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Flexibility In The Legal Sector

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Having a good work-life balance is really important for many of us nowadays. Being able to work from home or leave the office early to beat the rush-hour traffic, get to a dentist appointment or do the school pick-up is extremely attractive. Increasingly solicitors are looking to work for firms that offer flexible working over those that continue to observe the traditional models of working. This is particularly the case for lawyers with young children, many of whom would jump at the chance to be able to adapt their working hours to fit in with the school run, sports days and other commitments. As a mum to two young children myself, I understand the struggle working parents experience when trying to balance their professional and personal commitment and how flexible working can make a huge difference. While traditionally, law firms have stringently stuck to 8+ hour days and office-based working, in recent years, things have begun to change. Law firms are realising the benefits

Legal Sector Among Best Industries For Hiring In 2020

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The latest report from CV-Library reveals that job applications in the legal sector have increased by 14.5% in the last year. The report from CV-Library analysed job market data throughout 2019 and compared it with statistics from 2018. It reveals that the legal industry saw the sixth biggest jump in applications year-on-year. A key driving factor behind the jump in applications may well be the fact that average pay in the legal sector jumped up by 1.5% in 2019. Lee Biggins, CEO, and founder of CV-Library commented: “Despite severe political and economic uncertainty over the last year, it’s positive to see that the legal industry has continued to grow. We’ve noticed that this is an ongoing trend across several sectors, which should instill confidence in employers who may have put their recruitment plans on pause in the run-up to the election; especially as January is consistently one of the best times to hire.”  The report also shows that businesses in the legal industry we

How To Find The Perfect Role For You In 2020!

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Have a look at our tips and hints to help you kick-start the new year! Over the festive period and a couple of weeks away from the office, you might well have had a chance to reflect on whereabouts you are in your career. After evaluating the last 12 months and your current situation, you might decide that you’re not satisfied with your job and are ready to embark upon a new opportunity. If you’ve returned to work feeling motivated for a fresh start in 2020, but are unsure where to begin, our top tips below should help you to get the ball rolling. Think about what you want Before you even begin looking for a new position, it’s important to sit down and consider what you’re looking for. As we explored in a previous blog, if you’re thinking about moving on, there will usually be one key motivator. Are you unhappy with your current salary? Tired of your lengthy commute? Looking for more responsibility? Once you’ve worked out exactly what’s wrong with your current role and what

How To Decide Between Job Offers!

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It might sound like the dream but having two job offers on the table can make for a hard decision. Our experts share some crucial things to consider if you’re struggling to decide. Think long-term One of the key reasons people change roles is to develop their career, so when deciding on your next move your long-term career ambitions should be a vital consideration. Every career decision a candidate makes will ultimately impact on their long-term career ambitions, which means it’s all the more important to make the right choices. Long-term ambitions should act as an end goal, and whichever job choice you make now, it should move you further down the road towards that end goal. Be careful of ‘push’ factors When considering each role, ask yourself whether it would fulfil the reasons you decided to look for a new job in the first place. Any candidate will likely experience ‘push factors’ driving them away from their current role, but if the new job on offer doesn’t address thes

AI Revolution Could Cost 35,000 UK Legal Jobs - Law Society Research

Law’s 30-year employment boom could go into sharp reverse over the next decade, according to a study commissioned by the Law Society of England and Wales. But lawyers are unlikely to be the main casualties - legal secretaries and support staff are set to bear the brunt of any contraction. These are among the ‘scenarios’ envisaged in a study on strategic workforce planning commissioned by Chancery Lane from the Institute for Employment Studies and published today. Using employment data from 2017, the report analyses how the market will need to adapt to a more deregulated environment, tougher commercial pressures and increasing adoption of technology in the years to 2027. Overall, the report predicts a fall in employment of 13,000 (4%) on the 321,000 employed in the law in 2017. The number of legal professionals and associates is projected to continue rising, by around 2% a year. But the number of legal secretaries - a role headed for extinction - will slump by two-thirds, while the

Future Of The Legal Workforce

The legal services market will need to adapt to a more deregulated environment and stronger commercial pressures! The legal services market will need to adapt to a more deregulated environment, stronger commercial pressures and increasing adoption of technology, the Law Society of England and Wales said as it released research to inform strategic workforce planning for the sector to 2027. “Our analysis anticipates the shape of the future legal workforce, identifying trends and skills gaps based on a range of alternative scenarios, from technology adoption and Brexit to competition,” Law Society president Simon Davis said. “Developments identified here will help define the roles and skills required for solicitor firms to perform successfully, while the Law Society will continue to refer to these findings to plan and develop relevant support for our members.” Since 1993 the number of legal professionals has increased steadily, at an average rate of just under two per cent per ye

Five Questions To Ask Yourself Before Going Freelance

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The option of becoming a freelance solicitor makes it cheaper and easier to set up and practise alone than ever before. The option of becoming a freelance solicitor makes it cheaper and easier to set up and practise alone than ever before. Unlike the process of establishing as a sole practitioner – it can take months to get a new firm authorised – if you have a practising certificate and want to become a freelance solicitor, you could be up and running in less than a week. To get going, you simply need to notify the Solicitors Regulation Authority and ensure that you have a letter of engagement and terms of business which meet the notification requirements set out by the regulator. If you want to offer reserved legal services, you will also need three years’ post-qualification experience and ‘adequate and appropriate’ professional indemnity insurance. It really is that simple. Except, of course, nothing is quite that simple. The low upfront costs and promise of reduced bureaucra