Sometimes even a dream legal job can become a labour of love. A sudden deadline, problems with a witness, a client with a different take on the evidence. But you put your best foot forward and get over the hurdles, whatever they are. After all, it’s a package deal. And all told, it’s a decent package. You take the good with the bad, a bit like a relationship – but with more caffeine.
You want those hurdles and compromises to be as few as possible. So, picking the right firm for your next move is crucial.
The important point to remember is that it’s about who you choose, not who chooses you.
You need to put your ego aside and be honest with yourself. What are your ambitions, how hard are you prepared to work to reach them and where does work rank in the pecking order in your life? You might press all the right buttons at an interview and get the job you think you want, but unless you are true to yourself, the disconnect will show sooner or later. And with that, the turkey that is your career will come flapping home to roost.
So how do you select the right law firm for your next career move? The one that matches the way you want to run your life and progress your career. Here are nine things to think about to help you make sure your prospective new firm is the best one – for you.
1. THE FIRM WON’T CHANGE FOR YOU
For a start, don’t expect any law firm to change to fit in with you and how you want to work. You might be able to persuade them to hire a new PA or get that legal subscription you hanker after, but ultimately they are only going to go so far. To draw an analogy from negligence, you must take the law firm as you find it.
2. EVERY FIRM IS DIFFERENT
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking all firms are pretty much the same. No two law firms are alike. For every paternalistic firm that takes you out on socials and expects you to go home by 7pm, another ten want to own your mind, body and soul. A large oil and gas pipeline deal that must be signed next week, an office full of discovery documents, an enormous bundle dumped on your desk two weeks from trial.
3. DO YOU REALLY ENJOY THE PRESSURE?
You may say you enjoy a high-octane pace fuelled by buckets of Red Bull and relish the 1800+ hours a year required by many City firms. But is this really you? Many solicitors are both attracted and repelled by this degree of pressure. They don’t want to be that hamster puffing away on the legal treadmill, but they savour the salary and sometimes want to reinvent themselves. Our advice: if you are not certain, don’t take the risk.
4. FIND OUT ABOUT TARGETS
If you think you are up for the challenge and your experience as a trainee solicitor proves that you can manage it, you would be well advised to ask the recruiter and the firm everything you can about targets. Also, ask whether fee-earners need to make up time for sick leave, or for attending courses or those all-too-frequent team meetings.
5. LOOK BEYOND SALARY
Salary isn’t everything. Medical insurance and pensions count for a lot, but if you value camaraderie, the atmosphere in the office matters too. Your colleagues can make or break the experience of working under high levels of stress. Social events have their place as well. Speak to other newly qualified solicitors and associates about their experience and raise pointed questions: what time do they usually leave the office, how many weekends have they worked in the past six months, what’s the social life like?
6. WILL YOU BE VALUED?
Being appreciated is important. Will the firm give you recognition: bonuses, bottles of the partners’ Scotch, mentions in firm-wide magazines? What’s the chance of a promotion? And is it real promotion, or is it just a name? Or will you go unappreciated? Ask the questions.
7. ARE THEY FLEXIBLE?
Will the firm allow you to take the occasional holiday which lasts longer than two weeks? What is their approach to compassionate leave? Can you start late some mornings to deal with your children, and sometimes work from home? Is your firm going to be reasonable if you or a close relative becomes ill? Some firms offer an onsite doctor, though most do not. Some will accept a fee-earner who manages difficult clients but has poor attendance because of health issues.
8. WILL YOU GET THE TOOLS?
Does the firm provide the tools for you to do the job? Is the case management system fit for purpose? Is the library up-to-date? Will the firm give you a PA who can actually spell and who doesn’t just leave incomplete work on their desk at 5:30pm sharp?
9. HOW ARE PROBLEMS DEALT WITH?
What are the clients like to deal with? Do the partners actively seek to head-off client problems or do they let them fester? Are you about to join a firm with all the stability and back-stabbing of Ancient Rome? Are grievances dealt with promptly and fairly? Do other members of staff feel they are aboard a slowly sinking ship? You may not wish to pose these questions direct to the firm itself, but we can discuss these, and many other issues, with you. They should be on your mind.
We’re not all destined to be super hamsters nor are we all under-ambitious nine to fivers. Whoever you are, ask yourself if the firm you are going for is really the right fit for you.