About Me

Optimistic, realistic, candid. You'll find here a personal perspective. Even so, you'll come to appreciate that I'm around. Trust me, I'm a lawyer. Find me on www.twitter.com/Little_Lawyer

28 December 2010

Introducing...

The old me...

So I beat the gavel to find myself without permanent work as a solicitor (and after 9 years to qualification!) This blog is about the trials and tribulations of a lawyer who doesn't lawyer much...and other things that interest her... Find me on www.twitter.com/Little_Lawyer
The reality has been quite the contrary. I have lawyered lots since qualifying. I worked for 3 months as an employment lawyer (and loved every moment), until recently, I was a regular solicitor for a local Advice Centre working on a pro bono basis, and in my current job, my skills, my attention to detail, my personal attributes, and my legal knowledge have meant that I have been an invaluable part of a successful team.

So whats the point of this post? It is to introduce myself proper. No longer will you hear about how inexperienced I am and how I don't know what I'm good for or where I'm going. Granted, that's still the truth, but ultimately those interested know how long I've been qualified for, and I know I'm a bloody good at anything I've turned my hand to so far, having never been on a losing side. Yes, that's right, I'm a winner. "Fighting talk" I hear you say. I've no reason to lie.

So let me introduce myself:

Optimistic, realistic, candid.
You'll find here a personal perspective. Even so, you'll come to appreciate that I'm around.
Trust me, I'm a lawyer.

Find me on www.twitter.com/Little_Lawyer

Welcome...to my world...

18 March 2010

And so, the end is near...

You guys may have guessed (I know my handful of readers are incredibly perceptive) that I'm no longer unemployed. You may also have guessed that I'm not contributing all that often to this blog. A couple of reasons.

My blurb *up there* is still kind of true. I'm not in permanent employment, and I am an out of work lawyer but I do work full time hours and in legal London in a law related capacity.

I have now (by my super scientific calculations) been in work more than out. This in itself is a reason to celebrate. I hope to have work for a fair few more months and I'm fairly relaxed about that. The job search has gone on a bit of a back burner...I will pick it up again, as I don't want to get comfortable in my new role. Plus there's lawyering that I want to be doing, what I'm doing now, will make me lazy/crazy...

Also, following last week's inadvertent "announcement" its probably not wise for me to continue this blog at all. I may find myself needing this outlet and going for it, but I think it unlikely now that I may have lost my anonymity. Its been fun, but while I'm buying my travel season ticket, and saving Asda from eccentric men wanting to sue them for confiscating towels as part of my pro bono work (all very important stuff), I will keep you all (all 3 of you) from having to check in with what I've been up to...that is unless you want some help going to sleep...

Thanks for the memories chaps.

14 February 2010

Front page of the Law Gazette

I couldn't believe it, an article about my training firm! Well maybe that's taking it too far, but nothing I read in the article was news to me:

...some newly qualified lawyers are being told that they will only be taken on as paralegals, while law graduates seeking training contracts are being expected to work without pay.

I'm still relatively anonymous so I'll share.

While I was still there, a girl who had just finished her LPC was taken on for some "work experience". Not sure about anyone else, but when I did work experience, I did some research, copied documents, shadowed, and clerked at court. It would last from 3 days to 3 weeks. Training firm had Stunningalmostparalegal seeing clients on her own and gave her her own case load. And you know what? She wasn't paid for it. The arrangement was only going to last a short while, same as any usual "work experience" arrangement, but by around four months in, she is called in to see the top dog, and told that it wasn't fair that she'd been working so hard for free, and they'd pay her expenses. How generous. She never even had holidays.

Two months later, she was told that the arrangement couldn't go on as it was so for her own good, they'd have to let her go. Wonderful.

Stunningalmostparalegal was a clever girl, otherwise she wouldn't have been allowed to see clients. She gave it her all and worked hard. Luckily she is from a wealthy family, and doesn't have to worry about money otherwise there would be no way that kind of "arrangement" could continue. In effect she was used as a temp until they found another solicitor to work in the department. Yep, that's right, she was replaced by a solicitor.

Its easy to say that its just one of those things students, trainees, and NQs have to do to get ahead and there is no doubt that she had the best work experience she could have asked for. The issue here is that it is taking advantage. If there was enough work available for her to have her own case load (it was that busy), there was money being made and Stunningalmsotparalegal should have been paid.

Not all trainees and paralegals work for Linklaters, and the pay is often dire. In London the Law Society minimum is £18590pa, and outside it is £16,650 pa - there is even an option for the minimum to be waived. These trainees work just as hard as those earning triple that, and maybe harder, knowing the difficulties they will face on qualification.

The trainee I was up against for the NQ position was taken on on a trainee wage which is only just above the Law Society minimum. Was her charge out rate altered in tune with it?

No.

Should this kind of "opportunity" be seen as a right of passage? I don't think it should.

The other problem is that this "cheap" or "free" labour, makes it so much harder for us to find paid work at a reasonable wage. Why would a firm pay someone good money when they could have the work done for next to nothing?

Not sure where I'm going with this. I guess it was just to tell you all... that this shit happens.

01 February 2010

"The market" excuse

You've probably guessed that I'm currently working. And guessed that its not permanent. And know that on the whole, I'm feeling a new kind of optimism which is creating a bubble of interest and demand around me. There is nothing firm in the pipe line, nothing set in stone, not even a firm offer out there yet, but there is movement and I'm slightly bothered. How strategically should I be contemplating these options, and can I afford to think strategically at all?

I have a friend who is in assurance and recently resigned from a position at JP Morgan. She is on the job hunt, and was telling me about how each job should be chosen on the basis that it enhances one's CV. You only move up; or sideways if it is something extremely relevant to your professional/career development.

So what do I do. I know where I would ideally like to be. The potential for it to happen in the next 3 months is there and that is fantastic. However I also know what its like to be unemployed and quite frankly, 3 months on the dole again? No thanks. Not again.

I now find myself in the midst of something extremely interesting which is in no way related to my long term goals (as I currently see them); and it wont make me rich (remember my last post?) Its not even a lawyer role, but it would be a good experience generally. But then what? What happens when I come out at the other end and am back on my tour of law firms cap in hand asking them to take me seriously once again? Will they understand? Will they take into consideration "the market"? "The market" line is getting boring, how long do we think we have left on its shelf life?

And here I am again...balls all up in the air and hoping that this girl can catch...

17 January 2010

Go on...admit it...

On 31 December 2008, I was stood on the Embankment, shivering with my lips turning blue, waiting for some fireworks to go off. I was there with my cousin, who made a comment about how I would forget about them ('the family') when I became a lawyer. This offended me deeply, because my attitude to my friends and family, regardless of their status has never changed and I disliked the insinuation. Our relationship changed a little that night, but I think it did something more profound.

Most of the people I grew up with, as well as my close family, are not in the professions. I enjoy seeing them when I do, and as far as I'm concerned I'm the same person. My parents love to tell people that I'm a lawyer, and I hate being there when they do. Last week, I went out for a drink where I met some blasts from the past. The question inevitably arises, "what are you doing now?". He worked in a metal factory, where apparently the job was crap but the pay fantastic.
"So what about you?"
I hate the question. I don't know what it is, but I check myself before saying it that my tone is right and I don't sound like a snob.
"I'm a lawyer".
"I mean, I'm an unemployed lawyer".
Why did I do that? Its like I had to take myself down a peg or two. For the benefit of whom? The most ridiculous thing is that I was a locum at the time, so not unemployed at all.

My "unemployed lawyer" statement was a turning point for me. I worked and studied hard. It was tough. It is still hard going, not knowing where my next pay cheque will come from, but I cannot negate the successes I have had, and I degrade myself each time I ignore it.

I recall an email exchange with @markgriffith where the subject turned to ambition and wealth. I could agree to being ambitious, however felt embarrassed to say that money was any motivation. I couldn't understand it then, and I still don't now, and this one sentence in our exchange has often come back to haunt and trouble me even years after I made the statement.

Well at the moment, I'm feeling optimistic. I don't know how long it will last, but I'm savouring the feeling. I was called a brilliant lawyer and fantastic, by two different people, both of whom have had a limited experience of me. I celebrate my successes and you should do so too.

And I can admit to my motivation of wanting to make a living. A decent living. There's a certain kind of life I want to be living, and I'm going to get it for myself. There, I said it. Well almost. I'll let you all know when I'm ready to say I want to be rich...

07 January 2010

Reputation is EVERYTHING

I can't help it. Its in my blood. An act of courtesy costs nothing, and if you forget your manners, I'm going to make a judgment about you.

Yes, I'm talking to you Ms Recruitment Consultant. As for the rest of you, I did tell you guys that I had an interview last year which would have involved me relocating to the South West didn't I?

Well that happened in around October. Did I want to relocate to the South West? Of course not. Did I want a job? You bet. Did I ever hear whether I was successful in the role...

Ah yes, Ms Recruitment Consultant, you forgot something.

Ok, so I could have chased as it was in my interests to find out the result. The fact was that by that time, I had had it up to here (that's a really high "here") with RCs, and I decided that I would not be actively using them to find me work. There was that, and the fact that I didn't want to move.

I think I can safely assume that I didn't get it.

But today, in my inbox, I receive an email from Ms Recruitment Consultant. She tells me that there's an opening and she'll let me know whether I am going to be interviewed. Do I want to get in touch? Not really. Do I want to tell her about her "oversight"? Oh yes. Will I?

Well somewhere over the last year I seem to have lost a bit of the personality I was so fond of in my younger days, when I was an opinionated spark, and shared my view with anyone who listened because I thought they cared
. What happened to me?

Out of courtesy, I will email, and inform her that I have some temp work and wont be requiring her assistance for the time being, but thank her profusely for her continued attention. There is little point in burning bridges is there?

05 January 2010

Neglect

I know, I know, I'm sorry I've neglected you dear sweet blog, but I've had to be careful because I've shared more than I should have on Twitter, I'm sure I can be easily "found out" if I haven't been already. Regardless, I'll try my hardest to continue to keep this as true to what has been going on with me and my accompanying thoughts and feelings as possible. So here I go...

I've had cause over the past month to introduce myself as a lawyer. Its been strange and I've stumbled over the words. The reality is, that I've only been a pro bono lawyer, and had one week's worth of work as a lawyer since qualification so I didn't feel like one (more true today than ever before - but that's another story).

Things haven't changed over the break. I am more optimistic generally, but the reason for this renewed energy is twofold (and maybe misguided).

For some strange reason there are people out there who have a determined belief in my abilities and success. These are intelligent people. Some know me well, some know me in passing. Some know my work but many don't. I don't talk the talk, I don't think I'm arrogant, and can't do the whole "biggin' yourself up" thing. I don't invite these comments and I find them embarrassing and the burden to be a success suffocating. How can they be so sure? I figure that if so many people have so much faith in me, the least I can do is accept their compliment and acknowledge that there is something that others see in me that is currently transparent to me. Someone hand me a palm full of powder.

The other reason I've tried to be upbeat is that I have done my sums, and have figured that there is a level of "bad" which is reachable and once that level is reached, the only way things can go is better, or good (or magnificently well but I don't want to get ahead of myself.)

So I'm trying and usually, it works. I have had those niggling doubts (you know the ones, that I got a bit too big for my boots, or that I had those actor type dreams of making it big and in reality I'll end up a bit of a loser, an overqualified waitress, and my friends and family will laugh at me in 10 years time when I'm still looking for my big break) and I'm trying really hard to shake them off. Yes, this means that I am constantly having a word with myself. But you know what? This is really hard. But I'm doing ok.