I’m currently an in-house paralegal with a pharma company and am still in pursuit of a training contract. I have been offered a permanent position now as a Contract Analyst, salary is the average of trainees at good commercial firms in the area. A condition is I’d have to commute fortnightly to the other office in London. Also they are applying to be allowed to give training contracts and if they are successful they will change my position to trainee etc. Is there any reason not to accept? I’m concerned about the stigmas (if any) of working in-house, however a TC is a TC. If the TC does not materialise I suppose I’d continue to apply elsewhere, is there any disadvantage in working as a Contract Analyst, as opposed to being a paralegal somewhere else?
I suppose the only downside is that the T.C will be quite niche and job specific. Then again if it covers the areas you want alls good, just don't take it if you want to qualify in family/crime!
Hello,
I accepted the Contract Analyst position and the company has now been approved to take on trainees. I'm currently the designated Contracts person for the London office which I visit once a fortnight.
The supervisor is making preparations to get the TC going including time to count from my last 6 months employment, although I haven't been formally offered the TC yet. Its not an industry I would have chosen if I had the choice (clinical research), my concern is that its a niche area and all experience is inevitably with the same client. I won't experience the general private practice stuff e.g. billing methods, meeting new clients etc. I would prefer to qualify in private practice in a medium/large commercial firm as that is where I would like to work upon qualification, but I don't think I can be picky faced with the opportunity to qualify sooner.
My thinking is to take the TC and get qualified as soon as possible. Any thoughts/advice? I'd appreciate if anyone could advise how this kind of TC would affect career prospects afterwards.
Last edited by shirin; 20th August 2008 at 22:57..
While A T.C is a T,C and its good to get qualified, if its really not the area you want to go into I'd think very carefully, might be worth looking for a transfer in 6 months or so?
Its very difficult to transfer to an area of law you didn't do on the T.C because the firm will be paying you a qualified wage and therefore expects to get something out of you and not have to spend the first 6 months teaching you the job. I did the last 3-4 months of my T.C in litigation, which is what I wanted to do, and still found it difficult to get a NQ position because I didn't have loads of experience, and am still learning loads now.
I can imagine it being quite difficult to transfer from in house to private practice given you'll have to learn all the client care stuff on top of billing etc, without then moving into an area of law that your not familiar with and more so if the area you have been trained in is quite niche, rather than the general stuff you will prob face in private practice.
have you spoken to your employer about a secondment ? You may find this is necessary to complete your contentious seat.
My employer often takes in-house trainees to fulfil this requirement -more importantly, it could be an option for you to see some private practice, broaden your experience and gain some CV points in this area?
Thanks for the responses. Its not the area of law I don't want to do, its that I don't want to remain in-house in this industry. I believe I will make a good trainee and solicitor and my hope is to work in a good commercial firm upon qualification. This job in-house (7 months so far) has fueled my desire to work in private practice, at least to experience it.
As for the area of law, well this has not been clarified, I don't know what areas of law my 'seats' will be and I'm not sure my supervisor is certain either. Although everything hasn't been planned out yet, my supervisor is aiming to register my training contract this week and then deal with everything else (e.g. seats, training plan) after that. The majority of my work involves commercial contracts. I mentioned that to meet some skills standards (e.g. advocacy, client care, negotiation) I would have to be seconded and they said that we'd just get the TC started and then 6 months before the end if I didn't get sufficient training then they would look at a secondment. Even if they feel I have sufficient training, my plan is to really push for a secondment later for me to experience private practice properly. Also my supervisor will be off with maternity leave soon for 3 months so for that time I will be not have a training supervisor.
I can understand its in my interest to get a TC registered asap, but it all doesn't sound the logical way to do it to me, surely this should all be considered before registering the TC, am I wrong? Faced with the option of a TC I would choose to accept rather than throw it away - although in this job I have learned I'm very capable and make a good candidate, I sat around for too long before without committing myself to applying for TCs so its too risky to walk away.
My current main concern is having a TC registered then as it unfolds it doesn't pan out well and I don't get a good standard of training. It worries me that with no plan in place now it could easily go pear-shaped (on top of the 'in-house trainee' stigma). I have taken on board the option of transferring later if it doesn't go well, is that hard to arrange?
Would really appreciate any comments/ advice.
Last edited by shirin; 3rd September 2008 at 00:00..
Do u want a career in Legal fields it nice think, But do U different-2 law firm site and make a login as a free , trail, paid and get a legal query?
Dude, I wouldn't trust you to tell me the colour of the sky for free, let alone pay you for career advice.
Can't you go bother someone in a language you at least speak competently?
I am tetchy today. I am solicitor tomorrow (unofficially - til the 15th anyway). Now look what you've done, I am a tetchy trainee and nobody likes tetchy trainees around...
Subscribe in a reader
Job Offer Advice
Linear Mode
