Another lawyer here! Need advice please

[RachLeighmum]

Hi all,

I am mum of two (boy, 5 and girl, 3) and have been a SAHM since August 2004. My son started school this sept and my daughter is due to start next sept so it is at that time that I would like to return to work.

I am a Legal Executive and specialise in civil litigation. I am currently doing a refresher course in civil lit which finishes with an exam in June. The problem is, when I return to work I want to go back on a part-time basis, not full time and Im worried that this will not be feasible. I dont think I have ever seen a part-time legal job advertised (not a fee-earning position anyway) so what I was thinking of doing is finishing the course, then sending out my CV with a covering letter (saying who I am, no. of hours I want to work per week etc)on a speculative basis - then they can take it or leave it, for want of a better phrase. Although I have always enjoyed my work as a lawyer and always take pride in my work etc I am not a massively ambitious person (not hankering after partnership or anything like that) so I would be happy at a provincial firm etc.

What do you think of this way of going about returning? When do you think I should send out my letter (bearing in mind I dont want to return until Sept/oct 2010)?

Thanks for reading - I would appreciate any tips, advice, opinion!

Rachel

Hi Rachel

I am an equity partner in a provincial firm and I hate to be negative but quite frankly forget it !

The legal world is in a mess at the moment and there are very few jobs about.

You are at a distinct disadvantage. You have been away for 6 years and only want part time hours.

You will be competing against armies of young recently qualified lawyers who will work far more than full time hours just to get jobs . There are hundreds of lawyers out of work at the moment and many more queuing up who will qualify in the next few months.

In fact so bad is it that the law society have recently issued a warning to undergraduates.

My advice. Look at a job for in local government or a police force. They have better recruitment policies and will often have much more child friendly hours. They are not soughtt after jobs as they do not pay well but that is the sacrifice you may have to make.

I wouldnt look yet. Most law firms are living month to month at the moment. they have no idea what work is coming in next week let alone the latter part of next year.

Good luck

TOMP

PS if you are anywhere in the MIdlands send me your CV !!

Hi Tomp,

Thank you for your reply - I really do appreciate you being frank about what the situation is like at the moment. How depressing though!

I am in Berkshire otherwise I would have sent you my CV - thanks.

I am definately going to look into local government jobs and also if necessary Im going to look at other options entirely, maybe working in a school or something.

Lets just hope things improve somewhat before too long!

Rachel

Is it really that bad? I knew work was thin on the ground in private practice firms especially property heavy ones but I thought things had turned the corner a bit or is that just london and the midlands are still waiting to come out of it. I was senior associate in corporate at large midlands firm before i left for a quasi local gmt job in 2007 in order to have my family (one baby down one to go then our family is done). The quality of work and pay was indeed something to get used to (I am still getting used to it) but there is job security and regular hours (plus pension). But i although admittedly I only have to go on what is published in the press (legalweek, the lawyer etc) i have to say i am surprised at the small numbers of redundancies announced by firms so far and the numbers of people they are keeping on if firms really are still living month to month. How do they pay their staff if their entire (for example) residential bulk conveyancing teams (which made up significant amounts of the respective departmental income) have gone? ? There must be money somewhere to keep staff on especially if those staff are not doing much fee earning. By this post I am not suggesting the original poster applies for private practice as I genuinely don't know what it is like in private practice in terms of amounts of work for litigators etc at the moment - just expressing my surprise at the replying poster about living month to month yet keeping on loads of staff apparently twiddling their thumbs at their desks).

My only comfort at the moment is really that its still another ten months or so before I am looking to return to work so maybe (she says hopefully) things will have improved a little by then.

I think I am going to plough on with my course (after all Ive paid for it!) and just hope that by next Sept things are looking better and/or that my CV falls on the right desk at the right time. Here's hoping!

I wish you well Rachel, at least its litigation not property! Good luck

I am feeling so down about this now. Im trying to study but have absolutely no enthusiasm/motivation as I just think "whats the point". Ive been really doubting myself as well and thinking maybe im not cut out to be a lawyer as im not as hugely ambitious and "cut throat" as some!

Arrgggh, i just need to stop moping and get my act together i think!!

Civil lit is better than property! There are sometimes part time jobs offered, but I agree these are more often in-house or government jobs.

Actually I think at interview you have a good story to tell. You have taken a positive decision to stay at home while your children were young, your family is complete and you have realistic expectations of a part time role (ie no burning ambition to be an equity partner this time next year). You're ready to do a good job well, and focus on that, instead of always having an eye out for your next big break. I think that stands up well next to someone who's been out of a job for a while, who was previously full time. I'd be worried that person would ditch the PT job as soon as the economy picked up and something better came along. It is really bad at the moment, and it would be wrong to say otherwise, but don't lose hope just yet.

If you got a job in the legal department of the council then you would still be practicing law, just in a different,more secure environment. So its worth a go!

A friend of mine bailed out of Clifford Chance to work at a council after she had her first child, because they were so unfamily friendly. Now she has three and is as happy as larry with her job!

I took 11 years off and managed to get a job as a solicitor again. The Association of Women Solicitors was very helpful and encouraging. They run courses for returners. Is there an equivalent for LEs?

Got nowhere looking through adverts or talking to recruitment consultants (the latter just laughed and told me I was unemployable). I identified where I wanted to work and researched the websites of local firms. Created a list and wrote to the head of the area I was interested in in that firm enclosing my cv and explaining in the covering letter why I thought where was a gap in their service provision that i could fill (it took ages and each letter was different depending on the firm and the job I thought could be created). I was open from the beginning about wanting to work part time (after all I had spent 11 years at home). I got lucky and my letter landed on the right desk on the right day.

Good luck in this horrible market, litigation is better than property or company work though

Hi

I'm trying to decide whether to go back to a city firm or not.

I am a litigator and it's manic. We are recruiting like mad & PEP were apparently up by 30% last year. I'm glad I've been off, everyone's been working round the clock.

Good luck & well done for making the positive decision. Just can't decide whether I'm brave enough to do it too....

Hi OP

I am sorry you feel so discouraged, but things may well be better come the end of 2010.

FWIW I am a solicitor, and work in house at a recruitment company that does amoungst other things, legal recruitment. Things are definitely looking up.

however, 2 years ago I was in a very similar situation to you (3 years out of law, 1yr PQE but law was my second career so lots of other experience). I range various recruiters - Taylor Root is the one I recall. They were incredibly discouraging. Almost rude. I wanted to work in London as a lawyer, part time.

Anyway, part time didn't work out for me. I went to another agency and have been working in house ever since. I love it. Wouldn't ever go back to pp - not that they'd have me.

Don't think anyone else has mentioned in house, but don't discount it. I have an hour's commute and I see the boys at both ends of the day.

Good luck.

Would echo mumof2 re looking for in-house positions since litigation is on the up and companies are trying to cut costs on external instructions so you might find more luck there.

Also would you be open to considering a wider range of job options in your field? I originally qualified as a barrister but ended up as an in-house PSL and absolutely love my job. Anything in know-how or training (and I'm imagining litigation is a key area for this because no matter what area of law other practice groups specialise in they need to know basics even if they pass on contentious cases to litigation) could be more flexible to your needs. Good luck with the search.