Real estate to Personal Injury

[Maryem1998!]

Hi there,

I currently work at a National firm within the RE division. I have just been offered a role at a smaller regional firm as a personal injury paralegal. The pay is better, the hours are better and the role is fully client based. I’d have my own caseload and be able to actually work as a paralegal rather than a pa/admin assistant but have the paralegal title as I currently do.

I definitely want to take the PI route for work experience but I am worried that this will look detrimental on my cv and also when applying for training contracts. I know firms value that you’ve worked at National/international firms and I’m worried that they’ll reject me for deciding to move to a regional firm and/or move to PI law.

I’ve been weighing the pros and cons and I’d definitely be able to gain more transferable skills, knowledge and experience with the PI role. However, I’m scared that that doesn’t matter since I’m just moving from such a well known firm to a smaller firm to then simultaneously try and get a TA with a commercial firm.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi there,

I currently work at a National firm within the RE division. I have just been offered a role at a smaller regional firm as a personal injury paralegal. The pay is better, the hours are better and the role is fully client based. I’d have my own caseload and be able to actually work as a paralegal rather than a pa/admin assistant but have the paralegal title as I currently do.

I definitely want to take the PI route for work experience but I am worried that this will look detrimental on my cv and also when applying for training contracts. I know firms value that you’ve worked at National/international firms and I’m worried that they’ll reject me for deciding to move to a regional firm and/or move to PI law.

I’ve been weighing the pros and cons and I’d definitely be able to gain more transferable skills, knowledge and experience with the PI role. However, I’m scared that that doesn’t matter since I’m just moving from such a well known firm to a smaller firm to then simultaneously try and get a TA with a commercial firm.

The move to a regional firm will not be an issue - you won’t be rejected because of the status of the firm.

However, if the firm does not have a PI practice, then there could be a question as to your motivations, as you have moved into an area of law they don’t practice.