Natalie Atherall

Securing a role as a newly qualified solicitor – advice from three NQ legal professionals

Are you currently looking for a newly qualified (NQ) position but struggling to find a role that matches to your needs and skillset? We spoke to three qualified legal professionals to find out how they secured their NQ roles, why they chose their current firm, and get their views on what to look for in a legal recruiter. Securing an NQ position can often be a challenging and lengthy process for legal professionals. It can often be difficult to find the right firm, choose a recruiter that will listen and find the perfect role. I speak with candidates that are going through the process every day, and each has their own story to tell. I recently sat down with three legal professionals to find out how they secured their NQ positions and to find out how their experience was dealing with Sellick Partnership throughout the process. What were the first steps you took when beginning your search for an NQ position? Shehnaz Rahman Commercial Property Solicitor at Boyes Turner LLP said: The first and most important aspect of securing an NQ position in my opinion is getting your CV up to scratch, so I attended several CV clinics and spent time getting this ready for applying to roles. I then changed my LinkedIn status to let recruiters know I was open to vacancies and started looking for a recruiter that could help with my search. Rosie Deller, Family Solicitor at Rayden Solicitors said: Firstly, I spoke with a previous trainee from my old firm about the NQ process and how to structure CVs. Getting advice from someone that has been through the process is very helpful. After this I redrafted my CV in-line with a precedent received from an NQ information evening. Once I knew my CV was good enough I started having initial conversations with a couple of recruiters – ones that specialised in the areas I wanted work. Laura Jeal, Chartered Legal Executive at Doyle Clayton Solicitors said: I started by updating my CV, to ensure it reflected the diverse range of skills I had gained as a trainee. I had a vague awareness of other firms in the local area but used the Legal 500 to give myself a general idea of the types of firms I wanted to aim for. I also kept an eye on the legal job sites for NQ vacancies and followed up with any recruiters who contacted me about NQ roles. How did you decide what area of law to qualify into? How soon did you know? Shehnaz said: Before I started my training contract I had an interest in property law but wasn’t sure whether to specialise in commercial or residential. During my training contract I had experience in both and enjoyed commercial property the most. That is why it is important to try and gain as much exposure as possible while training as it will really help make your final decision. Rosie said: During my training contract there were two main practice areas – property and family. Personally, I found property incredibly dry and boring, but family law very interesting. I spoke with a couple of family solicitors that I knew about the profession and what it is like once qualified and it only reconfirmed my decision that family law was the right area for me. Laura said: I’ve wanted to work in employment law ever since I started studying. I worked in a call centre before I began my studies and every email from HR had me questioning whether what they were doing was above board (I now know it was, for the record). Since working in an employment law environment, it has underlined its appeal to me, as it has the perfect mix between contentious and non-contentious work. If you could go back in time, what do you now know that you wish you had known at the start of the process? Shehnaz said: When I first started looking for an NQ role I instructed three recruitment agencies, which was completely unnecessary. I think the best approach is to have initial chats with various recruiters to get an understanding of what they have to offer and whether there is a connection between you and the recruiter, if you like them, then instruct them. I found some recruiters pushy and tried to pressure me to interview with firms which were (a) not in my desired specialism (b) not in my desired location. My advice would be to find a recruiter that has your best interests in mind and stick with them. I also started my search in my final seat, however I would suggest starting your search earlier. Rosie said: Do not panic. The market for NQ solicitors was stagnant when I first started looking, and everyone’s situation is very different, so don’t get down about it. For example, my friend had found a suitable role about six months before he was due to qualify, which was very lucky. I decided early on that I did not want to stay at the firm I was training at and the lack of opportunities when I first started looking did not fill me with much hope that I would be able to move roles. Also, do not accept too many approaches from recruiters on LinkedIn. At the start I accepted any recruiter that wanted to connect with me. Rather than simply just accept, I should have researched into them and the company to determine whether they would be the right fit to assist me. I probably wasted more time having initial conversations with other recruiters who were not right to assist me. Laura said: Be patient with your search! Firms aren’t always hiring, and your dream firm may be just around the corner if you’re willing to wait. What attracted you to the firm you are working at? Shehnaz said: Boyes Turner has an extremely strong reputation in Reading and a lot of people from my training firm had moved there, so it was clearly doing something right! It also has an impressive line-up of developer clients. Having now worked here for almost a year, I can certainly say it was the best move/decision I made. It is extremely friendly, transparent and everyone is very supportive. The Partners here are keen to support and develop your knowledge and train you up. Rosie said: Rayden Solicitors is a highly respected and well-ranked law firm. I spoke with several family solicitors in London and they had all mentioned how great Rayden Solicitors was and that I would be happy and be able to progress with them. I had two offers from two firms on the table and decided to take Rayden’s which was a slightly lower salary due to the reputation and career progression that they could offer. Laura said: There were several factors. Firstly, my previous boss and trainee supervisor both came from Doyle Clayton. I respected both as incredible lawyers and knew that was in part because of the training and support they had received at my firm. In addition, Doyle Clayton are ranked as a tier one firm for employment law for the region, which to me means their advice is valued, and they have a diverse range of clients. When I interviewed there, I felt immediately at home and knew it was where I wanted to work. Why did you decide to choose Sellick Partnership to assist you with the search? Shehnaz said: Faith was the first person to contact me on LinkedIn, before I even started looking for NQ positions. Many recruiters sent generic messages to me, however Faith clearly did her research and her initial message was personal to my experience and location. Faith is extremely diligent and hardworking. In comparison to other recruiters out there, she is one of the best recruiters I have come across. Interview prep and understanding the firm you will interview for, are some of the main concerns NQs have. Faith provided extensive guidance on these, so you feel confident when going into the interview. The NQ recruitment market is highly competitive, so you need a recruiter who is proactive and persevering, and Faith can certainly deliver that. Rosie said: After having an initial chat with you, you completely understood my position and the type of role that I wanted. Other recruiters that I spoke with didn’t really listen to the practice area of law and location that I wanted and continued to press me to consider other roles that weren’t suitable. The market after I first spoke to you was stagnant and there was not a lot of vacancies. Rather than send these to me to try and make me consider them in order to place me as quickly as possible, you waited for the right opportunities. Laura said: Faith and I were already connected, and she posted on LinkedIn to say she was keen to speak to NQs in all areas. I arranged a phone call with Faith and we discussed what I was looking for. I knew from the first call that this would be a useful relationship to have. Faith wasn’t just putting me forward for any old vacancy – she considered the type of firms I was looking at, and was able to talk knowledgeably about each firm, their ethos and way of working. I never received anything less than a personal service. No other recruiter could compare. Next steps If you are about to finish your training contract and are looking for an NQ position they get in touch, Faith would be delighted to work with you to find your perfect role, or for further advice you can check out Faith’s blog here. Alternatively, you can check out our latest live legal jobs here.

Brexit – the impact on lawyers, local councils and the UKs legal sector

The United Kingdom is no longer a member of the European Union and we are now in a period of transition before we formally ‘break ties’ with our EU neighbours. During this time the UK government will be working to secure a trade deal with the EU that will safeguard our economic position and allow for a smooth transition for all involved. This however is where a great deal of uncertainty lies. Nobody knows what the next year will hold, and with the prospect of a ‘No Deal’ Brexit still on the table we could be in for a very bumpy ride. The impact of Brexit on lawyers, law firms and legal practices will be significant. Many questions remain unanswered in the negotiations around the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union and our future relationship with the EU. Many UK workers and sectors will likely have to adapt, legal being one of them. As a business we work with legal professionals across the public and private sector, all of whom have been preparing for Brexit for some time. I spoke to several legal professionals currently working within local councils across the UK to get their views on Brexit, and to find out how it might impact their work, and the wider public sector. The impact Brexit could have on legal talent Many of the lawyers I spoke to were not so much worried about Brexit impacting their roles but concerned about the impact it might have on the legal talent pool across the UK. The UK is blessed to have the second largest legal services market in the world and the largest within the EU, but this could all change if a sensible immigration policy is not introduced. One lawyer I spoke to noted that in London, medium sized law firms are advertising for vacancies but are failing to confirm whether they wish to continue with applications. She believes this shows that law firms (and legal departments) are sitting on applications for a much longer period to monitor the current state of the market. This could have an adverse impact on the market. If legal talent is being made to wait around, we could lose them to other nations across Europe, reducing the legal talent pool here in the UK. There is also a flip side to this. Without an adequate immigration policy legal talent from across the EU will no longer travel to the UK, again reducing our access to top-quality candidates. This in turn could impact our legal services sector greatly, something we must try to avoid at all costs. The impact on local councils and local government It is unclear what impact Brexit has had directly on councils, but whatever subsidies the UK government have been receiving from the EU to allocate to local councils, post Brexit this could potentially have serious consequences affecting certain services delivered by councils to their local communities. Currently Councils have already had their funding reduced from central government and local councils have had to find innovative ways of raising funds to keep up with the costs of delivering services to the local communities. A shrinking economy would also place more pressure on local government. The potential for “No Deal” in a year’s time means that local authorities will have to keep planning for the implications of this. This particularly affects UDC as a port inspection authority. It will also have a major impact on some councils as there is still no clarity on EU workers’ rights and freedom of movement which will make workforce planning very difficult. The need for certainty after Brexit The biggest pain point that all the legal professionals I spoke to have is the uncertainty that still exists. Brexit will be the largest ever change to the UK’s legal framework, and the sector and the wider country must be ready to deal with those changes, and the transition period we are in needs to go some way to remove the uncertainty we are facing. CILEX have argued that “at the point of exit and in the process of any prospective transition period, there should be absolute clarity as to what law is in effect". The legal professionals I spoke to completely agreed. Throughout this transition period and beyond we need to be kept in the loop to ensure the smooth running of legal services. There are also questions being raised about contingency planning and what this is costing the sector. Many legal firms and departments are already spending a great deal of time and money planning for a situation that is yet unknown, and it is likely these plans will need to be put into effect before any real certainty arises, which could have a negative knock-on effect overall. The need to take ‘No Deal Brexit’ off the table There is also the very real fear of what a ‘No Deal’ Brexit will do to our economy and the legal sector overall and the uncertainty this promotes. The Law Society argued that ‘in the interests of legal certainty, it is imperative that a ‘No Deal’ scenario is avoided at all costs.’ A ‘No Deal’ scenario would have a significant impact on legal services. Our current legal set-up means that UK and EU lawyers and law firms have the right to practice across the EU. Without a deal this could stop instantly, which would result in restrictions across Europe and limit practice, something that my clients and candidates have stressed we must try to avoid. Similarly, without a deal UK lawyers would lose the right to represent their clients in EU courts, something that could adversely impact many practicing legal professionals across the UK. This could mean closures of UK legal offices and would impact the UK’s bustling legal services sector for sure. So, it is clear to see that the effect of Brexit could be significant. This the largest ever change to the UK’s legal sector which presents both opportunities and risks, but those opportunities will only present themselves if the process is managed successfully. For that reason, we need to call for some legal certainty as we move through this period of transition and look to the government to ensure we finish the year with a deal that works for the UK’s legal sector. What next? If you are worried about Brexit or have further input as to how it may impact the legal sector, please get in touch. Alternatively, you can check out our latest legal jobs here.