Career in Law or Civil Service???

Vicki1980

I am a mature student (aged 40!). I have been studying now for 7 years (GCSEs, Access Course and degree).   I have just graduated university with a first class Law degree.  I am due to start my part time LPC (for 2 years) in Sept 2020. 

I have always had aspirations of becoming a solicitor.  I like the idea of the prestige and of course the salary!

In 2018, after years of being out of work whilst raising my children (and studying)  I started working as a part time receptionist at a local high street solicitors and after 12 months was promoted to a legal assistant.  My current salary is £18K.  The firm have always been very supportive of my desire to progress and become a solicitor and in January this year I spoke with the Senior Partner about a training contract.  At the time he said that he would be happy to give me a 2 year training contract that could potentially start when I start my LPC this September so they could run along side each other.   My salary as a trainee would increase to £19,995 (minimum trainee solicitor salary).  At the end of my training contract the starting salary for a qualified solicitor will be £30K. The firm always retain there trainees once qualified. 

Due to COVID-19, I was furloughed in a April for 3 months. Many other assistants in the firm were also furloughed. I have only just returned to work this week. My team manager has now indicated that it would not be wise for me to approach the partner again just yet about a training contract given the uncertainty of everything due to COVID-19. So I’m now uncertain as to when (if ever) I will get my training contract. Bearing in mind my age....time is not on my side and I am keen to qualify ASAP. 

Rewind to just before I started as a legal assistant........., I applied for a Civil Service Job in the Home Office.  I passed all the interview hurdles and was offered the job but placed on a 12 month reserve list.  I forgot all about it after a while. 

I have now been contacted by the Civil Service and offered a start date of Oct. The starting salary is £24k as an EO with a maximum salary of £27k. The role itself looks so very interesting.  I know I would enjoy the responsibility that comes with the role.  I’ve always liked idea of a job for life with great benefits (pension, flexi working etc) too.  

So my dilemma.....do I continue my career path as a solicitor? Bearing in mind I have to continue with 2 more years of study (plus £8k of  additional student debt) and remain on a poor salary of £18k without the guarantee of a Trsining contract or even if I do get a training contract I’m still only earning £19,900 for two years. But knowing that when I do qualify I will be guaranteed a £30k salary with a probable earning potential of £35-40k after 5 years qualified.  

Or do I......completely change careers to work for the civil service with an immediate significant salary increase, no more studying or uni debt and with great benefits. But risking a stagnant salary due to slow (or no!) career progression meaning I could still be stuck on £24 in two years. On the other hand if I did progress  my salary could reach £30-40k anyway! 

Can anybody offer me any advice.....or perhaps a crystal ball!! 😂 

Thank you.

elsien

You seem to be very focused on the salary.
And then you say you want to be a solicitor for the money and the prestige. 
All of which is fine as far as it goes. But there a lot more to a job/career than how much you get paid.
Your question might be easier to approach if you gave some thought to the other aspects of the different options.  Like how much you'd enjoy them,  how much of a challenge you want, what sort of organisation you want to work in. Etc.

p00hsticks

Don't assume that the Civil Service is a job for life anymore

Vicki1980

elsien said:

You seem to be very focused on the salary.
And then you say you want to be a solicitor for the money and the prestige. 
All of which is fine as far as it goes. But there a lot more to a job/career than how much you get paid.
Your question might be easier to approach if you gave some thought to the other aspects of the different options.  Like how much you'd enjoy them,  how much of a challenge you want, what sort of organisation you want to work in. Etc.

Thanks for your reply.  Yes I am focussed on salary because that is probably the only distinguishing factor between the two choices. 

I love the idea of working for both organisations and both roles present good  challenges. 

However, at my age I cannot afford to be hanging around waiting to be given a training contract in order to qualify as a solicitor.  Because I will never be able to enjoy the responsibility that comes with many years of experience if I don’t qualify soon. 

So yeah I am focussed on the money because at the end of the day we “work to live” we don’t “live to work” :-) 

gwynlas

Congratulations on all that you have achieved to date. I completed my degree in my 40's/
At your current age you have almost 30 years of work ahead of you. I presume that you know what aspect of law interests you or have you solely focussed on the type of work your firm specialises in?
You need to consider the pro's and con's of each option. A higher salary but little scope for individuality or hanging on and having more freedom to practice what matters to you.
I know lots of things are uncertain due to covid but unless your senior partner is a grumpy ogre what is the worse thing that could happen if you brought up the training contract issue?

sammyjammy

Don't make the assumption that an EO role in the Home office is a role with any meaningful responsibility, its an entry level role.  There will probably be good promotion opportunities if you stay.  Civil Service can be a very mundane and tricky place to work, lots of red tape and frustration,  I have been a CS for nearly 30 years and have had the best of times and the worst of times.

If it were me I would stick with what you have now, you could ask for a meeting with the Manager and rather than say am I getting my training contract you could pitch it that you know how difficult things are but are they able to give you an idea if its something that will come in the future, if they are straight with you and say no you can make further decisions, it seems a shame to have done all that studying just to end up a Civil Servant!

Dox

Vicki1980 said:

elsien said:

You seem to be very focused on the salary.
And then you say you want to be a solicitor for the money and the prestige. 
All of which is fine as far as it goes. But there a lot more to a job/career than how much you get paid.
Your question might be easier to approach if you gave some thought to the other aspects of the different options.  Like how much you'd enjoy them,  how much of a challenge you want, what sort of organisation you want to work in. Etc.

Thanks for your reply.  Yes I am focussed on salary because that is probably the only distinguishing factor between the two choices. 

I love the idea of working for both organisations and both roles present good  challenges. 

However, at my age I cannot afford to be hanging around waiting to be given a training contract in order to qualify as a solicitor.  Because I will never be able to enjoy the responsibility that comes with many years of experience if I don’t qualify soon. 

So yeah I am focussed on the money because at the end of the day we “work to live” we don’t “live to work” :-) 

If you think salary is the only distinguishing factor between the civil service and a high street law practice, you've got an awful lot to learn. Look at the structure of each organisation, for a start - and the governance. 

Your post is full of contradictions - the Home Office role 'looks so very interesting' - so interesting that you'd forgotten about it. You want to be a solicitor for the prestige and the pay. Ever looked at the stats to see how many qualified solicitors are trying desperately to get out of the profession?

I don't know where you live in the country, but you are talking about pretty modest salaries for a training contract, never mind a qualified solicitor. Have you approached other firms to see if they could offer you a training contract?

You're getting much too hung up on your age - and if you are, you're likely to trigger the same response in potential employers. You are 40, fantastically well organised (studying while bringing up children is anything but simple), highly intelligent (you've got a first class law degree) and now need to add in some sensible motivation - and you need to clarify in your own mind what that is. Think about the old adage: find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life.

Would love to know what you decide and what happens if you could take the time to update this post in due course.

JReacher1

I would take the civil service job. 

The law firm you are currently at doesn’t sound like it’s the most prestigious company and they were offering you the minimum salary on a training contract, plus if also seems like they are struggling due to COVID.  If the civil service doesn’t work out then you can try the law route again. 

Vicki1980

Dox said:

Vicki1980 said:

elsien said:

You seem to be very focused on the salary.
And then you say you want to be a solicitor for the money and the prestige. 
All of which is fine as far as it goes. But there a lot more to a job/career than how much you get paid.
Your question might be easier to approach if you gave some thought to the other aspects of the different options.  Like how much you'd enjoy them,  how much of a challenge you want, what sort of organisation you want to work in. Etc.

Thanks for your reply.  Yes I am focussed on salary because that is probably the only distinguishing factor between the two choices. 

I love the idea of working for both organisations and both roles present good  challenges. 

However, at my age I cannot afford to be hanging around waiting to be given a training contract in order to qualify as a solicitor.  Because I will never be able to enjoy the responsibility that comes with many years of experience if I don’t qualify soon. 

So yeah I am focussed on the money because at the end of the day we “work to live” we don’t “live to work” :-) 

If you think salary is the only distinguishing factor between the civil service and a high street law practice, you've got an awful lot to learn. Look at the structure of each organisation, for a start - and the governance. 

Your post is full of contradictions - the Home Office role 'looks so very interesting' - so interesting that you'd forgotten about it. You want to be a solicitor for the prestige and the pay. Ever looked at the stats to see how many qualified solicitors are trying desperately to get out of the profession?

I don't know where you live in the country, but you are talking about pretty modest salaries for a training contract, never mind a qualified solicitor. Have you approached other firms to see if they could offer you a training contract?

You're getting much too hung up on your age - and if you are, you're likely to trigger the same response in potential employers. You are 40, fantastically well organised (studying while bringing up children is anything but simple), highly intelligent (you've got a first class law degree) and now need to add in some sensible motivation - and you need to clarify in your own mind what that is. Think about the old adage: find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life.

Would love to know what you decide and what happens if you could take the time to update this post in due course.

Dox said:

Vicki1980 said:

elsien said:

You seem to be very focused on the salary.
And then you say you want to be a solicitor for the money and the prestige. 
All of which is fine as far as it goes. But there a lot more to a job/career than how much you get paid.
Your question might be easier to approach if you gave some thought to the other aspects of the different options.  Like how much you'd enjoy them,  how much of a challenge you want, what sort of organisation you want to work in. Etc.

Thanks for your reply.  Yes I am focussed on salary because that is probably the only distinguishing factor between the two choices. 

I love the idea of working for both organisations and both roles present good  challenges. 

However, at my age I cannot afford to be hanging around waiting to be given a training contract in order to qualify as a solicitor.  Because I will never be able to enjoy the responsibility that comes with many years of experience if I don’t qualify soon. 

So yeah I am focussed on the money because at the end of the day we “work to live” we don’t “live to work” :-) 

If you think salary is the only distinguishing factor between the civil service and a high street law practice, you've got an awful lot to learn. Look at the structure of each organisation, for a start - and the governance. 

Your post is full of contradictions - the Home Office role 'looks so very interesting' - so interesting that you'd forgotten about it. You want to be a solicitor for the prestige and the pay. Ever looked at the stats to see how many qualified solicitors are trying desperately to get out of the profession?

I don't know where you live in the country, but you are talking about pretty modest salaries for a training contract, never mind a qualified solicitor. Have you approached other firms to see if they could offer you a training contract?

You're getting much too hung up on your age - and if you are, you're likely to trigger the same response in potential employers. You are 40, fantastically well organised (studying while bringing up children is anything but simple), highly intelligent (you've got a first class law degree) and now need to add in some sensible motivation - and you need to clarify in your own mind what that is. Think about the old adage: find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life.

Would love to know what you decide and what happens if you could take the time to update this post in due course.

I am fully aware that there are many different distinguishing features to the two careers.  My point was that I have equal interest/excitement etc for both careers so therefore the only distinction that would allow me to favour one role over the other is the salary!! 

In regards to your suggested contradictions that I forgot about an interesting job, I forgot about it simply means I put it out of my mind because I was on a 12 month reserve list that I could do nothing about until they contacted me.  

Your point about SOME solicitors regretting their career choice is exactly why I am asking for advice. I think you will find in other statistics that there are many solicitors who enjoy their role and are being paid a substantial salary.

Ultimately, my decision is a coin of two sides and this is why I am seeking advice from people who work in both professions. 

I really didn’t think it was necessary to have to explain my initial points in that much detail but hey ho 🤷‍♀️. 

Vicki1980

sammyjammy said:

Don't make the assumption that an EO role in the Home office is a role with any meaningful responsibility, its an entry level role.  There will probably be good promotion opportunities if you stay.  Civil Service can be a very mundane and tricky place to work, lots of red tape and frustration,  I have been a CS for nearly 30 years and have had the best of times and the worst of times.

If it were me I would stick with what you have now, you could ask for a meeting with the Manager and rather than say am I getting my training contract you could pitch it that you know how difficult things are but are they able to give you an idea if its something that will come in the future, if they are straight with you and say no you can make further decisions, it seems a shame to have done all that studying just to end up a Civil Servant!

Thank you for your reply. 

It’s interesting that people in Civil Service are telling me to stick with Law yet I know a couple of trainee solicitors who are saying I should go with the Civil Service!! It seems the grass must look greener! 😂 

I guess I’m trying to figure out the opportunities for promotion once in the Civil Service. My biggest concern is being stuck on £24k for the next five years.  

Also, I’ve no doubt I will be given the training contract in my current firm.  The question is when??  And if I can continue until then and  for the length of my training contract on £18-19k.  I just worry  I may be strung along waiting for a long time .

Emmia

What about being a civil service lawyer? Join the home office, pass your 1 year probation and then move over for the training contract etc. Best of both worlds? You'll get the higher starting salary and will be able to use your qualification. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-legal-department/about/recruitment