A couple of weeks ago I attended the Legal Cheek Virtual Law Fair. It was an enjoyable afternoon and I made the most of the sessions put on. But it still felt like it has been done all before.
Why?
Because the attending firms seem to be at every law fair, whether in person or virtually.
Just for the record, this is not a criticism being thrown at Legal Cheek for putting on the event because it is clear that it was a success and so many of us took a lot away from the event and the people attending. Law fairs are always helpful and provide a great chance for young aspiring lawyers to connect with trainees, graduate recruitment staff, qualified associates and Partners. Legal Cheek has put on some great events this year, including the "Virtual Vacation Scheme" in June 2020, so they are clearly doing this pandemic right!
You'll notice that the firms that are mainstays at events such as this, whether virtual or in-person, tend to be the big commercial firms.
In London especially, you see the biggest players in the game - firms like Baker McKenzie, Linklaters, Hogan Lovells, Freshfields, Clifford Chance, Slaughter and May, ones like that.
In the "regions" (ie anywhere that isn't London), there are still the bigger multinational names there like Eversheds Sutherland, Pinsent Masons, DWF, Addleshaw Goddard, Gowling WLG, along with firms with a national presence like Shoosmiths, Browne Jacobson, Irwin Mitchell, Knights plc, Gateley plc and so on.
Fairs like this are definitely disproportionately dominated by commercial law firms. And I find that on the face of it, there is a lack of variety and a lack of real choice as a result.
By only having the big names attend such events, there is a lack of variety in the types of firms, the characters, the sizes, the values, the people and the practice areas at these events.
Put it this way - are you interested in gaining experience in Criminal law? How many of the big firms that attend fairs have expertise in Criminal law? The big names like Bakers and Links and Freshfields don't so if you're looking for criminal practice work, either as a prosecutor or a defense advocate, then you'll struggle to find them at many fairs unless the Crown Prosecution Service attend. And if you are indeed dead set on practicing in Criminal law, then the big commercial firms attending just won't be for you.
I don't think fairs attended by predominately Big Law or big commercial firms do any favours to:
a) students who don't feel big corporate or commercial law firms or the tasks that these areas of work involve are really for them, and
b) smaller firms outside of the "City" (that square mile or so inside London that's typically considered the business district) have to work even harder to spread their name and the work they do to the next generation of lawyers.
If we expand point b) out a bit, it is commonplace for big-name firms to have dedicated expertise in areas such as marketing, PR, business development so as to spread their name far and wide, including all over the world. These firms have enough revenue and goodwill gained over the years that they can afford to have specific departments to focus on PR and 'BizDev' whilst the legal professionals can focus on their tasks at hand.
Smaller firms won't necessarily have these dedicated teams in the office. So there are 2 options:
1) ask staff to multitask - the upside is job variety for staff so they're not bored, but the downside is that it takes time away from the fee-earning work for clients and so runs the risk of the business bringing in less money and so won't be able to pay staff salaries, pay for subscription services like MS Office or legal research sites like PLC or LexisLibrary, or pay rent to landlords.
2) outsource - the upside is that there are companies that offer PR and BizDev services that can be tailored to the firm, but the downside is that those companies will expect to be paid for their services! This will take away revenue from these smaller firms who may or may not have a huge turnover at the time of instructing them. Smaller firms are working incredibly hard at the best of times to bring money into the firm (take it from someone who worked at a start-up firm!).
This disproportionate domination by Big Law at university law fairs, whether in person or virtual, tends to give the impression that if you don't follow a career in law at one of these firms that always attend fairs, then wherever you end up just won't be worth it! Like you'll never succeed in the profession unless you train and qualify at a Magic Circle firm.
But this is absolutely not the case!
Same as there are multiple ways of qualifying as a solicitor (as you'll likely be aware, I'm a big fan of the CILEx route!), there are so many places to train and work in the profession! There is a huge world outside the Big Law and big commercial law bubble. All you have to do is look.
I think because my journey is particularly unique to me, which also includes where I've come from and where I see myself going, I have accepted that I probably don't and won't fit into a Big Law or corporate commercial law firm. I don't have any regrets about that and I know I have to follow the best path for myself if I am going to have a career and a life that is ideal for me and my future family.
As someone with a learning difficulty and managing his own mental ill-health where it is in part linked to that difficulty, one of the things I look for is a good office culture and how that firm encourages a good work-life balance. Maybe this is by having colleagues and management encouraging me to continue to write and blog and create content, maybe it is by learning about my interests and tailoring some office days out to make me feel more included and part of the process (here's looking at some escape rooms, or maybe that Judge Dredd experience in London opening in 2021!), or maybe its by just genuinely giving a damn about me! Nothing fancy or special, just include me in things and don't see me just as part of the furniture, but accept that there may be times where I just want to be left alone to crack on.
I feel I would find working at a big corporate commercial law firm to be very very overwhelming and not conducive to prioritising good health and wellbeing and work/life balance. I certainly got that impression at one multinational commercial law firm in central Birmingham a couple of years ago.
Folks I have connected with over the last 6 months or so who I've learned a lot from and enjoy their content are from firms outside of the London bubble and are places I can certainly see myself fitting into based on their values.
Here are a few that I have learned a fair amount about and seem like they are great places to work that aren't in the City, but offer no let-up in the quality of work you could be doing!
CEL Solicitors
CEL Solicitors is a nationwide family-run law firm based in the centre of Liverpool that specialises in civil litigation in the service areas of data breach claims, Plevin and financial misselling claims, Japanese knotweed claims and housing disrepair claims.
The firm's ethos is that it places "people before profits". This means that the work done isn't about the bottom line, but that the focus should be placed on the people. "Happy staff make happy clients make happy profits!"
The firm's staff and clients are placed at the heart of what the firm does. Staff are championed at every milestone however big or small, and the firm's clients are treated as more than just a case number. There are regular mental health and wellness check-ins, an amphitheater for training sessions and presentations, a breakout room with a pool table and a 4-person arcade machine, a bell for celebrating achievements or completed cases, and a fully stocked bar (Friday champers, anyone!). Little things that go a long way in terms of staff morale and feeling like they are truly welcome and included in the firm's journey.
I first came across Founder and Director of the firm Jessica Hampson after listening to her appearance on the Legally Speaking Podcast (listen here).
I was very interested to hear about her journey, the challenges she has faced, and how she came to set up the firm. She qualified via the Equivalent Means route having spent 10 years as a paralegal. Like me, she experienced toxic workplaces and was taken advantage of when working as a paralegal which led to her resignation. This would be the genesis point of wanting to create her own firm that puts people before profits.
Being based in Liverpool means you are in the middle of a vibrant and interesting city. It is the home of the Beatles, the Cavern Club and the 2020 Premier League Champions, there is John Lennon Airport and a short trip abroad not too far away, and you won't be wanting for nightlife either!
Stephenson Law
Stephenson Law is a next-generation law firm based in Bristol with other offices in London and Amsterdam. They offer services in data protection, IP, technology, corporate, commercial and dispute resolution.
The firm is named after the Founder Alice Stephenson, an entrepreneur, tech lawyer, angel investor, and brilliant character on social media! She is passionate about all things inclusion and gender equality and founded the firm in 2017 with the aim of creating a law firm that is known for its high quality of work but without the stuffiness of a typical corporate commercial firm. A quote stuck out for me here: "be a flamingo in a flock of pigeons!" Like a flamingo, the firm is fun, quirky and unique. The firm's logo is even in the shape of a flamingo! The idea is that whenever you see a flamingo, you think of Stephenson Law!
She also appeared on the Legally Speaking Podcast (listen here) where she spoke about, amongst other things, why she decided to create Stephenson Law. She wasn't impressed with how typical law firms treated their employees and the culture that was created at these firms too. She left her role at the time, worked as a consultant for a few years, and started her own firm thereafter where she was able to put clients and employees at the heart of what the firm does. Staff working at the firm are more than just cogs in a machine; they are essential parts of Stephenson Law's future.
Bristol has gained a reputation in the legal profession as attracting City-quality work but without the high stresses that go along with the City. There is an excellent chance for a good work-life balance here, and there is plenty to do in the city and beyond. Great nightlife in the city and Harbourside, frequent links to the rest of the country from Temple Meads station, and the rest of the world from Bristol Airport, the 9th busiest airport in the country.
Thrive Law
Thrive Law is a specialist employment law firm based in Leeds, with another office in London's West End. They offer services around unfair and constructive dismissal, settlement agreements, TUPE, discrimination, and restrictive covenants to name but a few.
The name came from the Founder, Managing Director and solicitor Jodie Hill, who believes that everyone should be enabled to thrive in the workplace. To say that Jodie Hill is a superstar in the profession would be doing her a real disservice! She is passionate about all things employment law and mental health. She inspires everyone around her with her passion, work ethic, and desire to see everyone around her thrive at work!
She appeared on the Legally Speaking Podcast to talk about her journey to creating Thrive Law, and her episode is in the top 5 episodes of the show (listen here). She has appeared on local and national news including Sky News, BBC News, Yorkshire Post, Law Society Gazette, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic offering insight into employees' rights around travel between countries on the quarantine list. She campaigned to make Mental Health Risk Assessments mandatory in workplaces. She was recently appointed a member of the Employment Law Committee of the Law Society, and she and Thrive Law have been shortlisted for and received numerous awards over the years, cementing her and the firm's position as true leaders in the profession.
Leeds is a fairly youthful city, popular with young professionals and students. Because of its youthful feel, the entertainment and nightlife in the city are great and there is plenty to do at any time of the day. You can access the rest of the country via Leeds City railway station, the third busiest railway station outside of London, and the rest of the world via Leeds Bradford International Airport.
So you can see from these examples that you don't have to be limited to Big Law or the City or commercial law as you can still get high-quality training and development by simply expanding your search to elsewhere in the country. Don't discount them just because they don't carry a name like Clifford Chance or Linklaters, but look further into them, ask questions, and see if you can fit in there. You might be surprised!
Be safe and be well! :)
P
Credit: cover image photo by Bench Accounting on Unsplash
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