ALTERNATIVE CAREER PATHS IN LAW
- SUIT & CASE
- Oct 22, 2020
- 5 min read
Article by Emily Townsend (Legal Content Writer for SUIT & CASE)
When most people envision a career in the legal industry it can be hard to imagine something other than commercial private practice firms or the setting of two lawyers ruthlessly advocating for their clients in a courtroom. Depictions in film and television series, such as “Suits,” glorify these stereotypes. However, there are many rewarding careers outside of the traditional private practice solicitor or barrister dilemma. Here are some alternative career paths post-LL.B to consider if life in private practice or the bar don’t resonate with you:
Clerking
Clerks are the people behind the scenes in a barrister’s chambers who oversee the day-to-day running of Chambers. Although barristers are self-employed, they need staff to handle the business organisation tasks outside of court. Clerks liaise with solicitors, the courts, and clients to manage barrister’s diaries and their practices. They ensure that members are informed of their commitments and have all the relevant court bundles they need for hearings; they negotiate fees on behalf of the barristers; and they correspond with the courts to confirm daily judicial listings; among other things.
In larger, city sets there may be clerks for specific practice areas. In smaller, regional sets clerks may manage all practice areas of members. In any case, clerks should keep up to date with any developments of the law so to better manage members’ practices. The Senior Clerk of Chambers manages the clerking team. They also help to manage the marketing of Chambers, seeking work and promoting barristers within the legal community. They network with solicitor’s firms and other professionals regularly to ensure that barrister’s diaries are kept full. Afterall, like any private practice law firm, a barrister’s Chambers is in the professional services business and is concerned with attaining and growing a profitable business. There are then Junior Clerks who handle the administrative and day-to-day tasks such as printing and creating bundles, handling the post, and taking diary bookings.
Clerking requires the ability to multi-task well and have great attention to detail. It also requires excellent interpersonal skills and problem-solving abilities. At times, Chambers can be a high stress environment. Clerks must juggle multiple barrister’s diaries to accommodate as many hearings as possible while maintaining a professional manner.
In-House Counsel
Rather than contract out to private practice firms, which can be costly, many professional services firms and organisations have a legal team in-house. This provides them with a greater internal skillset. These legal advisors generally specialise in a particular area related to the organisation and act on not only potential contentious matters but a large spectrum of legal matters and general policy-related work that apply to the business and the services or products they provide. While commercial awareness is important for aspiring private practice solicitors, it is even more so for in-house counsel. In addition to legal advising, in-house counsel may also provide support to internal stakeholders of the business, help manage business risks, or create and improve existing business strategies.
Generally, the difference between in-house counsel and private practice solicitors is that in-house solicitors carry out legal work for their employer while private practice solicitors work on behalf of multiple clients at any one time and earn money for their firm. The working environment is also usually quite different for in-house solicitors compared to private practice firms with less of a focus on billable hours and more of a work-life balance. In-house solicitors could work as part of a large team of lawyers depending on how big the organisation is or they could be the sole in-house practitioner for that organisation.
It is common for solicitors who qualify at a private practice firm to then make the switch to working as in-house counsel. The experience gained from working at a commercial city firm, for example, would be beneficial in working to advance any business organisation. The key is to have a clear understanding of business strategies and commercial interests. Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills are also important for in-house counsel. Likewise, the ability to communicate complex legal issues to non-legally trained colleagues.
Government
Government ministers and local authority council staff often seek advice from government lawyers. They may advise on a variety of topics such as legislation on tax, environment, employment, and crime. Most opportunities to work in the public service are post-qualification but a small number of training contracts are also available.
Working in public service requires strong drafting and writing skills as well as teamworking skills. Lawyers in public service comprise multiple government agencies, public bodies, and departments. They work closely with other legal counsel, ministers, and consultants to shape our society and legislation. Additionally, they may also handle any litigation or represent the nation at international meetings.
Many MPs and other government officials also have a background in law. Being able to absorb, understand and analyse large volumes of information at a time is very useful. Equally, great negotiation and advocacy skills are beneficial as an MP because your constituents are counting on you to make their voices heard in Parliament.
Research and/or Teaching
For those who enjoy dissecting the law – examining how it operates in practice, considering how it may be reformed or creating new legislation – working as a Research Assistant for the Law Commission may be a fulfilling career path. You would be part of an organisation that directly affects others’ lives in a way that working as a private practice solicitor or barrister cannot. Research Assistants have the potential to help shape society.
Research Assistants work on specialised teams (Commercial and Common Law; Criminal Law; Property, Family, and Trust Law; or Public Law) doing a mix of legal writing and research and policy analysis. Being assigned to a team with Judges, QCs, Professors, and Leading Barristers and Solicitors would provide a valuable opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the inner workings of government and social policy.
Further, there are many law undergraduates who continue their studies and go on to complete a Masters degree and/or a PhD in law, becoming experts in their field. Being research focussed and pursuing a career in academia or with the Law Commission mean not only affecting present legislation but influencing the next generation of lawyers.
It is worth mentioning that not everyone who earns a law degree ends up in the legal field. The skills gained from completing a law degree are so versatile and valuable in a variety of fields. These are only a few alternative career choices. It is important to remember not to pigeonhole ourselves too early in our careers – to keep an open mind and to seek opportunities from a variety of sources.
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