Career Clinic: Will my commercial City training be any use to get into a 'grittier' law career?

Don't feel guilty

I won't pretend to add much of substance to your 'actual' dilemma, only to say that I wouldn't feel remotely guilty about using the firm to pay for your LPC.

Think they wouldn't drop you like it's hot at a moment's notice if it benefited them in any way?

Take their training and do one.

Anon -20 Oct 2011 | 14:57

Is obtaining a City training contract purely to fund the LPC really that "awful"?

Great response from RollonFriday (who "always enjoy a read of Career Clinic", apparently):

http://www.rollonfriday.com/Blogs/ReadBlog/tabid/144/Default.aspx?Id=1135&UserId=682267

Legal Week -25 Oct 2011 | 12:40

Do your research

I'll leave the 'ethical' dilemma for someone more philosophically inclined (although, as ROF say so trenchantly, a training contract is a 2-year deal with no promises on either side). I would, however, suggest that you do your research pretty carefully and think about what you can do in the meantime to be an attractive candidate for a 'gritty' firm - the CPS aren't exactly on a recruitment drive at present. The application process is just as competitive (and the standard of applicants just as high, if not higher) at the better legal aid firms as it is in the City. You will be expected to take on a great deal more responsibility for your caseload and will be dealing with vulnerable clients, so you need to develop those skills. Good luck.

Former legal aid lawyer -27 Oct 2011 | 13:06

Keep it and keep an eye open

Qualify with that prestigous firm. It will stay with you for life. They get their money out of you after a few months of you billing. Whats grittier? Ironically, it is easier to stay in commercial/corporate practice than to land a job in a good public law/human rights practice or even the GLS/CPS. Plus the pay there is under human rights value. If grittier means more human contact or something you could do from working from home as SP, then think of areas of law such as family law. But whatever you do please qualify and do not drop out half way to defect to another firm.

Michael Tuch -01 Dec 2011 | 20:03