Career Clinic: How do firms view self-employment when changing career to law?

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There is no single answer to this. Find the firms you like. Work out why you like them - ie how does what that particular firm do match your interests and goals. Email the firm and ask them how they would look at your application. Nearly all of them will come back with something positive - from generically positive, to something more distinct. Apply to the ones that seem to view your skill set most favourably.

NA -27 May 2011 | 10:52

Plus ca change...

You seek greater "intellectual challenge and work/life balance". Presumably your life as a restaurateur involves early mornings, late nights and a fair amount of monotony. What on earth makes you think it will be any different in law?

However, if you are financially secure and can afford to run your own unprofitable niche practice working 9-5 in one of the few intellectually challenging areas of law, then don't let me stop you.

This country needs more businessmen and fewer lawyers!

Indahouse -27 May 2011 | 14:15

The recesssion is not going to last forever; I have practised in two and seen a long boom inbetween when you wanted the merry-go-round to stop because it was going too fast.

Problem is, it is going to cost you a lot of money to get to TC stage and if anything, recession or no recession, we are over-lawyered in the UK.

I can't speak for Scotland but the legal services sector in England has changed beyond all recognition in the last 10 years. The next five years are going to be interesting, and very tough for those who want to break into the sector and qualify.

The legal profession will have no shortage of candidates who are prepared to take a punt and try to qualify. Problem is, many of them will end up being disappointed and frustrated because they will not be able to get there. On the work/life balance issue, I don't think there is much of that in the legal services sector. If you want to be a solicitor, you are giving your life to service. It permeates right through the profession from my Criminal colleagues who get called to do emergency out of hours work on serious cases, right through to my Corporate colleagues who can be working through the night. I don't even work in a big city. It's a lot worse in the larger firms.

Also, have you considered that you may feel intensely frustrated in your early career? You have been a businessman but you may find us very un-businesslike in some respects.

If you understand that you are taking a gamble and that your personal life takes a back seat then fine, go for it and I wish you luck.

high street solicitor -27 May 2011 | 18:46

Why?

In Scotland the shape of the profession is different to England and the ‘big firm’ part of it is comparatively smaller. The pool of candidates in Scotland is extremely narrow – almost all have done the same degree course at the established law schools and will have pretty good academics but other than that may be largely indistinguishable. Rightly or wrongly studying anywhere outside the established universities will make getting a traineeship a lot harder.

Other than that it’s not too closed-minded, though and something other than the highers/ LLB/ summer placement background will single you out quite easily and probably make you of interest to a number of firms. That’s assuming your experience is in addition to, rather than instead of, the intellectual ability and academics you will need to compare well to other candidates. If not you are really expecting someone to take a punt.

It’s a smaller pond than in England and don’t underestimate the value of personal connections in finding opportunities – for you or for your peers.

You will, however, face the same question that gnaws when looking at Apprentice contestants. If you have run successful businesses, why are you looking for a career change? If you are a really successful lawyer you will end up running a business so what exactly is your aspiration? Prioritising work/life balance before you’ve even started out suggests you have either worked insanely hard up till now or are lazy in the ‘it’s 4.30, is tomorrow OK for that?’ mould. You need a lot of drive and determination to get and survive a traineeship with your self-respect intact and find a good role on qualification, especially in the current market.

By all means do your own research on work/life balance but keep any views on that to yourself.

Young Fogey -30 May 2011 | 11:18

It's no all glamour .......

Not all law firms in Scotland are looking for a legal clone; many welcome and value TC candidates who have done something other than law during their lives and have therefore something extra to offer.

Just do your research before applying and speak to others in the firms and at University. Having been involved in TC recruitment for some years, the person who has spent every waking hour of term and holidays in a legal environment is unlikely to be favoured by me over someone who has done something useful (or at least different) with their lives - that said, others disagree with me (frequently!)

However, as others have said, if you are looking for continuous intellectual stimulation, maybe you haven't understood what is involved in a legal career; certainly some is intellectually stimulating; some is downright scary; but much is deadly boring (but equally important).

Law in real life is not the same as LA Law, Ally McBeal, Kavanagh QC or Perry Mason. If you are expecting it to be so, perhaps a career in film and TV might be more your thing.

Whatever you do, you need to enjoy it or you will never get through the less exciting parts.

DFScot -31 May 2011 | 10:38