Feeling scared about the demands of law as a future trainee

[AspiringSol]

I just feel quite demotivated and fearful about what the future holds.

Mainly, I can’t envisage coping with the exhausting working hours and high levels of stress. And there seems to be a lot of evidence around me that people do not cope. I know there’s not much point worrying loads but it would be great to hear if anyone else feels the same and can relate.

 

[Abii]

Fear of the unknown is completely natural, especially with the pressure attached to it being something you have worked really hard towards.

I am the type of person that tries to plan for everything and automatically goes to worst case scenario disaster mode so I can relate somewhat although I am not (yet) a future trainee - however I work similar hours across a full time job and the LPC, and have previously worked a full time and part time job, and almost full time whilst studying a full time LLB. I have moments where I think what happens if I get a TC and then hate it because my entire life for the last 6 years has been studying law and working towards that goal so you aren't alone!

Working long hours is exhausting - but so is not having any financial security. Even on a trainee salary at the MC you shouldn't be stressing about how you pay next months rent as it is above the London average salary.

Law does have an attrition problem, but so do many other industries with similar working habits/patterns. Hopefully this will start to be addressed by law firms in the near future!

Ultimately you wont know if you can handle it until you do it - but an MC firm would not hire you if they didn't think you could hack it!

 

[TCinpipeline]

I felt compelled to reply to your message to try and provide some ease and pressure off of you having worked for City law firms a long time. It is easy to read that everyone is leaving law (but from the law firm I work for, they are leaving as they got jobs to go to at other law firms, not leave the industry entirely). Very few I know have left it entirely but I guess there are some that do. Other industries are also undergoing staff losses due to the great resignation at the moment. So I guess it is about putting it into perspective that it is not just law that it is happening to.

There is a lot of emphasis put out there that working in law firms will require long hours but it is not like that all of the time. Associates tell me they may work long hours one evening but not the next. You can also put your requests into HR where you would like to work so it doesn't have to be in practice areas where you feel the hours will be long. May be a secondment will be a good seat - I have heard trainees tell me that the hours are better at banks - I can't say for other sectors. It may also be a good idea to find out what your firm's well being services they have available. Having a mentor will also be valuable to you for someone to go to talk to so you don't feel alone and you can air anything you feel you are not coping with. Lots of firms have mentors in place as it allows trainees to settle into the teams better. If there is no mentor, I am sure you will have other trainees you will click with and you can lean on each other during your trainee journey. Most of all, try and look forward to it, it is a journey. I remember a trainee who came to our team as her first seat and she did look petrified but after a few weeks she seemed she had settled in fine and was getting into the work. Take your time, prioritising tasks will be a good idea so you don't feel overwhelmed. Lauren who just spoke for TCLA said you can always approach an associate in a team and saying you are unable to fulfil everything being given to you at the moment and associate will help you in working it out. Its all about working as a team in each of your seats - talking to other team members, etc on your work and don't be afraid to ask questions, there is never a silly question on something you have not done before. Good Luck!

 

[Jessica Booker]

What I love about this community is that people often say things far more eloquently than I ever could, and the two posts above do that.

To put some balance in, I know many "lifers" (people that stick to the job) - whether they be lifers at one firm, or law lifers who move across firms. Yes, lots of people leave, but a lot stay as well. And they are super happy to stay. You might just be one of those people.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Because of my morbid curiosity I had a look at the Freshfields “find a lawyer” list to see how many people were still there that were there when I left. I left 8 years ago next month.

At first I thought it might just be impressive where I was starting with the partner list (I stopped counting at 80). But the senior associate list was still particularly high. I recognised 58 people at senior associate level, and I may have even not spotted some people due to name changes and where I didn’t recognise them. That was over 50% of the Senior Associates listed in London. And I didn’t even take into account people who might be working in other locations.

And that’s just the people who stayed at the firm. I know from LinkedIn that many went to other firms and are still lawyers.

So although many people might be leaving the profession, I can still see many who have stayed.

I now feel exceptionally old but also proud!

 

[Jane Smith]

I am an old lawyer who loves it with lawyer children even. Lots of people do not leave, do not break down or have problems with stress or long hours and are perfectly happy. You could be on the minimum wage for life or less in some jobs without even PAYE and that is very stressful. You will probably be fine. Do think about what makes you happy eg eating good foods or lots of sleep or a walk or cycle to work or hobbies at the weekends or seeing family and try to build that into your working life from the start if you can.