Articles From the Team

NQ Solicitors - Time to think outside the box

So it’s September and for many NQ solicitors time is rapidly running out before the end of their training contracts.

For many this is a worrying time as they are faced with either unemployment or committing their career to an area of law that doesn’t really interest them. For many, the worry might be completely unnecessary.

I manage the Midland’s largest private practice recruitment team here at BCL Legal. Several of our team members are former solicitors, who made the wrong choice on qualification.

We are noticing an increasing trend in candidates securing positions in areas of law where they have received no direct training. In many instances, a strong academic record, good training and an interest in an area of law are sufficient.

So how does this help?

It does require some lateral thinking – but then lawyers are supposed to be good at that. So how does this work?

Think about the seats that you most enjoyed. What did you enjoy about them? If it was the adrenalin rush of litigation – have you thought about something in a different litigation discipline? Have you thought about corporate where you get the adrenalin rush of closing major deals?

Perhaps you enjoyed the collaborative negotiation and drafting in your commercial seat. That can be replicated in contract heavy roles in areas such as construction or landlord & tenant focussed real estate or even banking law.

Perhaps you enjoyed the variety of issues and work in your employment law seat. There are plenty of roles in different areas that give you access to both contentious and non-contentious work.

Here at BCL Legal we have genuine examples of NQ solicitors making these kinds of decisions and securing roles and job offers in areas of law where they have NOT undertaken any specific training.

We find that for the majority of candidates, when you dig below the surface their preference for a given area of law is more about the nature of the work than it is about the actual legal nuances. However many candidates struggle to realise this on their own, which is completely understandable.

At BCL Legal we are experts in helping people to make the right decisions in their career. We believe in a consultative and advisory approach. No hard sell – we are hear to help, after all we want you to recommend us to your friends!

If you are an NQ who is facing either unemployment or a future career in something you would rather not do, then why not give us a call in confidence. If we can help, we will. If we cannot we will tell you.

For more information please contact BCL Legal or call us on 0845 241 0933.