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Setting Career Goals

Keith EtheringtonLaw Society Council Member for Solicitors Practising Civil Litigation

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Routes to Partnership

Once upon a time….

Private practice, in-house, government

But from 2011 Alternative Business Structures – “Tesco Law”

Entirely new regime

Other threats:

Jackson report – funding access to justice may affect the viability of many firms

Completely new Solicitors Code of Conduct built upon the idea of “outcomes focussed regulation”

Professor Stephen Mayson predicts that by 2017 3,000 of the 8,500 firms with fewer than 10 partners will cease to exist

Should this still be a goal?

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First question to ask

This can no longer be assumed

What are the firms main profit areas?

Are these area likely to be the target of bulk providers?

E.g. conveyancing, accident claims, wills & probate

Is the firm heavily reliant on legal aid or a single client?

How old are the partners? Are you their exit strategy?

Should you choose owning equity in an old structure or seeking senior involvement in new structures?

What are the chances of this firm being around in the future?

+The brave new world of ABS

Variety of business models: partnership, LLP, Ltd Co

Legal disciplinary partnerships – mixed lawyers

LDPs – some non-lawyers

Externally funded legal services businesses

Multi disciplinary practices (MDPs)

+Considerations before joining a business

Risk of personal liability to managers

Tax position for managers

Disclosure of financial information

Perceptions of staff, clients and others

+Risk

Why do partnerships still exist?

Worst of all business models

Insurance protects against most risks, but not:

Discrimination claims

Reputational damage

Operational failures

Strategic risks

+New opportunities with ABS

Benefits of large corporations

Decent pensions

Proper maternity/paternity leave

Management, performance and salary structure

More chance of specialisation

+Personal career planning

Partnership once seen as end of career planning

Treadmill of exams school, university, post-grad

Diligently attain partnership but then what?

30-40 years working life left after that

+If owning the equity is your goal

Associate – 4/5 years

3-4 years as an associate

then salaried

perhaps fixed share equity partner

Positioning yourself to succeed

+Current market

Economic Factors

The Disciplines

Transactional Litigation

- Co/Co/Property/Banking - Commercial Litigation

- Insolvency/Employment - PI

Private Client Niche

- Wills/Probate/Tax & Trusts - Tax/Construction

- Conveyancing - Pensions/Planning/Environmental

+Where are the opportunities?

Firm Type

National/City/US firm

Mid Tier/Niche

New office opening

High Street

Firm Size v Remuneration

Location

Move for the opportunity?

+Practical Tips - Billing and competency assumed

What makes you stand out?

Niche specialism

Work winning

Managing key client relationships

Building a team

Training/mentoring role

Cross referrals

Secondments

+Marketing What does this mean?

Marketing at your level with clients

Arranging dinners/drinks evenings, sports events

Local networking groups

Chamber of Commerce

C&I Group, AWS, JLD

Industry events, breakfast meetings

Publish articles in legal journals

Internal update bulletins/know-how

Delivering legal update seminars to clients

+Your personal plan

Marketing/work winning - see above

Technical skills

Skills set-niche v generalist

Billing and chargeable hours

Feedback from appraisals/Advice/mentoring from partners

Administration i.e. WIP and general firm wide procedures

Internal/external profile

Training/mentoring junior fee earners

Your firm’s partnership criteria (if published)

+Moving to another firm for partnership

Move with a view to becoming a partner – analyse risk

Consider profile of practice

Location change

Client following – you v your firm - where is loyalty?

Replacement

+Benchmarking

Create a plan

Set milestones

Review regularly to assess achievements

Be prepared to change focus

Expect to work hard as competition fierce

Don’t give up

+Other options to private practice

Many opportunities in national and local government

Solicitors in the armed forces

Working in house for a large corporation

Charity legal departments

Judiciary

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What type of judge?

•District Judge (Civil)

•District Judge (Criminal)

•Circuit Judge?

•How many more?

+Judicial Positions

Assistant Judge Advocates General

Costs Judges

District Judges (Civil and Criminal)

Employment Judges

First tier tribunal judges (Social Entitlement Chamber, Education and Social Care Chamber and tax Chamber)

Immigration Judges

Coroners

And more than 30 others

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Benefits

Challenge Flexible working hours Salary / Pension

+Judicial Salaries 2009/10

District Judge, Tribunal Judge £102,921

Circuit Judge, Regional Chair of ET £128,296

President, Employment Tribunal £138,548

High Court Judge £172,753

Lord Justice of Appeal £196,707

Lord Chief Justice £239,845

+Fee paid Judges

Deputy District Judges etc

Important first step before obtaining a full time position

20 days sitting per year

£468 per day

+But I’ve only just qualified…

+Key skills

1. Intellectual capacity

High level of expertise in your chosen area or profession

Ability quickly to absorb and analyse information

Appropriate knowledge of the law and its underlying principles, or the ability to acquire this knowledge where necessary

+Key skills

2. Personal qualities

Integrity and independence of mind

Sound judgment

Decisiveness and objectivity

Ability and willingness to learn and develop professionally

3. An ability to understand and deal fairly

Ability to treat everyone with respect and sensitivity whatever their background

Willingness to listen with patience and courtesy

+Key Skills

4. Authority and communication skills

Ability to explain the procedure and any decisions reached clearly and succinctly to all those involved

Ability to inspire respect and confidence

Ability to maintain authority when challenged

5. Efficiency

Ability to work at speed and under pressure

Ability to organise time effectively and produce clear reasoned judgments expeditiously

Ability to work constructively with others (including leadership and managerial skills where appropriate)

+Evidencing the criteria

Keep a diary of key cases

Voluntary work or other non-legal activity

Have a date in mind when you will start the application process

Judicial shadowing

Notes of making difficult decisions

+Application process

Application form with three referees

Written closed book exam

Two closed book role plays

Interview with three panel members

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More information:

www.judicialappointments.gov.uk

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The Elevator Speech

Articulating your key skills

Scouting for Boys

It’s a book not a criminal offence!

Created the Scout movement 100 years ago.

• BP in scouting stands for

BE PREPARED!BE PREPARED!

+What is an elevator speech?

• An American concept

• Concise communication designed to be delivered in the time it takes a lift to travel from the top to the bottom floors of a building

+As versatile as a Swiss Army knife

Networking events

Careers fairs

Speaking to potential employers

If you are in a lift with someone important

Focussing your mind on your key objectives and successes in your organisation

It can be used in many situations:

+How long should it be?

Wide variation between experts

Minimum 20 seconds

Maximum two minutes

No reason why you can’t employ both

Use a short as a soundbite

Then use the long one once you’ve attracted interest

+Format of the soundbite• Start with “a hook”

Your first statement should require the listener to ask a question in return

Avoid the tacky or corny

Witty is good

+Example

Hi, my name is Tom and I turn dreams into reality

How do you do that?

I’m a wedding planner for high income couples working with elite status hotels across the world

+It may sound cheesy but…

It immediately demonstrates self confidence and self belief

In the UK it is unusual and so will make you stand out from the crowd

It opens the door to a pitch about what you are trying to achieve and how the other may be able to help you

+Full elevator speech

About 200 - 300 words

Dozens of examples on the internet

Know your enemy!

If you want a job explain how you will make more profit than current employees

If you want sponsorship emphasise the return on the “investment.”

The listener is likely to be thinking “What’s in it for me?” So make it plain.

Structure

Depends on what you are pitching for

If you are looking for a pay rise:

Who am I?

Why am I worth the extra money?

What will the firm’s return be?

Why am I different to other employees?

Things not to say

I’m skint

You gave Jane more so I should get the same

I want a new car

Because I’ll go somewhere else (they might just let you)

Any other sob story

What’s your USP?

Unique selling proposition

Why are you the best in your department?

What would the firm lose if you left?

Why are you more profitable?

Which client are with the firm because of you?

Which major cases have you won?

+Structure for a job seeker

Who am I?

Who are the target employers?

Define THE employer

What need or issue does the employer face?

Identify yourself in terms of job function

What do you contribute?

Prioritize the benefits THEN

Identify the SINGLE compelling reason for the employer to hire you

Knockout blow

Develop a statement of the primary differentiation of yourself

The SINGLE most important thing that sets you apart from the competition

+Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s:

Sound effortless / conversational

Rewrite your speech to remove odd words or clumsy phrasing

Practice

Be confident and enthusiastic

Maintain eye contact

Stop if the listener is bored/not listening

End with an action request: business card / interview appointment

Be short

+Don’ts

Be shy

Ramble / waffle

Rush

Focus on yourself

Let it end with the listener thinking “So what?”

Forget to update your speech regularly

Sound monotone

Go on and on and on and on

STAND UP, SPEAK UP, SHUT UP

+Benefits

If you are talking to a sponsor or potential employer this is obvious

Use as a team building exercise

Underline existing committee job descriptions to give the individual confidence in their role

Transferable skill: useful for commercial breakfast meetings

Baden Powell said be prepared

Be positive

Be passionate

Be potent

Just not

Pathetic

Petulant

Or perspiring

+GOOD LUCK!