Working as a contract lawyer appeals to many candidates. Whether you want control over your working life or to ‘try before you buy’, read our guide to the jobs, pay and lifestyle on offer.
Working as a "temp" or on a succession of short-term contracts will tell you more about the jobs, pay and lifestyle on offer. An increasing number of lawyers now choose to work on an interim basis rather than solely considering permanent job opportunities. Interim work is a popular option for candidates arriving in the UK from overseas, candidates returning to work from maternity leave or sabbaticals as well as those who have taken redundancy. There are also many lawyers who choose to work on a consultancy basis, in order to carry out project work.
Interim staff are in demand in all sectors, law firms, in-house and within public services, and at all levels from junior paralegal positions to many years PQE. The types of roles vary enormously but can range from documentation positions through to senior level project and advisory positions.
Almost all law firms, from Magic Circle to small regional practices, will now consider temporary (locum) staff in certain situations. Reasons for these positions include maternity cover; holiday cover, large projects and temporary cover in anticipation of permanent recruitment. Increasingly law firms will consider the temporary to permanent option - allowing both you and them the opportunity to work together before making a permanent commitment.
Commercial businesses have a longer history of using interim staff and there are many opportunities in this sector. Again the roles vary enormously but often these positions offer an element of project work allowing many lawyers to develop and expand their experience and skill set. Hays Legal has placed a large number of interim lawyers to many businesses, including a number of FTSE 250 companies.
Banking and Finance organisations use vast numbers of interim staff in all areas of their business and the legal teams are no exception. Interims are often the preferred option within this sector and the opportunities are vast. Hays Legal has excellent relationships with many of the world’s leading banks and we often recruit for pure legal roles as well as product-based positions. Pay rates are high in this field and with the opportunity to work long hours, this area can be financially extremely rewarding.
Interim staff is essential in many areas of the public sector and positions can often continue indefinitely. These roles are well paid and often candidates can build a strong career whilst working as an interim lawyeras the public sector demands very specific skill sets. Temporary workers are also widely considered for permanent positions within this sector, and this can often be great route into an organisation.
There are many reasons why to chose anm interim position. As an interim you can reap the financial benefits of your training, without being locked into the corporate treadmill of the first firm you walk into. By taking a short-term contract you can have control over your working life.
Alternatively you might be bridging a gap whilst exploring the perfect permanent opportunity or a foreign qualified lawyer who has just landed in the UK and needs an immediate income.
Working on an interim basis also gives you a chance to ‘try before you buy’ – many of our candidates have chosen to stay with an employer they initially joined on a contract basis, confident that the culture of the organisation and the work they would be expected to do matched their expectations.
Financially many candidates benefit from being paid on an hourly rate basis; it allows you to be paid for every hour that you work and often there is generous overtime pay. Working on a temporary basis also benefits the many candidates who prefer to work through the vehicle of a Limited Company.
Hays Legal has a long history of recruiting interim staff. Hays is the largest recruitment agency in the UK and as such has its own large payroll centre. This department process timesheets for thousands of interim staff every week and has a dedicated call centre in order to assist with any queries. Our team of consultants are also available to you for the duration of your assignment to ensure that things are going as planned and to keep you up to date with the market.
We have been instructed to find interim staff for organisations such as:
As you can see, there are plenty of opportunities for lawyers to work on a contract basis – all backgrounds, levels and specialisations are catered for. If you would like to have a chat to find out more, contact us for a discussion in complete confidence.
For more information, please contact Michelle Gittens on 020 7628 0302 or email michelle.gittens@hays.com