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As qualification approaches, how do you decide where your future lies?
With final seat choices around the corner, fourth seat trainees will have qualification at the forefront of their minds. The lucky ones will know exactly which team and office they would like to qualify into, for others the decision is less clear.
This article touches upon some valuable points for trainees to consider as they progress through and structure the next 12-24 months of their training contract or apprenticeship. I write this with the benefit of a fifth seat and a broad spread of work during my apprenticeship so far at Michelmores.
Contentious or transactional
Many trainees find they prefer one type of work or the other – I’m not so sure, having enjoyed both during my apprenticeship. I loved the build-up of litigation – there was a real sense of teamwork, deadlines flying around, discussing trial tactics, final preparations and some late nights to complete the experience. On the other hand, the transactional work has perhaps been more measured, with more time to consider the client’s position and interplay with other areas of legislation, fewer strongly-worded emails from the other side and more chance of a 5pm finish (though certainly not guaranteed).
Individuals vs companies
I haven’t found a strong preference – I like the human side of private client work, and the sophistication and advisory capacity of working with companies. Some people find working with individuals too personal; some find working with businesses not personal enough. Either way, you’ll be working very closely with clients. You may want to close your laptop at the end of the day without worrying about your client’s divorce proceedings, or you might enjoy applying your legal knowledge to help people who desperately need it.
Wanted or needed
I was once told by someone “it’s always better to be wanted rather than needed, people are wanted in good times and needed in bad times” – I don’t expect that is everyone’s opinion or experience, but I understand their point. I have enjoyed the sense of progressing a transaction forward and the positive nature of commercial or property seats, where we have worked collaboratively with another side or organisation towards a common goal, just as much as the problem-solving, sometimes gritty work in litigation. Some trainees find the adversarial nature of litigation quite negative, whereas some find it competitive and exciting.
In-house vs private practice
Trainees at Michelmores who have had the opportunity to work in-house have enjoyed being embedded into a business, problem-solving from a commercial perspective and lots of autonomy. However, some people prefer working for a variety of different clients, assisting with business development and the specialist advisory nature of working in a law firm. Either way, there will be variety, plenty of real-life application, commerciality, and a sense of loyalty and commitment to promoting the interests of your company or clients.
Lifestyle & long-term goals
Ultimately it comes down to the kind of lifestyle you want to achieve and where you see yourself being most fulfilled in future. Some questions you might want to ask yourself are:
- What sort of work-life balance do you want?
- What level of pay do you need or want? (The view from a campervan can be as good as a 5* hotel.)
- Is variety the spice of life, or would you like to specialise in one area?
- Are there any areas you want to avoid? (I’m told land law is different in practice, though I’m personally not convinced.)
- Do you like the all-in rush of a trial or deal, or might you prefer more day-to-day stability?
- Do you enjoy historic legal principles, or do you want to be at the forefront of cutting-edge development and legislation?
- Do you worry about the future of that area of law?
- What level of AI impact will there be?
- Where do you want to be in 10-20 years from now? (A London flat or seaside cottage… it’s 2026, you can do corporate from Cornwall.)
How to sum up, then.
My two pence, for what they are worth, is; go with your gut and the rest will fall into place. Identify what energises you most during your seats first and let that guide your direction.
Some questions which I personally don’t think are worth spending too much time and energy on are… what’s that team like? I’ve heard X and Y about Z. Did I make a good enough impression in that seat? Which other trainees are applying to that team, how do I stack up against them? So-and-so is paying £X, should I just take the money? Could I make it to Partner faster in that team/firm? It may be difficult to see the wood from the trees in this respect, but, teams change, you can’t control what other people are going to do, and you’ll be happier staying true to yourself.