Articles From the Team

Flexible working and a career as an interim London lawyer

A lot’s changed in fourteen years; when I first started recruiting temporary and interim lawyers it was a battle to convince hiring managers and law firm partners that an interim lawyer could offer the perfect solution to bridge a gap; provide an extra pair of capable hands during busy times or cover the leave of a permanent member of staff. Some scoffed at the thought that law, one of the most traditional and venerable of all the professions, could be modernised in this way.

Recent trends

In recent years it’s become apparent that in this modern world of working differently, even the legal profession is adapting. We’re not quite at the ‘robot lawyer’ stage just yet, but a flexible approach to working is starting to become more widely accepted within the profession.

In recent years we’ve seen large City firms such as BLP, Allen & Overy, Eversheds, Addleshaw Goddard and Pinsent Masons (amongst others) set up their own panels of interim or consultant lawyers  and it’s now starting to gather significant pace, especially since the changeable economy and factors like Brexit apply pressure and uncertainty lies ahead.

In the past we found it was the typically more experienced and senior lawyers who were attracted to the interim market; however, in recent years we’ve seen that this way of working is becoming increasingly attractive to NQs or those with less than five years’ experience.

Likewise, we’re now seeing more firms open to the idea of using lawyers on a temporary or fixed-term basis across all disciplines, not just litigation, and this trend will continue to grow.

The benefits for City lawyers

The increasing need for flexibility has fitted in nicely with a slew of lawyers looking to work in a different way. Many of our interim lawyers find that working as a contract lawyer helps them achieve a better work/life balance and some manage to keep their career alongside spending six months of every year abroad!

Are you a lawyer and interested to know more?

In the past we found it was the typically more experienced and senior lawyers who were attracted to the interim market; however, in recent years we’ve seen that this way of working is becoming increasingly attractive to NQs or those with less than five years’ experience. This is because working as an interim lawyer provides the flexibility they seek, but it also gives young lawyers varied experience across lots of different sectors and interesting projects.

The Volume Services team at BCL Legal supplies temporary lawyers and paralegals to firms across the City. Our team is experienced and we’ve previously managed significant recruitment projects, which have required upwards of 20 lawyers.

If you’re an experienced lawyer or paralegal with at least six months’ experience and you’re immediately available for temporary work, we can assist you! Whilst language skills are highly sought after, we’re able to work with candidates who don’t have additional language skills.

Are you a City law firm looking for temp lawyers?

If you’re a law firm that’s currently recruiting temporary lawyers or paralegals, get in touch now. We register lawyers who are available at short notice.

The candidates we work with are either qualified lawyers or experienced paralegals who are looking for temporary work.

We meet all the candidates we work with and check their eligibility to work in the UK.

For further information please contact BCL Legal or call 0845 241 0933.