Is there anyone brave enough to give an old Law graduate some careers advice (please)?

[belledechocolatefluffybunny]

I finished my LLB in 2005, I worked very briefly for a local law firm and was fired (only jobe I've ever been fired for) after a few months, the person I worked for would come into the office at 3pm, I finished at 5pm, after spending all day doing nothing she'd want everything to be done in the 2 hours (which I did). I was then told I had a bad attitude to work. I had no induction, I wasn't even shown around the office. After this I trained as a childrens nurse for a couple of years before becoming sick. I took some time off and drifted into radiography. I was diagnosed with MS in October and now feel better. Job wise, radiography is interesting but I would love to go back into Law but I don't know if I'm employable.

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Just go and apply for some jobs - you don't know until you try.

FWIW its very unlikely that your old law firm will give you a bad reference. They won't leave themselves open to legal action if they are any good.

Also, bonkers ex boss has probably also left by now, so might be worth finding out where she is so you don't meet up at interview by accident

What sort of law do you want to do? Are you looking at the LPC to become a solicitor?

There is a firm, Capsticks, in SW London which specialises in acting for NHS trusts. They might be interested in you, if you are not too far from Putney.

Have you qualified as a solicitor? I am assuming not. Bad news is I think that your law degree goes 'stale' after a number of years. I am not sure how long.

However, you could definitely consider work as a paralegal or in transaction support (eg doing conveyancing along side a qualified lawyer), at least as a first step back into the legal profession. However, with the current economic situation there are thousands of law graduates and LPC graduates and NQ lawyers who've not been kept on by their firms desperate for work.

The upside is you do have a wider experience which is often a good thing and looking at places where that experience ties in with the practice of the firm is a great idea.

Have you looked at places like Chambers and Partners? They are very good for categorising firms by practice area.

Other places to consider are NHS and government more generally (tricky given the likely public sector cuts), or even big companies or corporates with a small to medium legal team. They might need someone who knows one end of a contract from another but don't necessarily want to pay someone a lawyer's salary. It might be a bit admin-y but it would a good foot in the door.

Why not contact some recruitment agencies and see what they say? Though now is not a good time to be looking for a legal job - there have been a lot of solicitors made redundant over the last couple of years and things don't seem to be getting better quickly.

I did a law degree and for various reasons (basically market was difficult in the mid 90s and I decided to do other things) I spent 7 years away from law mainly in the military. I graduated in 93 and then went to Guildford in 2000...I scraped in just before degree went stale.

I got a training contract with a good regional firm, was retained after qualification and now (after time out for children) am working in house which is great.

I was very sceptical as to whether anyone would employee me, but was lucky. I have to ssay though that I did have some contacts and used them.

Good luck - it is not impossible, but may be difficult.

I do disagree with seeyoukay about the reference. It's perfectly possible to give a 'bad' reference with minimal legal liability as long as it is based in fact and can be substantiated. In belle's case, their response to 'reason for leaving' would have to be 'dismissed'. That's purely factual, will not leave them open to any legal action and will give a bad impression on its own.

Given it was 5 years ago and was only very briefly, I think it's perfectly acceptable not to offer the firm as a reference at all. Recent jobs will be much more useful to a potential in terms of an accurate and helpful reference. If asked, it's perfectly plausible that belle could explain that there would be no one there who worked with her anyway.

Thankyou for your replies, I lost hope and got a little sidetracked

I was told it would only last for 5 years so it's just 'expired'. I'll have a think