Post Qualification dilemma

[Gunner07]

Hi All - I have recently qualified via the SQE route. I worked as a paralegal for over 4 years at an International firm and the firm is ranked as tier 1 in the area I want to qualify into and I also had the opportunity to complete a client secondment.

After qualifying my firm have not been able to offer me a job due to business needs but I have received an offer from a regional firm. I’m debating whether it would be good to move to a regional firm for a while in an Associate role or whether I should stay at my current firm as a paralegal with the possibility of an Associate job being there in another 6 months?

Any thoughts welcome

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi All - I have recently qualified via the SQE route. I worked as a paralegal for over 4 years at an International firm and the firm is ranked as tier 1 in the area I want to qualify into and I also had the opportunity to complete a client secondment.

After qualifying my firm have not been able to offer me a job due to business needs but I have received an offer from a regional firm. I’m debating whether it would be good to move to a regional firm for a while in an Associate role or whether I should stay at my current firm as a paralegal with the possibility of an Associate job being there in another 6 months?

Any thoughts welcome

Have your current firm given you any indication of an associate job being available in the next six months?

And do they have a set of trainees qualifying in the Spring of next year?

 

[Gunner07]

Have your current firm given you any indication of an associate job being available in the next six months?

And do they have a set of trainees qualifying in the Spring of next year?

They aren’t sure if there will be a role within the next six months in that department because they recruited someone this year, before I qualified.

Yes, the next trainee qualification will be in March.

Because I’m working as a paralegal at my current firm.. I’m thinking of making the move to the regional firm and gain some associate experience and then start looking again for roles in another 6 months?

 

[Jessica Booker]

They aren’t sure if there will be a role within the next six months in that department because they recruited someone this year, before I qualified.

Yes, the next trainee qualification will be in March.

Because I’m working as a paralegal at my current firm.. I’m thinking of making the move to the regional firm and gain some associate experience and then start looking again for roles in another 6 months?

I would try to make a longer term commitment than 6 months to the regional firm if you can - jumping ship twice in less than a year can look questionable as a NQ, even with the best of intentions.

I think realistically gaining over a year’s experience is going to put you in a much stronger position to move again - but even then this is not without risk. Your experience as an associate at a regional firm is not necessarily going to be comparable to that at the type of firm you leaving. And because of that, moving back won’t be straight forward unless you are in a fast-growing area of law/unpopular practice area/have a unique skill set and experience that is in demand.

However, if there are trainees qualifying in March (and I am assuming again in September), the reality is for many firms they are going to prefer to give NQ roles to trainees. Your firm/department/partner you report into may feel differently about this, but if they did I would expect them to be giving you a strong indication of a role becoming available or how you can transform your career into a qualified role at the firm.

 

[Gunner07]

I would try to make a longer term commitment than 6 months to the regional firm if you can - jumping ship twice in less than a year can look questionable as a NQ, even with the best of intentions.

I think realistically gaining over a year’s experience is going to put you in a much stronger position to move again - but even then this is not without risk. Your experience as an associate at a regional firm is not necessarily going to be comparable to that at the type of firm you leaving. And because of that, moving back won’t be straight forward unless you are in a fast-growing area of law/unpopular practice area/have a unique skill set and experience that is in demand.

However, if there are trainees qualifying in March (and I am assuming again in September), the reality is for many firms they are going to prefer to give NQ roles to trainees. Your firm/department/partner you report into may feel differently about this, but if they did I would expect them to be giving you a strong indication of a role becoming available or how you can transform your career into a qualified role at the firm.

Thanks Jessica that is very helpful advice!

I think from my observation the firm would prefer trainees but they’ve said that at present they are unlikely to be able to have a place in March.

They are happy to support my development but then this will be without a role. I have applied to quite a few international firms but have not had any interviews yet with them but there’s no guarantee i’ll be offered a job there. Would you say that its probably wise in my circumstances to accept the regional offer or should I wait for a better offer?

The slight issue might be how firms perceive the SQE qualification route. I have been a paralegal for more than 4 years and also did a year client secondment. I want to qualify in restructuring and insolvency and have worked in that group for 2 years now. I don't want to continue building my paralegal experience but rather want to build my associate level experience. What would be your thoughts on this?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks Jessica that is very helpful advice!

I think from my observation the firm would prefer trainees but they’ve said that at present they are unlikely to be able to have a place in March.

They are happy to support my development but then this will be without a role. I have applied to quite a few international firms but have not had any interviews yet with them but there’s no guarantee i’ll be offered a job there. Would you say that its probably wise in my circumstances to accept the regional offer or should I wait for a better offer?

The slight issue might be how firms perceive the SQE qualification route. I have been a paralegal for more than 4 years and also did a year client secondment. I want to qualify in restructuring and insolvency and have worked in that group for 2 years now. I don't want to continue building my paralegal experience but rather want to build my associate level experience. What would be your thoughts on this?

It sounds like the choice comes down to which is more important to you for the short to medium term - working in a qualified role or working internationally.

The regional firm clearly is happy to consider your paralegal experience as equivalent as a trainee, and it maybe the case that what you have been doing is more of an equivalent given the work you have had exposure to in your current firm is likely to be more complex. That is probably less likely to be the case in both your current firm and other international firms - that’s why you might find it difficult to secure other interviews. You will be competing in an NQ market that had a good supply of ex-trainees and not a huge amount of NQ roles (although to be fair, your practice area is one of the least popular areas to qualify into).

I just don’t think it’s going to be easy to transfer back to international firms. It may happen - it’s really going to depend on the complexity of the work you will do in the regional firm and the size/scale of the matters you work on. If you aren’t working on international matters, it is going to be difficult to port back.

You may find it will take several steps to get back to the type of firm you are working at. eg - regional firm for 2-3 years, national firm for 2-3 years, then move to an international firm. So I would ask yourself as to whether this is something you’d be willing to do in the medium term?