Returning to Law After a Career Break

Legal careers do not always follow a straight line.

A career break might follow caring responsibilities, illness or recovery, bereavement, relocation, time overseas, further study, travel or a move into another profession. Some legal professionals step away because the timing or working environment is no longer right, while others take an opportunity outside private practice and later decide that they want to return.

The break may last several months or a number of years. You might want to return to the same kind of role, revisit a practice area you previously worked in or explore a different part of the profession altogether.

Whatever your circumstances, time away does not erase the experience you built before leaving. Returning to law can, however, require preparation, flexibility and a realistic understanding of how firms will assess your experience now.

This guide looks at the practical steps you can take when returning to a legal career and what recruiters and law firms are likely to consider during the hiring process.

The regulatory information in this article relates principally to solicitors practising in England and Wales. Other regulated legal professionals should check the current requirements of their own regulator.

Is it realistic to return to law after a career break?

Yes, although the route back will be different for every legal professional.

A firm is likely to consider the length of your break, your previous level of responsibility, the relevance of your earlier experience and how much your area of law has changed. It will also want to understand what kind of role you are seeking, the working arrangements you need and how prepared you are to return to practice.

Someone returning after a relatively short break to the same practice area may be able to move into a role at a similar level. A longer absence, significant changes in legislation or a move into a different specialism may require a more gradual transition.

That could involve additional training, closer supervision, a fixed-term position or accepting a role at a different level initially. None of these should automatically be seen as a backward step. The right position can help you rebuild recent experience, confidence and professional contacts.

Formal return-to-work programmes and returnships are offered by some law firms and public-sector legal employers. They can provide structured training and a supported route back, but they are not the only option. Legal professionals also return through permanent vacancies, fixed-term contracts, part-time roles, in-house positions and opportunities created through their existing networks.

The Law Society’s guidance on returning to law after a career break is a useful starting point. Its Back to Law Ambassadors also share first-hand experiences of returning to the profession.

Why do legal professionals take career breaks?

Career breaks are often discussed almost entirely in the context of maternity leave, but there are many reasons why someone may step away from a legal career.

These can include:

caring for children, parents or other family members
managing a health condition or recovering from illness
relocating within the UK or moving overseas
bereavement or other significant personal circumstances
undertaking further study or professional development
travelling or taking a planned sabbatical
running a business or working in another sector
moving into a non-practising, operational or commercial role
reconsidering the type of legal career they want
taking time away following redundancy, restructuring or the closure of a firm

A concise, professional explanation will usually be enough when you begin applying for roles. You do not need to make the career break the focus of your application, but you should explain the dates clearly and be ready to discuss why you are now prepared to return.

The emphasis should be on where you are going next rather than apologising for the time you spent away.

Are you returning to the same practice area?

Returning to the area in which you previously developed most of your experience is usually the most straightforward route.

Your earlier technical knowledge, client experience and understanding of the work remain relevant. The main question for an employer will be how current that experience is and what you have done to prepare for your return.

A recruiter or hiring firm may want to know:

when you last managed matters in that area
the type and complexity of work you handled
how independently you worked
whether you managed a caseload or supervised others
the kinds of clients you advised
how the law, procedure or regulatory environment has changed
what training or professional reading you have completed recently

Do not simply say that you are willing to update your knowledge once you start. Demonstrating that you have already begun the process gives an employer greater confidence in your commitment and readiness.

Can you return to a previous specialism after working in another area?

Returning to an area in which you previously practised can be realistic, particularly where you built meaningful experience in the specialism and your more recent work has given you relevant transferable skills.

For example, time spent in-house may have strengthened your commercial judgement and understanding of client priorities. A move into operations, compliance, professional support or management may have developed your leadership, risk and process skills. Experience in another legal discipline may also be relevant where the two areas share similar clients, procedures or technical knowledge.

The firm will still want to understand why you want to return to the earlier specialism and whether your knowledge is sufficiently current. You should be ready to explain:

how much experience you previously gained in the area
why you moved away from it
what has prompted your return
which parts of your recent experience are transferable
how you are updating your technical knowledge
whether you would consider a period of additional supervision or training

The longer it has been since you practised in that field, the more important this preparation becomes.

Can you change practice area after a career break?

Moving into a completely new practice area is possible, but it is likely to be the most challenging route.

Law firms often recruit experienced legal professionals because they need someone who can take responsibility for matters reasonably quickly. A candidate with several years of post-qualified experience in one area may therefore not automatically be treated as equally experienced in another.

Your qualification date will not change, but employers are also likely to assess the amount of recent and directly relevant experience you can bring to the role.

A complete change may be more achievable where there is a clear connection between your previous work and the new practice area. Relevant client sectors, drafting skills, advocacy, negotiation, case management, regulatory knowledge or business development experience may all help to build that connection.

You may also need to consider:

entering the new area at a more junior level
accepting a different salary initially
undertaking targeted training or study
gaining experience through a fixed-term or contract position
looking at an adjacent rather than entirely different specialism
considering a broader legal, compliance or professional support role

Interest in a practice area is important, but it will rarely be enough on its own. Firms will want evidence that you understand the work and have taken practical steps towards making the transition.

The Law Society also provides guidance for solicitors considering a change in career direction.

Check your regulatory and practising status

Before applying for roles, check your current status through mySRA and establish whether there are any regulatory steps you need to complete.

If you are returning to a position in which you will be practising as a solicitor, you will normally need a current practising certificate. The SRA recommends that solicitors returning after a career break apply for a practising certificate at least 30 days before they intend to start practising, in case there are matters that need to be reviewed.

You should also confirm whether you remain on the roll of solicitors.

Solicitors who do not hold a practising certificate must complete the SRA’s annual process if they wish to remain on the roll. The application window and requirements can change, so check the current SRA guidance on remaining on the roll rather than relying on dates from a previous year.

If your name is no longer on the roll, you may need to apply to be restored before applying for a practising certificate. The process will depend on the circumstances in which your name was removed.

Different requirements may apply to CILEX professionals, licensed conveyancers and other regulated legal practitioners. Check directly with your regulator rather than assuming that your previous authorisation remains current.

Refresh your legal knowledge and professional competence

Solicitors returning after a substantial period away are not required to complete a fixed number of training hours simply because they have taken a career break.

They are, however, expected to reflect on their practice and address any learning and development needs before returning. This includes keeping their understanding of relevant legal, ethical and regulatory obligations up to date.

The SRA’s continuing competence guidance explains that solicitors who have been away from practice should reflect on their needs and complete appropriate learning and development before returning.

Learning could include:

formal courses and qualifications
webinars and conferences
reading legislation, case law and regulatory guidance
attending specialist practice events
completing practical systems training
learning from experienced colleagues or mentors
reviewing the SRA’s professional standards and competence requirements

Begin by reviewing what has changed in your intended practice area since you last worked in it. This may include:

legislation and case law
court rules and procedural requirements
regulatory guidance and warning notices
professional conduct obligations
anti-money laundering requirements
data protection and information security
legal technology and case management systems
client expectations and service delivery
pricing, billing and commercial pressures

It is also sensible to keep a record of the learning you complete. The SRA does not prescribe one particular format, but it says that recording and evaluating learning can demonstrate the steps taken to maintain competence.

Its guidance on recording and evaluating learning and development includes practical advice, and the SRA also provides learning and development templates.

Being able to show how you identified and addressed your development needs may also be useful during the recruitment and interview process.

Be clear about the kind of legal role you want

A broad search for “anything in law” is unlikely to help you present a convincing case to employers.

Consider the work you want to do, the environment in which you perform best and the aspects of your previous career that you would like to retain.

Think about whether you are looking for:

a return to private practice
an in-house legal position
a specialist or broader regional firm
a role with a traditional caseload
a professional support or knowledge role
a compliance, risk or operational position
a contract or fixed-term route back
a part-time or flexible opportunity

You should also consider your preferred location, salary expectations, working pattern and appetite for management or business development.

The clearer you are, the easier it becomes for a recruiter to identify realistic opportunities and explain your experience to a prospective employer.

How should you explain a career break on your CV?

Do not leave an unexplained gap and hope that an employer will overlook it. A short, factual explanation is usually more effective.

For example:

Career break | January 2023 to July 2026

Planned career break following relocation overseas. Continued to monitor developments in employment law through professional updates and online learning. Now permanently based in the UK and seeking to return to an employment law role.

Alternatively:

Career break | September 2022 to August 2026

Took time away from private practice due to caring responsibilities. Now ready to return to legal work and have recently completed training covering developments in private client law, professional conduct and anti-money laundering requirements.

The explanation does not need to be lengthy. It should tell the reader what the period was, provide appropriate context and make your current intention clear.

Where relevant, include activities undertaken during the break, such as:

consultancy or freelance projects
voluntary or trustee responsibilities
study and professional training
running a business
teaching, mentoring or community work
keeping up with legal developments
work completed in another profession or sector

Avoid stretching unrelated activities to make them sound like legal experience. Instead, explain honestly which transferable skills they helped you develop.

Be realistic about level, salary and recent experience

One of the most important parts of a successful return is understanding how the current market is likely to assess your experience.

Your previous title and qualification date remain part of your professional history. A firm may not, however, view several years away from practice as equivalent to several years of recent fee-earning experience.

That does not mean you must automatically start again. It means the appropriate level will depend on the role, the length of your break, the relevance of your earlier experience and how much support you may initially need.

A recruiter should be honest with you about:

how firms are likely to view your experience
the level at which you are most likely to secure interviews
current salary expectations
which employers may be receptive to returners
whether a permanent, temporary or fixed-term route is most realistic
whether an adjacent role could provide a stronger route back
where additional training or supervision may be expected

Taking a slightly different role initially can sometimes create a better long-term return than holding out for an exact replication of the position you left.

Discuss working arrangements clearly

You may be returning with different priorities from those you had before your career break.

Flexible working can include part-time hours, different start and finish times, compressed hours, job sharing, remote work or a hybrid arrangement.

Anyone with the legal status of an employee has a statutory right to request flexible working from their first day of employment. This is a right to make a request rather than a guarantee that every proposed arrangement will be agreed.

The Acas guidance on statutory flexible working requests explains the current position, including who is eligible and how a request should be considered.

The statutory right applies once you are employed. When considering a new role, it is therefore sensible to establish the expected working pattern before accepting an offer rather than relying on a future request.

A recruiter can raise practical questions with the firm, clarify where flexibility exists and help avoid misunderstandings later.

Be clear about what you genuinely need and where you can be flexible. A precise proposal is easier for an employer to consider than a general request for “some flexibility”.

Prepare for the questions you are likely to be asked

A career break is likely to form part of the interview discussion, but it should not dominate the entire conversation.

Prepare concise answers to the following questions:

Why did you take the career break?
Why are you ready to return now?
Why are you interested in this role and practice area?
How have you updated your legal knowledge?
What experience from before or during the break is most relevant?
What level of responsibility are you ready to take on?
Are there any areas in which you would initially need support?
What working arrangements are you seeking?

Being open about areas that need refreshing is not necessarily a weakness. A realistic understanding of your development needs can be more reassuring than claiming that nothing has changed during your time away.

Rebuild your professional network

You do not need to wait until you see the perfect vacancy before beginning your return.

Reconnect with former colleagues, professional contacts and people working in your intended practice area. Attend relevant Law Society, regional legal or specialist practice events. Update your LinkedIn profile and follow developments within the firms and sectors that interest you.

The Career Returners resources for lawyers also include return-to-work advice, professional networks and examples from legal professionals who have successfully resumed their careers.

These conversations can help you understand how the market has changed, identify knowledge gaps and become more confident discussing your experience.

How can a legal recruiter help you return to work?

A specialist legal recruiter can give you a current view of the market before you begin making applications.

At Clayton Legal, we can look at your previous experience, the length and nature of your career break and the type of role you now want. We can then help you assess where your background is most likely to be relevant.

That may involve identifying firms open to experienced returners, exploring opportunities in a previous specialism or considering adjacent roles that use your wider skills.

We will also be honest where a direct return at the same level may be difficult. Understanding that early allows you to make informed decisions about salary, seniority, working arrangements and the steps needed to rebuild recent experience.

Your career break is part of your professional story, but it does not need to define the rest of your career.

If you are considering returning to law, moving back into a previous practice area or exploring where your legal experience could take you next, speak to the Clayton Legal team for a confidential conversation.

Frequently asked questions about returning to law

Can I return to law after a long career break?

Yes. Legal professionals have returned after breaks lasting several years, although a longer break is likely to require more preparation.

Employers will consider your earlier experience alongside your current knowledge, readiness and expectations. You may also need to be flexible about the role, level or route through which you return.

Do I need a practising certificate before returning as a solicitor?

You will normally need a current practising certificate if the position requires you to practise as a solicitor.

Check your mySRA account, confirm whether you remain on the roll and review the current SRA guidance before agreeing a start date. The SRA recommends applying for a practising certificate at least 30 days before you intend to start practising following a career break.

Do I need to complete CPD before returning?

The SRA does not currently prescribe a fixed number of continuing competence or CPD hours.

You must identify and address the learning and development needed to perform your role competently, including keeping your legal, ethical and regulatory knowledge up to date.

Can I move back into a practice area I worked in previously?

Yes, particularly where you developed meaningful experience in that area.

The firm will want to understand how long it has been since you last practised, how you have updated your knowledge and whether you initially need additional supervision.

Can I change to a completely different area of law?

It is possible, but it may involve entering at a different level, completing further training or demonstrating a strong connection between your existing skills and the new specialism.

A move into an adjacent area may be more realistic than a complete change, particularly where a firm needs someone who can manage work independently.

Should I include a career break on my CV?

Yes. Give the period a clear heading, include the dates and provide a concise explanation.

You do not need to make the break the focus of your CV, but leaving a significant period unexplained may create unnecessary questions.

Can I request flexible working when I return?

Anyone with the legal status of an employee has a statutory right to request flexible working from their first day of employment.

This does not guarantee that the exact arrangement requested will be agreed. When applying for a new role, it is sensible to discuss any essential working arrangements before accepting an offer.

Returning to Law After a Career Break: A Practical Guide for Legal Professionals