interested in working in-house? - the law society...who we are and what we do neel mehta: senior...
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Interested in working in-house?
Wednesday 22 June 2016
The Law Society
Neel Mehta and Andrew Rogers
Senior consultants, Hays Legal, London
0203 465 0141
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/andrew-rogers-94517655
0203 465 0140
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/neelmehtahays
Who we are and what we do
Neel Mehta: Senior consultant, 2.5 years’
experience with Hays
• Responsible for recruiting for
qualified in-house roles in the IT,
Telecoms, Energy & Logistics markets
• Salary benchmarking, interview
coaching, career planning
• Legal graduate, LPC graduate, former
Paralegal
Andrew Rogers: Senior consultant, 3
years’ experience with Hays
• Responsible for Legal Recruitment
into Government and Public Sector
clients (public sector lead consultant)
• Specialist in interim support and
permanent search
• Salary benchmarking, interview
coaching, career planning, managing
outsourced recruitment campaigns
What does an in-house role look like?
• Closeness to a business, employer = client
• Advising on varied legal matters
• “Generalist” or “Specialist”
• Majority commercial/corporate roles, with significant contracts
negotiation work
• Supporting business units, managing stakeholders, business integration
• Lawyer + Commercial Advisor
• Expert in your industry sector
The junior market – why in-house?
• Expand from your area of legal expertise
• Be involved in decision-making processes
• Training and development - change in in-house attitudes
• Chance to see complete lifecycles
• Earlier management experience, sole counsel roles
• PQE sometimes less of a consideration – flat structures
• Work-life balance, flexibility
The senior market – why in-house?
• High levels of influence within the business
• Board level exposure
• Opportunity to build strong internal and external relationships
• Project managing
• Working across multiple areas of the business
• Exposure to operational issues
• Potential Company Secretarial exposure
How has the in-house market
changed over the last 10 years?
Then:
• Expectation to stay in private practice for 2-5 years’ PQE before
moving in-house
• Greater black letter knowledge, well-honed technical skill set
• Hit the ground running in-house, relevant industry and technical
knowledge
Now:
• Greater willingness to train up and “invest” in junior lawyers
• Rise in in-house training contracts
• Businesses aiming to retain more work in-house
• Early in-house experience and commerciality highly valued
When is it best to look in-house
• A personal decision
• What kind of lawyer to do you want to be?
• Business appreciation, less hierarchical
• Partner-track not for you?
• Greater number of NQ and Junior roles
• Market currently strongest from 1 – 5 PQE
FAQs
How do salaries compare between in-house and private practice?
• Lawyers from bigger firms, may have to take a cut
• Depends on industry sector
• Financial Services, Energy vs. Education, Not For Profit, Public
Can I get a better work-life balance in-house?
• Often yes, but if a project comes along, no two ways round it
• Better attitudes towards flexibility since 2014 law changed
Can I go back into practice after I have moved in-house?
• May depend on your following, “little black book” of contacts
• Expect to be questioned about your motivations
• Junior Vs Senior – Generalist Vs Specialist
How is the market?
• High levels of competition
• High demand for Commercial, IT and Corporate law
• Higher demand within technology businesses and start ups
• Consistent demand across public services
• Higher demand in the junior market
Sarah Henderson
Government Legal Service
More diverse
More challenging
More inspiring
WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT LEGAL SERVICE?
GLS is a centralised, shared legal service with the Government Legal Department (GLD) at its heart.
Around 2000 lawyers in the GLS. The majority deliver advisory and litigation services to all the main Whitehall departments and a range of agencies and regulatory bodies.
Litigation lawyers are clustered near the Law Courts in the Strand but advisory lawyers are co-located with their clients
GOVERNMENT LEGAL DEPARTMENT
OTHER GLS DEPARTMENTS / AGENCIES INCLUDE…
WHERE WE FIT INTO WHITEHALL
Jonathan Jones, the Treasury Solicitor, is Head of Profession for the GLS.
Jonathan is also Head of the Government Legal Department - the largest legal team in the GLS.
The Treasury Solicitor is accountable through the Attorney General to Parliament.
WHAT DO WE DO?
Work for one client: the Government of the day.
We advise Ministers and colleagues on their legal powers and responsibilities including limitations (legal risk)
Turn policy into law; from conception to birth
We help develop primary legislation (i.e. Bills, which become Acts of Parliament)
We draft secondary legislation (i.e. Statutory Instruments)
Advise policy clients and operational staff post-implementation
We implement EU law (and may be involved in negotiation) and help draft international treaties
Publications – letters, leaflets, guidance
HIGH PROFILE ADVISORY WORK –CURRENT BILLS
• Armed Forces Bill
• Charities Bill
• Childcare Bill
• Education and Adoption Bill
• Energy Bill
• European Referendum Bill
• Immigration Bill
• Psychoactive Substances Bill
• Trade Union Bill
• Welfare Reform and Work Bill
WHAT DO WE DO?We litigate for the Government, including proceedings in:
•The Supreme Court
•The Court of Appeal
•The High Court
•The European Court of Human Rights
•The Court of Justice of the European Union
•Tribunals
Many of our cases enjoy a high public profile and involve new and interesting points of law.
HIGH PROFILE LITIGATION WORK – RECENT CASES
• Tax Avoidance
• English Language Testing Fraud
• Residence test and student loans
• HS2
• Asylum and Immigration
• Standardised packaging of tobacco products
• Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints
MY GLS CAREER
• GLS Trainee Scheme – Department for Transport 2011 – 2013– Employment and Accident Investigation– Rail and London – Immigration litigation– Marine
• Qualified into Drivers and Roads Agencies team– Specialised in EU and International law– As well as advising on range of public law issues
• 2015-2015 Career Break– Volunteering Placement– LLM International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
WHY CHOOSE THE GLS FOR
YOUR LEGAL CAREER?
• Early involvement in high quality, high profile legal work at the cutting edge of law and government.
• Lawyers and trainees take responsibility for their work, clients and the public service they provide.
• No requirement to specialise – GLS lawyers encouraged to work indifferent departments on different areas of law throughout career.
• Knowledge shared between lawyers and legal teams.
• High quality training throughout.
WHO DOES IT APPEAL TO?
• Anybody interested in current developments in law
• Anybody interested in the interaction of politics and law
• Anybody with a motivation for public service
• Anybody who wants early responsibility
TRAINEE PLACES IN THE GLS
GLS offers on average 30 training places (a mix of pupillages and training contracts) every year.
We usually recruit 2 years ahead. E.g. in 2016 recruitment campaign we’ll be offering places to people wishing to start their training in September 2018 with a few places for 2017 starters.
We aim to retain all our trainees (subject to satisfactory performance).
TRAINEE PLACES IN THE GLS
In 2015, the following offers were made.
DepartmentBids
BIS
2015: 1 trainee solicitor post
2016: 1 trainee solicitor posts
2017: 2 pupil barrister and 2 trainee solicitor posts
GLD
2015: 1 trainee solicitor post
2016: 1 pupil barrister and 1 trainee solicitor post
2017: 5 pupil barrister and 14 trainee solicitor posts
HMRC2016: 2 pupil barrister and 1 trainee solicitor post
2017: 2 pupil barrister and 4 trainee solicitor posts
NCA 2015: 2 trainee solicitors
TRAINING WITH THE GLS
•Pupil barristers and trainee solicitors will join one of the recruiting departments (usually BIS, GLD or HMRC).
•Structure of pupillage or training contract will vary according to the department trainees join – and each department will have a slightly different approach.
•Upon successful completion of pupillage / training contract, you will remain within the department in which you trained.
TRAINING WITH THE GLS -PUPILLAGES
12 months’ duration.
Time split between your department and a set of Chambers; usually
6 / 6 model.
Work includes attending court and conferences with counsel; drafting skeleton arguments, case summaries and opinions; carrying out legal research.
After pupillage, newly qualified barristers will continue to work under supervision for 24 months within their department.
TRAINING WITH THE GLS -TRAINING CONTRACTS
24 months’ duration.
Time spent in 4 ‘seats’. Each seat lasts 6 months.
Typically, seats will comprise a mixture of contentious (e.g. litigation) and non contentious (e.g. advisory) seats.
Upon qualification, newly qualified lawyers can expect to spend a further 12 months working under supervision.
THE SKILLS YOU’LL NEED
Making effective decisions Intellectual and analytical ability/innovative thinking/judgement
Written Communication Clarity/structure
Oral Communication Oral style/effectiveness
Collaborating & partnering Team working
Delivering at pace Drive and determination
Building capability Potential for self-development
Motivation for the law and the public sector
LEGAL TRAINEE SCHEME APPLICATION PROCESS
ONLINE CRITICAL REASONING TEST
Assesses candidates’ analytical ability and constructive and innovative thinking
ONLINE VERBAL REASONING TEST
Assesses candidates’ analytical skills
ONLINE SITUATIONAL JUDGEMENT TEST
Assesses candidates’ judgement required for solving problems in work-related situations
ONLINE APPLICATION FORMVerifies Eligibility
LEGAL TRAINEE SCHEME APPLICATION PROCESS
Examples of all questions are provided on the GLS website.
https://www.gov.uk/government-legal-service-gls-legal-trainee-scheme-
how-to-apply--2#the-application-stage
LEGAL TRAINEE SCHEMEASSESSMENT CENTRE
The highest scoring candidates at the application stage are invited to attend an Assessment Centre (AC).
Candidates are assessed against the core competencies through two exercises:
Written Exercise
Candidates required to provide written advice on a scenario.
Interview
Competency based interview with two senior GLS lawyers and an independent Chairperson.
ELIGIBILTY CRITERIA
NationalityUnder Civil Service nationality rules, applicants must be UK, EEA or Commonwealth citizens.
ImmigrationSuccessful candidates must be legally entitled to reside and work in the UK.
Academic
• All applicants must have, or be predicted to obtain, a minimum 2:2 degree (or equivalent) which does not have to be in law.
• Candidates studying law cannot apply any earlier than the penultimate year of their degree.
• Candidates studying a non-law degree cannot apply any earlier than their final year.
KEY BENEFITS
•1st year salary range: £23,900 - £25,000
•2nd year salary range: £25,300 - £27,000
•On qualification: £35,000 - £42,000
•1 year PQE: £47,000 - £55,000
•LPC / BPTC course fees paid and substantial bursary for vocational year (LPC/BPC fees available to those who have not completed course; bursary available to those studying full time)
• Generous annual leave entitlement (25-30 days per year)
•Flexible working pattern
POST-QUALIFICATION
•Usually qualify into your home/recruiting department
•Opportunities to work on a range of legal topics
•Secondments available to other Departments
• Opportunities in due course to build the career which best suits your skill set and interest
•Continuing training: legal and management skills
ANYQUESTIONS?
Sam McGinty
Place team leader and solicitor
Legal Services, Coventry City Council
Curriculum vitae
• LLB (EU) Law – University of Leicester (2004-2008)
• Legal Practice Course – De Montfort University (2008-
2009)
• Trainee Solicitor – Howes Percival LLP (2009-2011)
• Contracts and Procurement Solicitor – North West
Leicestershire District Council (2011-2014)
• Principal Solicitor (Contracts and Commercial) NWLDC
(2014-2016)
• Place Team Leader- Coventry City Council (2016 ->)
Curriculum vitae
• Leicestershire Junior Lawyers Division, Committee
Member
• Junior Lawyers Division, National Committee Member
• Lawyers in Local Government, Director
• EM Lawshare, Delivery and Training Group
Representative
• Leicestershire Law Society Young Solicitor of the Year
2013
• Articles and interviews in various legal and non legal
media
Working in Local Government –
some myths….
It’s full of jobsworths!
The pace is slow!
There’s no career
progression!
Jack of all trades,
master of none!
The work is of a lower
quality than private
practice!
Everyone is mad!
Private practice will
never have you back!
Working in Local Government –
… and the reality
• Local government lawyers:
– Deal with a huge variety of work, from small queries,
institutional leases and straightforward contracts, to
multi million pound regeneration projects, judicial
reviews and areas of work very specific to Councils
– Have to react quickly and work flexibly to meet the
changing needs of their client
– Have to think, act and advise commercially – Council’s
are being run as businesses now
– Deal with the added dynamic of working in a political
environment
– Understand the specific legal environment of a Council
Working in Local Government –
… and …
• Some of the most well respected local government
experts have moved between local authorities and
other private and public sector bodies throughout
their career
• Local government offers the opportunity to take on
management responsibility much sooner than private
practice
• Training and development opportunities in local
government are often far more generous than those in
private practice
• The terms and conditions are very favourable
Emily O’Neill
IP and litigation counsel
Spectris plc
Myths
MORE COMMERCIALEASY LIFE
SH
OR
TE
R H
OU
RS
BETTER QUALITY OF LIFEONE CLIENT
NO PRESSURE TO
MARKETMORE STABILITY
NO BILLING TARGETS
LE
SS
HE
IRA
RC
HY
BETTER LIFESTYLE
Reality
DECISION MAKER
MULTI-JURISDICTION
LESS RESOURCES
DIF
FE
RE
NT
CA
RE
ER
!
ADD VALUE
LE
SS
BA
CK
-UP
SU
PP
OR
T
SEE ENTIRE TRANSACTION
IMP
AC
T O
N C
OM
ME
RC
IAL
DE
CIS
ION
S
SEE HOW BUSINESS IS RUN
ACCOUNTABLE TO
BUSINESS
John Jackson
Senior legal advisor
Ofgem, E-Serve Legal
Questions and answers
Sarah Henderson, Government Legal Department
Samuel McGinty, Coventry City Council
Emily O’Neill, group IP and litigation counsel, Spectris Plc
John Jackson, senior legal advisor, Ofgem, E-Serve Legal
Interested in working in-house?
Wednesday 22 June 2016
The Law Society
Practice Advice Service
Your direct line to…our solicitor staffed helpline for advice on legal practice
and procedure.
Call 020 7320 5675
We advise on a wide range of areas including:
• Anti-money laundering
• Conveyancing
• Private client
• Litigation
• Solicitors’ costs
www.lawsociety.org.uk/practiceadvice