Career Clinic: Have I chosen the wrong seat?

There will still be work to do - and I'd enjoy the six months of 9-5 if there isn't. You might actually get better quality work - less photocopying and support for huge deals and more hands-on legal work for smaller deals. Don't worry.

Helen -21 Jul 2008 | 11:19

Stick with it. For your first seat it could beneficial not to be totally snowed under while you learn the ropes. By the time you qualify, the market will have moved one way or another and as soon as it picks up properly firms will be looking for real estate lawyers again, so it is not necessarily a bad move.

associate, city firm -21 Jul 2008 | 11:48

I don't think you should try to change your seat order: you need to keep HR on side and it takes a lot of time to organise trainees and seat choices. However, I sympathise - when I was a trainee in the aftermath of the dotcom bubble, I did a six-month seat in that area and had almost nothing to do, which was very dispiriting. You will have to work hard to motivate yourself if you are really quiet. On the other hand, it will be your first seat, so learn as much as possible, get to know people (if assistants are quiet too, being helpful and upbeat will be really appreciated), find work to do, and make sure that your appraisals are at least average, so that it doesn't impact on your prospects in the rest of your training contract.

Associate -21 Jul 2008 | 13:13

To be honest, most commercial property firms aren't actually noticing too much of a downturn (at least, we're not), so I wouldn't worry about that. Instead concentrate on the longer term - use the time to build good relationships with other property lawyers and their professional contacts so that when business picks up they know your name. Firms always find it hard to recruit good property lawyers, so you've picked a winner in the long run.

Business development bod -21 Jul 2008 | 17:08

Fret not, there's still enough property work to go around - and once receiverships and administrations pick up, property support will be in high demand. To be honest, a quiet-ish first seat is a good way to get to know the ropes and you'll still have plenty of opportunity to impress the powers that be. It's not always about quantity of work...

Anonymous -21 Jul 2008 | 17:08

Our property team is very busy and looks set to remain so. If you're coming to us, you certainly won't be twiddling your thumbs.

Partner, Real Estate -21 Jul 2008 | 17:10

I was in a similar position in the last property slump. There were months when I recorded five units a day while qualifed staff were made redundant around me. Despite that, I liked the work and qualified into real estate. After two years' PQE I had my pick of jobs, as there was virtually no-one with 2 -5 PQE - firms just hadn't taken NQs into property. Stick with it, and make the most of it - this recession might be at exactly the right time for you.

Anonymous -21 Jul 2008 | 17:17

The most important thing for your first seat is to make sure it has wheels, is height-adjustable, has arms (ideally also adjustable) and reclines. ou'll find you don't need to worry too much about anything else - don't worry, they'll find some nice licences for you to deal with for six months!

General Counsel, Bank -21 Jul 2008 | 17:24

There should still be work, as it's only really residential or residential development that is in real trouble at the moment. You could gain a lot of insight into how the partners work to ensure that the team keeps busy. Anyone can make money in busy years - hard times sort the wheat from the chaff. It could be excellent experience, especially if you throw yourself into marketing and other projects. Law is not just about work on files.

Associate, Real Estate -21 Jul 2008 | 17:39

I don't think it makes any difference - if you sit on your hands in your first seat, the likelihood is that you still might in your fourth, and by then you will be expected to know your stuff and be getting on with it. Also, if you want to qualify into property, you are slightly disadvantaged for doing it as a first seat. Normally, people who get the jobs they want did their equivalent training as a third or fourth seat. That said, you can use the downturn in the market to really learn the ropes and to meet with people and make yourself known (and hopefully loved) within the group. If everyone is quiet, people will be more open to having a coffee and a chat with you and it's this that will stand you in good stead when you apply for an NQ position in the group. Good luck!

Anonymous -22 Jul 2008 | 17:18

Yes, you've made a bit of a mistake by picking an area that you have an ambition to qualify into for your first seat. Still, you may find that after you've completed two or three seats and have a better feel for law you no longer fancy property anyway. If you still do and the market has picked up you should try to also do your final seat in property. The Law Society only requires that you cover three areas of law during your training contract so it will be down to your firm's internal policy. Good luck.

Anonymous -23 Jul 2008 | 01:20

Don't worry about it. There will be still be stuff to do. and if there is some spare time, get involved with training, networking, marketing and business development stuff. And enjoy being a trainee as well - oh for the enthusiasm I had in those days!

It will be fine! -23 Jul 2008 | 14:57

Real Property is a very interesting subject and hats off to you for choosing it as a seat. My experience is that the trainees I see don't show interest in it. But we need the new blood to replace older soldiers like me in five to 10 years time.I would not worry. I and my colleagues are still as busy as hell. There are inevitably corporate support jobs on. And the insolvencies generate work.I act for a provider of affordable housing and can't stop the work coming in.Downturns mean opportunities for the brave and the cash rich.As other posters say if you qualify into real estate you'll be a valued commodity when the market picks up.Grab the best experience you can and enjoy it.

high street solicitor -25 Jul 2008 | 14:48

My experience is that if you are in a practice area that has no work, it does not follow you should not still be managed in someway - mutual trust and confidence is an implied term in your contract - there is always the possibility of a secondment to client if things are really very quiet. Be careful not to be exploited by less-than-scrupulous lawyers when there is no work - it really is dog-eat-dog and if you are at all 'creative' then you will be exploited.

ANON -28 Jul 2008 | 20:57