JLD – Junior Lawyers Division
Qualification: till retirement do us part M
aking a decision about where to qualify can feel a lot like a shotgun wedding. You spend years deciding whether to pursue law, researching firms and attending interviews and yet only a few months ‘dating’ a department before you’re off to Vegas HR to sign on the dotted line. We all know that legal practice is vastly different from academia, so how do you decide, after a mere four to six months, whether a particular practice area is ‘the one’? If you’re still reading, you are probably asking yourself that exact question. A year after making my decision, these are the five piece of advice that I received, that might help you come to yours. 1. Trainee v Associate Whether you loved or loathed a seat, your trainee experience in a department may not be representative of what life is like as an associate in that team. Most teams will do their best to give you an idea of what is involved in working there but you are still a fee earner and usually the one with the lowest charge out rate. This might mean that you often carried out menial and unexciting tasks whilst in a seat. If the work was dull but you still found the practice area and the associates’ work fascinating, consider whether it might still be the place for you. 2. I have a dream Being a lawyer can be an all-consuming profession but whether it is travelling, becoming a parent or having a side-hustle as a successful entrepreneur, we all have plans and dreams outside of our day job. Whatever your aspirations, your decision of practice area will immeasurably impact on the time and energy you can dedicate to these goals. Don’t make your decision without considering them. 3. Why Law? After countless TC applications, the endless memorising of LPC notes and two years of being a trainee, when was the last time you asked yourself: do I want to be a lawyer? No matter how much you researched the legal profession before coming to a decision, the realities of time recording, the sometimes rigid hierarchies within firms and the painfully slow progression that comes with the job can be far from what you imagined. Now that you know what being a lawyer is really like, no matter how daunting it seems, don’t stick with it if you know it’s no longer your cup of tea. 4. There is no such thing as ‘the one’ No practice area is going to give you absolutely everything you want every day. You cannot become a litigator and never have to grind through due diligence or become a transactional lawyer and never have to do an all-nighter to close a deal. Much like in a relationship, you need to establish your deal breakers. What can you learn to live with and what can you absolutely not live without? 5. Perspective Contrary to the somewhat hyperbolic title of this article, your choice of practice area is not a cliff edge decision that will determine the course of the rest of your life. Whatever you decide, remember that many people change practice area
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and firm sometimes multiple times over the course of their working lives and lawyers often move into different professions entirely. Don’t worry too much about making the ‘right choice’your experience in the legal profession will open doors for you whatever you decide. ■
Katjana Cleasby Associate Farrer & Co.
