Articles From the Team

Working as a locum post maternity

Returning to work following maternity leave can be a difficult decision to make. Weighing up the pros and cons and dealing with feelings of guilt about leaving your baby and throwing yourself back into your career is a tough decision for any new mum.

Traditionally those in the legal profession work long hours and sometimes weekends too, so the decision to return to the law for a new mum is a big one. Whilst most firms offer flexibility and part time working via job share, a solicitor’s role can be extremely demanding and therefore returning to work full time as a solicitor whilst also raising a new baby or young family can seem to be impossible. Sadly the legal profession loses many talented female solicitors to motherhood.

Interim work as a solicitor is a solution that allows new mums or mums returning to the law after an extended maternity break to have the best of both worlds.

By taking on interim work the candidate can control exactly how long she is willing to commit to the role for and can plan her contracts around her family and what will work best for them. For example an interim solicitor may decide that she won’t work for the whole of the summer so that she can spend some quality time with the children in the summer break. Likewise she may choose not to work during the half term, Easter and Christmas breaks.

Another great thing about interim work is that it gives those returning to work the opportunity to trial it and see whether being a working mum is the right thing for her and her family, before committing herself to a permanent role.

At BCL legal we are able to help new mums, who are looking for interim or temporary work as a solicitor or paralegal. We work with firms ranging from the Magic Circle and City practices through to west end and high street firms who need temporary resource.

For further information about temporary roles in London please contact BCL Legal or email us at info@bcllegal.com.