Nothing wrong with them, it just wasn’t for me. I’m American myself and initially chose them in an attempt to maybe go back to America someday. I also thought I could just put my nose to the grindstone, get a lot of money to pay off my (very american) exorbitant debt I took out for my degree - it was like 60k to get my LLB on international rates.
But to be honest, I just realised I am not cut out for the hours, and while I like some aspects of corporate law I’d like to try my hand at other areas, like family, clinical negligence, healthcare, something that’s a bit more personal. I also realised I didn’t need to earn 100k a year, I’d prefer 60k and being home at 7 pm. I can still pay my debt back it will just take a couple more years. I also decided I like England and don’t want to go back to America.
My supervisor was a brilliant guy, he was the mentor of my mentor at university - but he just looked real tired, he was always there till like 11 pm. He’d been working on the same matter for two years and had papers everywhere about this matter, like just neck deep in it. He had stacks of takeaway boxes and he told me he resented them because it meant he had stayed past 7 or something, that’s when you can get the free takeaway. It’s not true that magic circle and English firms don’t work you hard either, they all work you hard, so it’s not a thing unique to GD - I just realised I can’t handle the lifestyle.
Thus my applying to
TLT and Hill Dickinson. They’re still commercial, but have more personal practice areas too, and you tend to leave for home around 6:30, 7. I don’t want to burn out early.
But they’re super professional and if that’s the lifestyle you’re seeking I am sure it will be a great fit!
