Reasons for moving firms upon becoming a newly qualified solicitor

As in many professions, newly qualified (NQ) solicitors often move firms for the following reasons:

• To have exposure to further or higher-quality training
• To work alongside well-known partners/industry experts
• To experience a different type of work (for instance some solicitors will be attracted by the complexity of higher-net-worth individual work or the size of larger corporate deals)
• To become more specialised (e.g. only in company commercial work)
• To to have a higher degree of client contact than that offered by, say, volume conveyancing work

Other reasons might be:

• A suitable post-qualified position is not available at your current firm
• There are limited career or advancement possibilities
• A desire to earn a higher salary
• A desire to be closer to family or “home” town

Whatever your reason or reasons might be, it is probably best to contact, sit down and discuss your situation as soon as practical with a recruiter such as Olsen Recruitment to discuss your goals and options.

Discussion

Assuming you have confirmed or clarified your objectives with your recruiter, there is then a need to take stock of the type of firms that may interest you along with present market conditions. First, let’s review the types, features and practices of the main types of law firms in the East Anglian region. These are:

1. Volume conveyancing firms
2. High street practices
3. Traditional full-service law firms
4. Regional commercial full-service law firms
5. Niche law firms

The information below is a general guide to the typical features and practices of these firms, but bear in mind these listed firms and their practices vary considerably and this is simply a general guide.

1. Volume conveyancing firms 

• Typical size: 2-3 partners; fewer than 50 staff
• Career structure: Flat/maybe non-existent
• Client contact: Low
• Salaries: Low-mid level salaries
• Working hours: Typically 9-5
• Staff specialism: High proportion of unqualified staff
• Legal 500/Chambers and Partners ratings: Unlikely
• Sector specialism: N/a

2. High street practices 

• Typical size: Fewer than 5 partners; fewer than 30 staff
• Career structure: Flat/maybe non-existent
• Client contact: High
• Salaries: Low-mid level salaries
• Working hours: Typically 9-5
• Staff specialism: Usually predominately qualified solicitors.  Solicitors likely to practise more than one area of work (e.g. dual conveyancing and probate solicitor)
• Legal 500/Chambers and Partners ratings: Unlikely
• Sector specialism: N/a

3. Traditional full service law firms  

• Typical size: Fewer than 15 partners; fewer than 150 staff. May have offices throughout Norfolk or Cambridgeshire.
• Career structure: Usually flat but in existence, e.g. solicitor, associate, partner
• Client contact: High
• Salaries: Mid-level salaries
• Working hours: Typically slightly longer than 9-5, with some evening/weekend work
• Staff specialism: Usually predominately qualified solicitors.  Solicitors usually practise one area of law but in commercial services (such as commercial litigation) across different sectors
• Legal 500/Chambers and Partners ratings: Likely, particularly in individual services such as probate and family. May have some employment/company commercial specialism, but client base in these areas typically mid-value
• Sector specialism: May have some sector specialisms

4. Regional commercial law firms

• Typical size: More than 10 partners; more than 100 staff.  Typically several office locations, e.g. Norwich, Cambridge etc
• Career structure: Usually highly structured, e.g. solicitor, senior solicitor, associate, senior associate etc
• Client contact: Variable, dependent on the area and PQE of lawyers
• Salaries: High salary levels
• Working hours: Typically longer than 9-5.  May have long-hours culture (e.g. 12 hour days). Evenings/weekend work may be common
• Staff specialism: Usually predominately qualified solicitors.  Solicitors are usually specialised in particular sectors
• Legal 500/Chambers and Partners ratings: Very likely in all areas the firm practises; may be known as a ‘regional heavyweight’ firm in East Anglia. Likely to have some top tier ratings
• Sector specialism: Very likely

5. Niche law firms 

• Typical size: Small (e.g. up to 20 staff).  Usually founded by ex. City/commercial law firm partner(s)
• Career structure: Usually flat – e.g. solicitors and partners only
• Client contact: High client contact
• Salaries: High salary levels
• Working hours: Variable
• Staff specialism: Solicitors specialised
• Legal 500/Chambers and Partners ratings: Very likely. May have some top tier ratings
• Sector specialism: Very likely

Second, as with all businesses, market conditions play a part in placement and career opportunities. Currently, employment conditions are favourable for solicitors in areas such as real estate and company/commercial law. Naturally, local conditions and opportunities may vary.

It should be noted here that it is more common, in general, for NQ solicitors to move from a traditional full service firm to a regional commercial firm, or from a high street firm to a traditional full-service firm.  It is less common to move from a large regional commercial firm to a small high-street firm or traditional full-service firm (not least due to the differences in salary!).

Finally, sometimes an individual’s objectives may limit suitable post-qualification offers (for example due to location wishes). In this event we usually suggest the individual continue to gain experience – even in a non-qualified position – while continuing with the recruiter to search for the “right” opening.

Last year more than 90% of candidates we put forward for an interview successfully obtained a job offer. The majority of candidates we helped moved from high-street and volume conveyancing firms to traditional and regional commercial firms. The earliest we have secured an NQ position for a trainee is six months in advance.

Get in touch

For a full assessment of your NQ CV, a one-to-one discussion about East Anglian law firms and for help with the interview and moving processes, get in touch with us.  There’s no hard-and-fast rules about when. Whether you’re newly qualified or six months away from qualification, contact us at any time (including at the weekend) on 01603 516261, 07960 743650 or info@olsenrecruitment.khdigitaldev.co.uk.