City lawyers keen to move out of the capital no longer need to resign themselves to a trade-off of giving up prestigious work for a better quality of life. An improved lifestyle is, of course, a given when making the decision to relocate out of London, but more and more City lawyers are also making the move for work-related reasons.
Top regional firms are proving that you do not need to be within the confines of the capital to land roles on high-value and complex transactions; not only by gaining places on coveted panels but also securing lead roles on some of the most noteworthy transactions.
And while junior lawyers in the City may not get to see much of the action on these jobs, their regional counterparts will be developing more rounded skills with earlier responsibility for managing transactions and dealing with clients. This environment equips lawyers with the soft skills as well as the technical skills to further their careers at an earlier stage than if they remained in the City.
Since regional practices are not dominated purely by corporate work, they can be an attractive prospect for lawyers who want a more varied workload. There is an entrepreneurial spirit within these firms that gives lawyers more freedom and support to pursue their ideas and interests for developing the business. This is balanced by the stability sustained from the spread of practice areas, allowing for much greater long-term security and better career progression opportunities.
Alexandra Van Hattum, head of Legal recruitment, Burges Salmon
The article appears in the May 2007 edition of New Horizons. Click here for a full list of articles. To order a hard copy email kim.ferrara@legalweek.com or ring 020 7316 9283
New Horizons May 2007