Congratulations – you’ve landed a new legal role, and after a busy period of applications, interviews, and meeting your new employer, you are no doubt looking to the future and the next steps in your career.

But even with the excitement of a new legal position looming, more often than not, there is still a notice period to consider with your current firm. The average notice period for legal professionals in our experience tends to be around 3 months, and it is highly likely that there will be a number of objectives to deliver before you set off for pastures new.

Here we offer our top 5 tips on how to navigate this ‘halfway house’ between your current role, and your new one to ensure you leave on good terms as well as feel fully prepared for your next challenge.

1.  Be prepared for conversations around negotiation

Whatever the reason or reasons for leaving your current firm, it is always worth having a preliminary conversation before you start looking for new opportunities, to see if those initial reasons may be overcome. If, however that conversation didn’t take place, you should nevertheless consider what you would do should a counteroffer be on the table once you make your intention to resign clear.

In the current market, where demand for legal professionals is outstripping supply, this is exceptionally common, so you need to at least be prepared for such a scenario and ask yourself, would you actually accept a counteroffer? The answer to that lies in ultimately revisiting the reasons you wish to leave in the first place.

Counteroffers take many forms including increased pay, a promotion, enhanced benefits, or a combination of all of those, and there is no doubt that it can feel flattering to be in that position. However, research suggests that 80% of people who accept a counteroffer tend to leave within 6-12 months of accepting. Is it likely you’ll also be part of that statistic?

Assuming you’re still set on moving on, resigning gracefully is key – ensuring you cover all bases with and address these often-uncomfortable initial conversations – and ultimately remain professional, and on good terms as you prepare to exit the business.

2.  Tie up all loose ends

Whilst it may be an easy option to go into cruise control once you have formally resigned, it will also destroy any goodwill and reputation you have no doubt worked hard to build on during your tenure with your current employer.

Making sure you remain committed to fulfilling your obligations and deliverables is key – not least because it means you aren’t leaving your colleagues ‘high and dry’ and left to pick up the pieces.

Generally speaking, there is never a ‘good’ time to leave a company, in that there will almost always be projects still ongoing, case loads still being actively managed, and future meetings in the diary.

Therefore, it is a good idea to:

• Confirm expected deliverables (and revised deadlines) with your current manager
• Ask who will be responsible for taking on your various tasks, caseloads, projects, and expectations around a formal handover

Practically speaking, once colleagues are aware that you are leaving, you can start to clear your desk so that it’s ready for the next occupant. Removing paperwork, filing and archiving, binning wastepaper and taking personal items such as photographs home will ensure your workplace is ready, clean and welcoming for the next person.

3.  Give a robust handover

Scheduling time to plan for a smooth transition further demonstrates that you are a true professional and not someone who leaves a law firm or a colleague in the lurch, or projects unfinished. Think about your specific areas of responsibility – current caseloads, unfinished assignments, urgent jobs and upcoming commitments, as well as information on your clients that your successor or wider team will need.

Even if projects or caseloads are likely to be ongoing, giving detailed instructions on where things are up to will be invaluable to your successor – especially if that individual is new to the business. Depending on your role and responsibilities, this may include

• A directory of key contact details
• Process documentation – ‘how to’ guides, or more detailed process maps
• Detailed notes on specific cases
• Duties detailed by frequency – daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly etc
• Project documentation including

If your firm decides to advertise your role and bring in a replacement as it were, it may be that you meet this individual to handover for a period in person. Going the extra mile here will leave a lasting impression, especially if you take on some of the responsibility for training and helping that person settle in quickly. Mitigating any disruption, especially where clients of the firm are concerned, is paramount and if you are able to ensure the handover is as smooth as it can be, you will certainly leave with a reputation for professionalism and hard work intact.

4.  Keep connected

With an exciting new role to look forward to, you’ll no doubt want to tell close colleagues and friends about your new opportunity, and it is likely that news of your intention to leave will be communicated more widely around the business.

That being the case you will be asked both why you are leaving and where you are going to – so it’s wise to have a response planned. The temptation to tell people how amazing the new opportunity is, or how you’ll be working for a ‘better’ employer or company will undoubtedly be there, but tread carefully. Keep the message positive, but keep in mind the colleagues (and long-term legal network) that you will be leaving behind.

Your professional reputation will follow you out of the door on your final day, and if you are continuing to practice in the same sector, work for a competitor, or even work in the same region, chances are your paths will cross again at a networking or social event. It’s therefore imperative that you don’t burn any bridges as you exit.

Rather, use this opportunity to preserve your professional network. Building and maintaining relationships with co-workers right up until the point you leave (and then thereafter) will pay dividends – so use this time to connect on social platforms, ask for endorsements and recommendations, and share new contact details.

5.  Start onboarding early

As seasoned legal recruiters, we always press the point of the importance of maintaining contact with your prospective employer as you work your notice period. This applies to both parties in the equation, and hopefully you will already be in continual dialogue with your new manager, the HR team, or even the wider team you will soon be a part of.

Regardless, it is good practice to consider the following steps ahead of day one:

• Follow your new employer’s social media accounts- helping you keep up to date with any news as well as get a feel for the kind of messages and communication they broadcast.
• Connect with your new team members on LinkedIn- even better, message them with a short message saying how much you are looking forward to joining.
• Attend any events organised by your new employer- your enthusiasm to get involved ahead of you starting in your new position will be duly noted and help to cement relationships from the outset
• Confirm and check your logistics- travel routes, train timetables, parking arrangements all need to be reviewed ahead of your start date if you are traveling to a physical office. If however your new role involves you working from home, it’s still a good idea to check your WIFI connection for the inevitable Teams or Zoom meetings, and make sure you have a suitable working space if you haven’t already.
• Be proactive- ask if there is any training material, staff handbooks or similar that you can read ahead of day one. There may be specific paperwork you need to complete perhaps. Getting ahead of the game shows you are committed to the new role, and helps to free up the first week from some of the administrative tasks.

Granted, you are also physically working your notice period (and busy tying up those loose ends) meaning time may be at a premium, but any effort you put in during this period means you can hit the ground running and will undoubtedly start to impact your new working relationships even before you’ve set foot through the door.

Finally

Handing your notice in can often be a bittersweet process. On the one hand, you will no doubt be looking forward to starting with your new employer, yet on the other, you still have legal obligations to fill as well as the emotional impact of saying goodbye to colleagues and friends.

Leaving a lasting (good) impression is vital and taking the steps above to demonstrate commitment to the very end won’t go unnoticed and will likely impact your personal reputation as you take these next steps in your legal career.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 3,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers – and have helped to guide many legal professionals through the offer process, through their notice period, and beyond as they start their new career.

If you are considering your options at the moment, we can help to navigate the market and present realistic options. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

The end of one year and the start of another is typically when our thoughts start to turn reflective about our work and home life.

Questions to ask yourself to further in your legal career:

• Are you where you want to be?
• Did the challenges of this year highlight that you’re not entirely happy in your current role?
• Are you where you want to be in your legal career?
• Did you level-up this year and want to flex your new skills in a role with more responsibilities and a higher salary?
• Have you been toying with the idea of a change but have been dissuaded thinking that now isn’t the ‘right time’?

All of these thoughts will be going around in the minds of many legal employees. Even more so this year, after such significant shifts have happened in both our work and personal lives.

Today we look at how legal candidates can start planning now to take advantage of legal career opportunities in 2023.

What Do You Want from Your Legal Career?

This year has provided many of us with additional time to reflect that we didn’t know we needed.

The extreme circumstances of emerging from the pandemic have been the catalyst for some significant mindset shifts.

Some legal employees found that during their firm’s time of crisis they were truly working within a team and for an organisation that they were happy with – for others, it provided the clarity to realise that they were not.

In some cases, there might have been certain career opportunities that you were promised which have not come to fruition, and this year might have shone a light on your employer’s dedication to your training development.

The rise of remote/ hybrid work this year has highlighted the importance of flexibility for both legal employers and their employees.

Even next year, when the pandemic is long gone, how many will want to stay remote on a full-time basis?

Many legal employees have seen the value of not just remote work, but a flexible approach to working, and will be looking for this from their employer.

I spoke to a candidate recently who was looking for a new role due to their employer’s inability to be flexible with remote work even though it was a success during the lockdown, and I’m sure there are many other candidates in a similar position.

Another area where candidates are placing their focus on is their training and development in a post-pandemic world.

Training and Development

Of course, this year has not been easy for many firms, but employees must feel assured that their employer is invested in their development.

Some law firms were quick to adapt digitally and offer staff all of the help and support they needed to work from home successfully. But other legal professionals have found that they were not supported in a way that is conducive with career progression.

Even despite the pandemic and economic crisis, there are legal firms who have continued to train and develop their teams this year.

Are you regularly being supported and offered training and development in your current legal role, or has it been put on hold because of the pandemic?

If you feel that your employer is not providing you with substantial development opportunities, this is a sign to look for a role with a company that will.

So, where are the challenges and opportunities within the legal sector for 2023?

Redundancies and Skills Shortages

Like all industries, the legal sector has had areas that have suffered due to the pandemic and others that have thrived.

Personal Injury law is one area where we have seen redundancies, whereas property law, Conveyancing and Family Law has been in high demand.

There are currently skills shortages across Conveyancing and Property Law, so consider this if you are considering a 2023 career move, but talk to your legal recruiter about where the opportunities are in your area.

If you are going to be applying for new legal jobs in 2023, now is the time to revisit your CV.

Getting Your Legal CV Ready

January is historically a buoyant time for the jobs market, and 2023 is set to be no different.

When looking for a new role, you will want to appear to prospective employers as the legal candidate to invite to an interview – and you can do this with some tweaks to your CV.

Think about what you can offer potential employers based on the challenges you have faced and the growth you have achieved this year.

Employers are looking for emotionally intelligent employees with a growth mindset who can flex. Demonstrate how you have overcome challenges this year in regards to remote working, helping your employer as well as your colleagues through the challenges of Covid.

Digital skills and the willingness to learn are going to be essential in 2023 too.

For example, “In my role this year, I used my previous cloud knowledge to help our firm make the switch from office-based to home working. I stepped up and offered to be the facilitator and help my colleagues remotely with WFH challenges such as digital file-sharing and taking digital payments”.

If you need assistance tailoring your legal CV, we can help. Contact us here or call our team of legal career experts on 01772 259 121 to find out more.

Next Steps?

Where do you want to be at the end of 2023 in your legal career?

Some great and underutilised and underdeveloped legal candidates are staying put because of perceived risk, but now is the time to think about what you want.

We can help you with career planning, CV writing, your legal job search and setting up interviews.

Get in touch with us by calling 01772 259 121 or contact us here to discuss your legal career options for the new year.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

1. Do your research.
Lawyers are known for being good researchers. You spent countless hours in law school researching and scrutinizing information. Before every interview, know who you will be speaking with and research their background. Find them on LinkedIn, and conduct a light Google search to find any commonalities between you and your interviewer(s). Note down their accomplishments, awards, and accolades. Bringing it up during your interviews will show them you took the time to get to know who they truly are and gives them a sneak peek into your research capabilities.

On top of knowing the interviewers, walk into your interview with a deep understanding of the firm itself. After all, this is where you plan to dedicate your next several years. Having a good understanding of the firm’s founding story and partners will give you a good sense of the culture the firm builds.

Know what role in the firm you would have if you got the job. Knowing this in great detail will help you craft your narrative on where you want to take your career and how the firm closely aligns with your goals.

2. Be presentable and dress your best.
A Solicitors core job is to represent their clients, and coming to your interview polished and presentable bodes well. First impressions are powerful, and making it extremely important to you as you prepare for an interview will heighten your chances of being well received by your interviewers. The good news is law fashion has loosened up over the years.

3. Come prepared to ask questions.
What kind of lawyer would you be if you were not naturally curious and thorough? Let your curious nature shine through during your interview by coming prepared with well-thought-out and intelligent questions. Avoid questions that are related to your personal benefit. For example, don’t talk about money, vacation time, billable-hour logistics, and other related questions.

Think big picture and ask about the successes of the firm, where the firm is headed, and how you can contribute to their growth. Promote positivity in the interview and avoid any negative sentiment. If they were in the press for a controversial case, avoid bringing up uncomfortable topics that could sour moments in your interview.

4. Be personable and show enthusiasm.
Good Solicitors know how to build relationships. It starts with trust and one way to build trust is to be personable and get to know your audience. Show interest and enthusiasm for meeting your interviewers. They are taking time out of their busy days and their billable hours to meet with you.

Show respect by fully engaging in the conversation. Show up on time or early even. Being late is the kiss of death in the interview world. Be polite and courteous to support staff, such as secretaries, front desk receptionists, and other non-attorney staff. No need to come across as pretentious in the interview or ever for that matter.

5. Be genuine.
Repeat after me: Never, EVER, lie in an interview. There is no quicker way to bomb an interview than by starting to tell lies—even little white lies.

If you are invited to lunch during your interview day, don’t let your guard down. Those lunches are often strategically placed in the interview process to test how you interact in a casual setting. Be your usual genuine self, stay professional, and represent yourself just as polished over lunch as you would in an interview room. The same goes for virtual interviewing.

Sample interview questions and answers

Review these sample interview questions and answers to form your own responses:

Why do you want to practice law?

This question allows you to talk about what attracted you to the legal field. Your answer to this question can position you as the best person for the role and can provide the hiring partner with a glimpse of the knowledge and experience you can bring to the job. Employers want to hear how important this field is for you, so show your genuine interest in law when providing an answer.

Example: “I want to practice law because I’m passionate about bringing justice to clients and upholding the law of our country. I believe it’s important to be fair and unbiased, and I’d like to help someone experience that in their case. Being an attorney is more than filing paperwork with the court—it’s a chance to represent someone who needs help.”

What are your strengths as a lawyer?

Employers want to know your strengths so they can see how you could work with their current team. Since your strengths are unique, you can use your response to stand out from other candidates. Answer this question by relating your strengths to the job you’re applying for and the tasks you expect to be responsible for. Use the STAR technique to give a specific example of your strengths.

Example: “One of my biggest strengths is perseverance. I once represented a client who filed a suit against their employer for failing to pay for injuries they sustained while on the job. It was a difficult case to gather evidence since no employees claimed to witness the accident and there was no video footage. After performing some in-depth research and interviewing several employees, I was able to find out that there was a delivery driver present who corroborated my client’s story. Thankfully, we were able to settle quickly after that.”

What do you want your clients to know about you?

This question helps a hiring partner understand more about your client relations. Think about how you want a client to feel after an interaction with you in the office or courtroom. Consider what attributes you have and how you work that makes a client happy to have you represent them. Employers want to make sure that you treat clients well and represent their law firm in a positive light.

Example: “I want my clients to know that I’ll work hard in their case because they matter to me. I care a lot about their personal outcome and do my due diligence in researching their issue to offer solutions, file the appropriate paperwork and represent them in disputes. My clients should know that I am their advocate, and they can be honest with me about their situation and take comfort in the fact that I’m providing a safe space for them.”

Describe your approach in the courtroom.

How you perform in the courtroom can be the determining factor in winning your case. Answering this question is your chance to share how you interact with members of the court, present your case and represent your client. Give a detailed, step-by-step answer that shows exactly how you prepare and work in a courtroom.

Example: “Either the night before or the morning of a case, I study all of my notes so I’m fully prepared for the trial. I make sure any witnesses or evidence I need to present are confirmed. I usually take an aggressive stance during proceedings so my client gets fair representation. When the opposing side is presenting, I take thorough notes so I can counter effectively.”

Law firm interview tips

Here are some interview tips to consider so you can present yourself well to the hiring partner:

• Familiarise yourself with recent court rulings.
• Research the law firm.
• Bring examples of papers you’ve written.

Research the law firm

Especially if the law firm is well established in the community, the partners want to make sure you will continue to bring good representation to them. It’s important to show that you have researched the firm and are excited to work there. You’ll also be able to better explain what makes you a good fit for the firm and why you chose it as your new place of employment.

Bring examples of papers you’ve written

A large component of working at a law firm is being able to articulate your case in a clear, concise and professional way. Hiring partners may want to see evidence of your writing, so bring some examples. This could include court documents you have prepared, an extensive legal research paper you wrote in school or a legal memo.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from Partners to Legal Executives, Solicitors to Paralegals and Legal IT personnel to Practice Managers.

Whether you are building your legal team or are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

At the start of a new year, many of us review where we are in both our personal and professional lives. For those of us working in the legal sector, it’s no different.

The specific details of the legal path you want to take might differ slightly. However, the five fundamentals we are sharing today form part of any successful career planning process, as we have observed placing more than 5000 legal professions over the last twenty-two years.

First, let’s put some context around the impact of the new ‘norm’ when it comes to creating your plan.

The New Norm

As we navigate our way out of the pandemic and multiple new variants, it is fair to say that the new normal hasn’t impacted the legal sector as much as others, except for improved technology, communication channels and virtual recruitment.

We noticed here at Clayton Legal that the phone continued to ring after the initial few weeks of the first lockdown as clients asked us to help fill their roles. This continued throughout 2021, accelerating at pace as the year went on. 2022, so far, shows so sign of this appetite to hire slowing down.

Hybrid, home, and remote working are still major debates across firms as they consider the permanency of such working arrangements.

As predicted by the Microsoft Workplace Trends report, many candidates we speak to are keen to have some flexibility around working in the office or at home. Consequently, we are seeing more firms willing to consider hybrid working moving forward.

The critical piece of the conversation is that skilled legal candidates are in short supply. This results in employers counter offering employees to stay with them rather than moving to a new law firm. Some legal candidates continue to have multiple offers on the table.

In summary, if you are a skilled candidate looking to move, this is your time.

What an opportunity, though let’s have a sense check here. Jumping into a new role with an improved package and a hybrid working opportunity is OK, provided it is part of your long-term plan.
Therefore, consider this as you plan your career. Moving and building your career takes time, depending on the level you want to achieve.

So, what should you be considering in your overall plan?

Decide What You Want

Goal setting and tweaking can happen at any time of the year. As Professor Maxwell Maltz shared in his New York Times bestseller, human beings are success-seeking creatures, and therefore we want to achieve success.

Without goals to inspire and drive you, it’s impossible to know if you’re moving in the right direction. In simple terms, if you don’t know the destination, then you can’t plan the journey.

Deciding what you want allows you to take control of your professional life.

Simply saying that you want something isn’t enough. Goal setting is a strategic process that considers what you want to achieve through a series of milestones and action steps and ends with hard work and dedication.

Therefore, setting a goal and then moving towards it is a logical process we would all be advised to tap into.

Most legal professionals want:

• • To work in an area of law that they enjoy and find interesting

To receive sufficient income for their work to enable them to live comfortably

• To be considered as being professional and knowledgeable
• To achieve a work/life balance that allows them to enjoy a life away from their work

No matter your opinion about setting goals, you will find yourself meandering around with no real sense of purpose unless you are clear on what you want.

Choosing stretch goals means finding the right balance between targets you can realistically achieve and aims that challenge you.

However, don’t set goals that are too easy, either. It’s essential to challenge yourself, as that way, you can reap the rewards of feeling accomplished and driven. Find goals that help you raise the bar on your work and performance.

Always have both short- and long-term goals in mind.

Let’s take an extreme example. If you are a trainee solicitor who wants to become a barrister, you will have to move, study, and gain experience over several years to achieve what you want. This will therefore inform the steps you need to cover in your plan.

Remember, the legal field has many options for you to consider. The more you learn about the legal space, the more you’ll discover new career opportunities and paths you can take.

A Goal Setting Framework

One of the most popular goal-setting strategies involves creating “SMART” goals. There are variations on what the “SMART” acronym stands for, but most experts agree that it requires your goals to be:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Time-Bound

Your legal career goals must be clear and defined. A vague goal like “I want to get a promotion” doesn’t provide sufficient direction. Determine what kind of promotion you want that will fit your plan and when you want to accomplish that target.

Conduct a Skills Audit and Contact A Legal Recruiter

To accomplish what you want in your legal career, you will have to up-level your skills relevant to your desired roles. Knowledge is power, and this is where talking to someone who has the ultimate position you want can be useful.

Although, remember that a lot has changed during the last few years and what was once required for a role, either skills or experience, might have changed.

This is where talking to a specialist legal recruiter will help. Here at Clayton, we have over twenty years’ experience recruiting legal professionals and can guide you on the best next steps according to the specific legal career path you want to take.

With the specs for your ideal job to guide you and your CV in hand, write a list of the skills you need to work on and rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 4. A rating of 4 indicates that you’re an expert in the area, while a rating of 1 means that you have very little knowledge or skill in that area.

Once you know which elements need the most work, you can develop a list of activities that will help you close the gap.

Managing Your Mind

The first step in developing your legal career is to embrace the right mindset by managing your mind. More than ever, the pandemic has highlighted the importance of working with our mentality to handle whatever is happening globally.

It’s easy to assume that creativity, intelligence, or talent are the things that set successful people apart from the rest of the world. However, the truth is that all the most powerful people in business today reached their goals through perseverance, grit, dedication, and the right mindset.

Your ultimate goal may take a few years, and the more you can manage your mind through the process, the better.
Good Luck!

What Next?

Though many workplace sectors experienced poor growth in 2020 and into last year, the legal sector wasn’t one of them. Here at Clayton Legal, we have multiple clients looking for skilled and ambitious candidates like you. For a confidential conversation about your legal career goals and your next move, please get in contact with one of our team here.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country
since 1999 and has built up an enviable reputation for trust and
reliability during that time. We have made over 5,000 placements from
Partners to Legal Executives, Solicitors to Paralegals and Legal I.T.
personnel to Practice Managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

For legal professionals considering a career move, navigating the job market, now more than ever, can be daunting, especially in practice areas where creating stand out is key. Making sure your application is the one that gets noticed, makes that vital positive first impression and works hard to get you that interview, and into that dream role is key. Read our top 10 tips:

1. Do the groundwork thoroughly

You’ve scoured the market, you’ve seen a new opportunity that has piqued your interest, and you know you’re a great fit – but taking a step back and researching that new opportunity beyond the advert is important. Research the firm thoroughly, even if you’re already aware of their brand and reputation in the market. Look at their digital footprint, their social media channels, their brand, and voice across the sector. What are their values, their mission and vision? What are their growth plans and future aspirations? If, at the end of the process you’re sure you’re on the right path, this undertaking will pay dividends at interview stage in demonstrating your knowledge about them as a potential employer.

2. Give your CV some TLC

Neglect your CV at your peril. This humble document is still a pivotal tool to sell your skills, competences and experience and is often the first opportunity you have to impress. Pay close attention to spelling and grammar and don’t forget the basics – clear formatting, chronological work history, personal contact details – but above all make the time to make it relevant to the role you’re applying for. For those who have previous experience outside of legal, perhaps just include the basics here – Company, job title and employment dates. You can then use the remaining space you have to focus on the experience and skills from your most recent roles – applicable, of course, to the role you’re applying for. The same applies if you have many years of experience – you won’t have the space to describe in detail each role and your responsibilities and achievements; particularly as we’d recommended a CV should be on average 2/3 pages long – and at most, 4 depending on your level of experience. Leveraging those skills and experience to make it clear you’re a match is vital – make it compelling, engaging but above all, specific.

3. Learn to love a cover letter

Whilst some believe the ‘cover letter’ as a tool in your application armory has had its day, many in the legal sector concede that they do still have a part to play in allowing lawyers to further demonstrate suitability for roles and illustrate relevant skills and experience. Again – making it specific to the role and that Firm is key. Demonstrate you’ve done your research about that Firm and highlight why you’re the person they need to hire. Be clear, concise and don’t ramble. We’d recommend keeping it to the one page if you can.

4. Hone that elevator pitch

Refining and perfecting your elevator pitch is time well spent as a jobseeker – and will add value when you’re in an interview scenario further down the line. Being able to articulate your intent, unique attributes, experience, and skill set in 30-60 seconds is an art, but once you have this crafted, it can be used to help define your personal statement and across online application forms.

5. Set aside time

Taking time to search the market for new opportunities takes time, and with those prospective roles in sight, formal job applications often take much longer than you might think – especially if you take on board the advice to personalise your application and supporting documents. Setting time aside in your schedule to dedicate to your job application activity is crucial; factoring in time to proofread, spell check and customise.

6. Embrace the tech

The pandemic has certainly brought about a lot of change when it comes to hiring legal professionals – virtual interviews and onboarding made possible through the rapid acceleration and adoption of tech solutions. As a job seeker, look to standout with alternative ways to raise your personal profile. Video platforms for example are a great way to add personality and weight to your application far beyond the traditional CV and cover letter duo. Requests for video supported applications are increasing, and often facilitated by recruitment agencies. Embrace these tools if they’re offered as another vehicle to demonstrate your suitability.

7. Time to get personal

Without a doubt, your (relevant) experience, skills, qualifications, and education are the hero elements of your legal job application– be that in your CV or a Firm’s own application form. But highlighting your interests out of work is still a great technique to demonstrate your personal qualities, and how you might fit with company culture.  Often an optional section of your application forms or CV, that doesn’t mean they’re a waste of time. Rather, used smartly, hobbies and interests can really strengthen your application and make you more ‘human’.  Try to stay away from stipulating interests that don’t really demonstrate a skill or quality that you’re hoping the hiring manager is looking for. ‘Going out with friends’ for example may be something you do outside of work, but it does little to further exhibit your strengths, skill set, personality, or transferrable qualities relating to the job at hand.

8. Audit your own digital footprint

Like it or not, hirers may conduct their own research into you as a potential employee far beyond the documentation that you have sent to champion that application. Therefore, it’s always wise to sense-check your social media channels to either set to private, or ensure your profile is one you wouldn’t mind your new employer seeing.

9. Boost your network

Connecting with the Hiring Manager at the Firm you’re applying to on LinkedIn may seem bullish, but it can be a savvy move and increase your chances of getting an interview. The connection request should be seen as another opportunity to introduce yourself and interest in the role and wider Firm. Being proactive means you could also open up conversations around the role in more detail that the job spec advertised, and a reciprocal ‘follow’ or connection will offer that individual another window into your experience and voice in the market. It is also worth saying that at this juncture, keep it professional. You don’t want to pile any pressure on regarding your application at this stage.

10. Enlist the help of an expert

Formally registering with a specialist recruitment agency will undoubtedly give you a head start with your job search – furnishing you with market insight as well as the inside track on the Law Firms that are hiring. And, when that dream role is in sight, you’ll be offered practical advice on the basics, refined by experts who live the hiring process and all of its anomalies day in, day out.

Next Steps

If you would like to speak to us confidentially about market conditions, opportunities in your practice area or geographical region, or if you are actively looking for a role and would like us to help give you that competitive edge, we would love to speak to you.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability during that time. We have made over 5,000 placements from Partners to Legal Executives, Solicitors to Paralegals and Legal I.T. personnel to Practice Managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

We were delighted to take part in a Live Q&A event in association with The Law Society earlier this month where we offered our advice and expertise to legal professionals on how to make a compelling legal job application.

In the session we covered a wide range of subjects – from how to master CV basics, to revealing some recent market research where we spoke to Partners and Hiring Managers about what they’re looking for when reviewing applications.

If you weren’t able to join us, you’ll be pleased to know that the session was recorded – click below to view.

We also spoke in detail about current market conditions, and the so-called ‘war for talent’; much documented in recent weeks across many professional sectors. According to statistics from Broadbean, despite a 20 per cent rise in vacancies advertised in Q1 2021 compared to the last three months of 2020, applications to those roles rose by only 4% in the same period.

Law Firms are once again competing for the same, sometimes scarce, pool of legal professionals; some of whom are reluctant to move roles against the backdrop of a pandemic and perceived market uncertainty, and others who do have that confidence and find they have a number of options available to them.

Despite the backdrop of the pandemic, the market is awash with opportunities for those considering a move. If you are indeed in the market as a jobseeker, making your application compelling, engaging, and one that works hard to give you standout is still as important as ever – whether you choose to go direct to the Firm, via a job board, or utilising the services of an experienced legal recruiter.

Top 10 Tips for Supercharging Your Legal Job Application

For legal professionals considering a career move, navigating the job market can be daunting. We were recently asked to share our top 10 tips for creating a standout legal job application with The Law Society which we also wanted to share here:

Click here to have a read

If you would like any further guidance on current market conditions or would like to speak to us in more detail about the opportunities within your region or practice area, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

The new year is a time to think about your career goals; where you are versus where you want to be.

For the most part, 2020 was a year where many things were put ‘on hold’. As the world battled the pandemic, thousands of legal professionals shelved their plans for a career move.

What is different about 2021?

For a start, the pandemic has changed significant parts of the recruitment market, and this shift means that now is the ideal time to consider your career move.

Yes, you could go it alone though working with an experienced legal recruitment company is a better choice; let me explain why.

1. We Understand the 2021 Legal Jobs Market

If finding a new legal role has been on your radar, but you have been putting it off – the jobs market will be completely different from the last time you looked, due to the pandemic.

We have been recruiting throughout the Covid crisis, and we have expert knowledge as to what has already happened, and what this means for future opportunities. We can advise you on legal career options that you may have otherwise been unaware of if you were job searching on your own.

2. Helping You Discover What You Want from Your Career

The role of a recruiter is often misrepresented as someone who finds positions that the candidate is interested in; in reality, we do so much more.

Clayton Legal are legal career experts, and we can help you find what it is you are looking for from the next stage of your career, even if you aren’t sure what that is yourself. Our goal is to help you find a role that fulfils you and helps you get closer to your ultimate career goal – and this is something we offer with our free careers advice service. Get in touch with us here to find out more.

3. Updating Your CV for a Post-Covid World

Updating your CV is the next step to finding a new legal role in our post-Covid world, and where a dedicated recruiter is invaluable right now.

We have worked with legal employers throughout the pandemic, so we know the specific skills and attributes they are looking for NOW in their new hires.

We can support you to tailor your CV to highlight the skills employers are looking for now, such as:

• Legal technology skills,
• demonstrating your emotional intelligence to be able to work effectively as part of a team from home,
• having foresight about specific legal challenges in your specialism.

These are all skills which are on the top of employers’ ‘must-have’ list for candidates right now.

4. Reducing Stress

Changing jobs can be one of the most stressful life events you will go through.

The stress of searching for a new role can often lead candidates to give up on their search and stay put in a position where they aren’t being fulfilled. And with the added pressure that 2020 brought, we are finding that many candidates are choosing to stay put rather than attempt to find a new role.

We understand that things have been tough recently – this is even more of a reason to work with a dedicated legal recruiter; we will enhance your career prospects in a stress-free way.

5. A Passive Search for the Future

Even if you aren’t looking for a new role to start immediately, it is best to get in contact with a legal recruiter for your future plans.

The legal sector has changed so much in the past year, with specific areas such as family law, property and litigation needing more talent than ever to keep up with demand.

When you reach out to a legal recruiter, they can start searching right away, or you can ask them to keep you in mind for any upcoming vacancies a little further down the line – it’s entirely up to you.

5. Moral Support Throughout Your Job Search

Finally, it is worth noting that if you are looking for a job right now and are finding it particularly tough, a recruiter can be a great source of moral support for you.

As I mentioned earlier, a recruiter is more than just someone who searches for job opportunities for you – we can offer real support for when you need it most.

If your legal job search isn’t returning the results you hoped for; if you would like access to more opportunities, interview guidance and legal careers advice and support – we can help.

Next Steps?

Is it time you put into action your plan to find a new role that was shelved due to Covid?

Get in touch with our team of career experts on 01772 259 121 to find out how we can help you in your legal job search today.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121

If you would like to know more about recruiting trends in the legal sector this year, download our guide here.

The end of one year and the start of another is typically when our thoughts start to turn reflective about our work and home life.

Questions to ask yourself to further in your legal career:

• Are you where you want to be?
• Did the challenges of this year highlight that you’re not entirely happy in your current role?
• Are you where you want to be in your legal career?
• Did you level-up this year and want to flex your new skills in a role with more responsibilities and a higher salary?
• Have you been toying with the idea of a change but have been dissuaded thinking that now isn’t the ‘right time’?

All of these thoughts will be going around in the minds of many legal employees. Even more so this year, after such significant shifts have happened in both our work and personal lives.

Today we look at how legal candidates can start planning now to take advantage of legal career opportunities in 2021.

What Do You Want from Your Legal Career?

This year has provided many of us with additional time to reflect that we didn’t know we needed.

The extreme circumstances of lockdown have been the catalyst for some significant mindset shifts.

Some legal employees found that during their firm’s time of crisis that they were truly working within a team and for an organisation that they were happy with – for others, it provided the clarity to realise that they were not.

In some cases, there might have been certain career opportunities that you were promised which have not come to fruition, and this year might have shone a light on your employer’s dedication to your training development.

The rise of remote work this year has highlighted the importance of flexibility for both legal employers and their employees.

Even next year, when the vaccine means that people can safely return to offices, how many will want to on a full-time basis?

Many legal employees have seen the value of not just remote work, but a flexible approach to working, and will be looking for this from their employer.

I spoke to a candidate recently who was looking for a new role due to their employer’s inability to be flexible with remote work even though it was a success during the lockdown, and I’m sure there are many other candidates in a similar position.

Another area where candidates are placing their focus on is their training and development in a post-pandemic world.

Training and Development

Of course, this year has not been easy for many firms, but employees must feel assured that their employer is invested in their development.

Some law firms were quick to adapt digitally and offer staff all of the help and support they needed to work from home successfully. But other legal professionals have found that they were not supported in a way that is conducive with career progression.

Even despite the pandemic, there are legal firms who have continued to train and develop their teams this year.

Are you regularly being supported and offered training and development in your current legal role, or has it been put on hold because of the pandemic?

If you feel that your employer is not providing you with substantial development opportunities, this is a sign to look for a role with a company that will.

So, where are the challenges and the opportunities within the legal sector for 2021?

Redundancies and Skills Shortages

Like all industries, the legal sector has had areas which have suffered due to the pandemic and others which have thrived.

Personal Injury law is one area where we have seen redundancies, whereas property law, Conveyancing and Family Law has been in high demand.

There are currently skills shortages across Conveyancing and Property Law, so consider this if you are considering a 2021 career move, but talk to your legal recruiter about where the opportunities are in your area.

If you are going to be applying for new legal jobs in 2021, now is the time to revisit your CV.

Getting Your Legal CV Ready

January is historically a buoyant time for the jobs market, and 2021 is set to be no different.

When looking for a new role, you will want to appear to prospective employers as the legal candidate to invite to an interview – and you can do this with some tweaks to your CV.

Think about what you can offer potential employers based on the challenges you have faced and the growth you have achieved this year.

Employers are looking for emotionally intelligent employees with a growth mindset who can flex. Demonstrate how you have overcome challenges this year in regards to remote working, helping your employer as well as your colleagues through the challenges of Covid.

Digital skills and the willingness to learn are going to be essential in 2021 too.

For example, “In my role this year, I used my previous cloud computing knowledge to help our firm make the switch from office-based to home working. I stepped up and offered to be the facilitator and help my colleagues remotely with WFH challenges such as digital file-sharing and taking digital payments”.

If you need assistance tailoring your legal CV, we can help. Contact us here or call our team of legal career experts on 01772 259 121 to find out more.

Next Steps?

Where do you want to be at the end of 2021 in your legal career?

Some great and underutilised and underdeveloped legal candidates are staying put because of perceived risk, but now is the time to think about what you want.

We can help you with career planning, CV writing, your legal job search and setting up interviews.

Get in touch with us by calling 01772 259 121 or contact us here to discuss your legal career options for the new year.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

There’s no escaping the fact that we are living in a post-pandemic world, and the impact this could have on your legal career aspirations.

While some parts of life are slowly returning to normal, other areas have changed forever.

The government have borrowed an unprecedented £400bn to tackle the predicted recession, as some sectors struggle to retain jobs.

But in the legal sector, the picture is different.

With the industry faring well, many legal jobs are secure, as many roles in this sector exist to offset the challenges brought about by periods of economic downturn. After the fallout of a recession, businesses need lawyers with the right skills to help them pick up the pieces.

As more and more data is coming out of our sector on where the opportunities are arising, I thought I would update the blog with the latest information on where the jobs will be as we move forward.

First, let’s take a look at where we were in terms of jobs in the legal sector pre-Covid.

The UK’s Legal Skills Shortage

I have written about the skills shortage on this blog before, but it is still a pertinent problem in the UK legal sector. The skills gap has increased since I last wrote about this topic a couple of years ago.

There will be a predicted four per cent decline in lawyers in the UK by 2027 as AI threatens roles. The number of entrants into the profession is failing to keep up with demand, according to a report published last year.

So, considering this, what does the skills shortage mean for you as a legal candidate? It means that now is the time to take advantage of the many career prospects in the sector. Let’s take a closer look at where these prospects lie.

How Has the Pandemic Affected Jobs and the Economy?

Of course, the financial implications of Covid-19 are yet unknown, being unlike anything we have seen before, but economists have not been able to ignore echoes of the 2008 recession.

The fact remains that this recession is different.

Legislation brought in by the government to stop the spread of coronavirus forced the fiscal cogs to stop turning; they didn’t grind to halt of their own accord due to a weak economic environment.

Jobs in the legal sector have not been as severely affected as in other industries; there has been displacement rather than blanket reduction. Firms with a range of different specialisms are looking to refocus and reorder their teams, with some specialisms shrinking, and others increasing to meet market demand.

So where are we seeing the opportunities arising?

Post-Pandemic Litigation

The biggest risk factor for businesses now in the aftermath of Covid-19 is the increased numbers of companies unable or unwilling to fulfil contracts. This has created an increased need for lawyers with the right skills and experience in dispute and litigation; we already see increased opportunities in the rise in these types of vacancies.

Pre-Covid, legal contracts were protected by force majeure clauses, which protected either parties’ obligations and liability in the event of unusual interruptions. If these clauses are not in place, it can be the case that legal contracts are not fulfilled – increasing the demand for both litigation and dispute lawyers.

Supply chain is one area that has been particularly affected by the exceptional circumstances brought about by Covid-19. In March, a study by the Institute For Supply Chain Management found that nearly 75 per cent of all companies surveyed reported supply chain disruptions in one form or another. It will perhaps be many months before the full extent of the failure of contracts is unearthed, and therefore plenty of opportunities for dispute and litigation lawyers to be employed in resolving these issues.

In April, there was a 40% drop in legal vacancies on the yearly average. However, the drop in litigation and dispute resolution was only 32%, showing that demand for these skills remains higher than in other areas of law.

Looking Forward: Post-Pandemic and Brexit Implications

As the UK legal sector is proving to be in a strong position for growth and job opportunities as we move forwards, not even Brexit uncertainty which was affecting plenty of other industries seems to be able to halt the growth.

Brexit fell off the radar in recent months as the pandemic dominated the headlines. Still, as the December deadline approaches, businesses are now focusing on how the UK’s departure from the EU will impact them.

But confidence in the UK legal sector has remained high throughout, with many firms pre-Covid looking to replace overseas leavers and strengthen their teams with the best talent that will take them past the Brexit deadline.

Job Opportunities for Legal Employees

Just because 2020 was put on hold by the pandemic, this does not mean that legal career opportunities have been similarly affected.

Commercial and civil litigation have been almost unaffected by the pandemic, as well as dispute resolution, all of which have experienced virtually no change in opportunities. The main area which we have seen a negative impact is of course, in property law, but a mini-boom in house prices could be the first indication that vacancies in these areas will shortly be back to the yearly average.

At Clayton Legal, we have a wide range of opportunities for legal employees; we can start working with you on your next career move today.

Click here to view our current vacancies or get in touch with us here to have a discussion about the next steps in your legal career with one of our career experts.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help.  Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

If you would like to know more about recruiting trends in the legal sector this year, download our latest guide here.

As we enter into a post-pandemic world, you might be thinking about what this means for the future of your legal career.

In uncertain economic times, it can be more challenging for candidates to locate the same great career opportunities, especially if navigating the recruiting landscape alone.

Many legal employees don’t realise the range of recruitment services out there; others aren’t aware of the advantages of working with a dedicated legal recruiter to find their next role.

If you’re a legal employee currently thinking ‘what next?’, today I want to share how working with a dedicated recruiter, rather than a general recruitment agency, will be the key to unlocking legal career opportunities you didn’t know were possible.

CV Preparation

A lot of job seekers think that working with a recruitment agency means sending your CV, which then may or may not be sent out to employers with current vacancies. While this might be the case for certain recruitment agencies, a dedicated legal recruitment consultancy will be able to provide you with bespoke CV amendments, free of charge before we even consider sending your CV onto the right company for you.

Your CV is your best tool in securing a new role, but the truth is that many CVs that get sent to recruiters need amending if they are going to communicate how good you are.

As recruiters, we work with countless legal CV every day, so we know the type of CVs which get attention from employers, as opposed to the ones which are less likely to make an impact.

Using this knowledge, we can work with you to help tailor your CV to specific roles and specific employers you are hoping to target – we can improve your CV to give you a better chance of landing your new role, and all without a charge attached.

Flexible Legal Roles to Fit: Locum Positions

Covid-19 has changed the way we live and work.

The UK furlough scheme has proved successful in protecting jobs, and we are yet to see confirmation of any lasting significant economic downturn.

But this does not mean job roles and working arrangements will not be altered. We have already experienced an increased number of the workforce working from home, or on reduced contracts, and the introduction of job sharing.

We specialise in finding legal candidates roles that suit their current situation. That could be a part-time role to fit around your newly changed schedule (to account for a partner now working from home) or locum positions for individuals who have unfortunately been made redundant.

We understand that the pandemic has caused a lot of uncertainty in some fields of the legal landscape, which is potentially affecting careers in these areas. We are here to help find you the legal role that you need right now, which will help you with your wider career goals.

Unlocking Hidden Opportunities

Using a legal recruiter to find your next role will open opportunities that you would otherwise not be able to access.

It is a fact of recruitment that 80% of jobs are not advertised.

The legal network in the North West is tight-knit, and with over 20 years of experience in this sector, we can provide opportunities for legal candidates that they wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to be considered for.

Your recruitment journey with Clayton Legal starts when you tell us about your career aspirations. We can then use our extensive network to identify where the opportunities are for you, we then make these enquiries for you and put you in touch with the right people, arranging interviews and helping you prepare.

Our goal is to find you the ideal role using our industry connections – we provide career consultancy, as opposed to recruitment ‘agencies’ who just send volumes of CVs out to multiple firms.

Which leads me onto our free legal career consultancy service, and how it will benefit you.

Legal Career Consultancy – For Free

There is an increasing number of recruitment companies in the UK who claim to all do the same thing – this can be overwhelming for candidates, and quite frankly it isn’t true.

As a legal candidate, it is essential to differentiate between a recruitment agency versus a recruitment consultancy. And in addition the level of expertise and experience they have in the legal sector.

The critical difference is that a consultancy will provide you with a far more complete, tailored service.

Using a recruitment consultancy local to your area is also a pivotal point to consider. Some agencies recruit locally, but they do not have an in-depth knowledge of key localised legal firms. Making a career decision without a full understanding of the sector can negatively affect your career plans. If you act without true expert advice, you might not realise this until it is too late.

And considering that both agencies and consultancies are free, why wouldn’t you choose to use a complete, customised service?

Next Steps?

Choosing which recruitment company to work with should be a highly personal decision, and you should only work with a legal recruiting partner who you are confident will deliver you an excellent service, with the highest level of communication and customer care.

To find out what our legal recruitment process entails, and how we can help find you the legal role you’re looking for right now, get in touch with us on 01772 259 121, or contact us here.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help.  Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

If you would like to know more about recruiting trends in the legal sector this year, download our latest guide here.