salary and giving you a completion bonus too (even if the bonus is lowered).

I think overall you’ll feel more stressed as it’s a new specialism, your salary is lower and you’ll feel pressurised to perform to a (potentially unrealistic) standard to top it up. It’s doubtful your ex colleagues have had a new contract with these stipulations.

I don’t think they’ve done this as a “f you”. It’s just that “small and tight knit firm” or not, the business will always look to narrow their overheads and increase their profit and this is an example of it. As you have left and returned, it’s the perfect time to modify your contract without HR issues.

I work in legal recruitment, PM me if you like and I'll see if I have any jobs near you in your sector.

Could you ask for examples where people have received these bonuses (obviously no names)

Fellow lawyer here. Personally I'd be reflecting on the reasons why you left the original firm in the first place. Are the reasons for leaving no longer an issue. I wouldnt be inclined to go backwards, unless for a really good reason. I've had previous employers tempt me back for a bigger salary but sounds to me like your old firm are not offering anything better than before. I'd look else where, get your worth without having to stress yourself out with bonuses. If you do, then im sure your next role will be better than both of these.

You're right, nothing has changed really. It was just easy money but with no room for progression. If I go back, I'll be doing more work for potentially less money.

I wouldn't be able to as it's a small firm so it would be pretty obvious which solicitor they were referring to.

I'm a lawyer too. This is ringing alarm bells for me. Unless you are close to partner level, in which case a reward structure like the one offered would be understandable, this is not enticing. I'd suggest you look for a third option while you are still in your current role. Associates across most disciplines are hugely in demand at the moment.