Introduction - career changer (former UK university lecturer)

[WillKitchen]

Hi everyone,

My name is Will and I am a career changer moving into law after seven years as an Associate Lecturer at several different UK universities (Southampton, Chichester, AUB). I have published four books with Bloomsbury and EUP, including my most recent: Culture, Capital and Carnival Modern Media and the Representation of Work.

My legal experience to date includes several governance committees, an assessment day at Kennedys LLP and a temporary placement at DMH Stallard LLP. I am currently studying for SQE1 with Barbri, with an anticipated graduation in July 2026, and am applying for vacation schemes and training contracts.

Good luck if you are in a similar situation!

Will

 

[SoonToBeTrainee]

Hi Will, super impressive work history!
I’m sure you’ll be very successful with your applications
Look forward to following your journey!

 

[WillKitchen]

Thank you very much!

If anyone would like to connect on LinkedIn, please feel free: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-kitchen-63997a23a/

 

[Isabelcampbell]

Hi everyone,

My name is Will and I am a career changer moving into law after seven years as an Associate Lecturer at several different UK universities (Southampton, Chichester, AUB). I have published four books with Bloomsbury and EUP, including my most recent: Culture, Capital and Carnival Modern Media and the Representation of Work.

My legal experience to date includes several governance committees, an assessment day at Kennedys LLP and a temporary placement at DMH Stallard LLP. I am currently studying for SQE1 with Barbri, with an anticipated graduation in July 2026, and am applying for vacation schemes and training contracts.

Good luck if you are in a similar situation!

Will

Hi Will, welcome to the forum, and thank you for sharing your background, it’s really fascinating! Making the leap into law after such a successful academic career is no small step, and I think your experience as a lecturer and published author will stand out as a real asset in applications. The ability to research deeply, write clearly, and communicate complex ideas in an accessible way are exactly the skills firms value in trainees, so you've got a real advantage here.

I’d recommend framing your career change as a strength. Draw out the transferable skills you’ve built (mentoring, presenting, project management, critical analysis) and show how those complement your growing legal experience. Since you’re already preparing for the SQE, pairing that with considered vacation scheme and training contract applications is a strong strategy. Many career changers worry they’re “behind,” but your maturity and breadth of experience often make you more compelling to recruiters.

On a practical note, I think you’ll find TCLA’s resources particularly useful for sharpening applications and interview prep , and the Vacation Scheme Deadlines thread is excellent for planning ahead, and the wider community is full of people who’ve navigated non-traditional routes into law.

It’s great to have you here, and I’m sure other career changers on the forum will take encouragement from your story. Looking forward to seeing your contributions and updates as you progress!

 

[vera.mekhonoshina]

Hi everyone,

My name is Will and I am a career changer moving into law after seven years as an Associate Lecturer at several different UK universities (Southampton, Chichester, AUB). I have published four books with Bloomsbury and EUP, including my most recent: Culture, Capital and Carnival Modern Media and the Representation of Work.

My legal experience to date includes several governance committees, an assessment day at Kennedys LLP and a temporary placement at DMH Stallard LLP. I am currently studying for SQE1 with Barbri, with an anticipated graduation in July 2026, and am applying for vacation schemes and training contracts.

Good luck if you are in a similar situation!

Will

Hey Will,

Nice to meet you, and welcome to the forum! Your career journey sounds very interesting.

I completely echo the points made by other forum members - your career change will definitely come across as an asset to law firms, especially in terms of the skills and qualities that you can bring to the role of a commercial lawyer.

Wishing you the best of luck with your applications and the SQE studies