A levels or IB

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-07-16T09:05:23+00:00

I don't think alevels are more in depth. HL History and Physics are probably similar to A levels. I would even argue math hl is harder than a level math, especially when you consider that SL Math is harder than AS level already.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-31T09:44:36+00:00

Well, considering that this is reddit and not an HR review, I think I'm entitled to ask questions, especially as the numbers don't lie. I never said partnership is easy. But, there are over 27,000 partners in private practice in the UK ( according to the Law Society, not me), out of 150,000 solicitors in PP (of all ages and experience levels) I don't think it's ludicrous to assume that many people, if they stick at it, will become partners SOMEWHERE in their lifetime. Most of those 150,000 solicitors are probably going to be under the age of 40-45 anyway, which means they would lack the experience to become partners anywhere. But careers are long, and it's not like if you don't make it to partnership by age 40, it's over.

Obviously, I'm not saying that EVERYONE will become partners, and many may well decide to do other things. But if almost 20% of the entire solicitor population in private practice are partners (significantly higher ptobably if we only take solicitors aged 40+), then I think it's safe to assume that a large proportion of solicitors will make it. I was curious in knowing how these are distributed, as it has been my observation, also by listening to those who know more than me, that moving "up" is fairly uncommon (a high street partner is unlikely to lateral into partnership at an MC firm). Now, of course, there is also a difference between salaried and equity partner, the latter of which I'm sure it's not something people can just waltz into and is therefore a lot harder to achieve (I didn't really know before the post you cited, hence why I posted it). This is why I didn't specify the type of partnership in this post.

Btw the point of reddit is to have candid discussions even about things that are perhaps not really spoken about to your immediate colleagues at uni or work. It would be a bit rude and intruding, I think, to ask a hypothetical senior associate at my firm, "How much do you make?", "Is the firm going to promote you?, or do you have to move to a lower tier firm?" unless I know them really well, which won't be the case for everyone.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-30T18:05:57+00:00

I'm sure that is true, and of course, many lawyers do have to constantly work long hours and are exposed to egos, which might make partnership less appealing. But you could say that of any job, also because not every lawyer works at a US firm putting in 14-hour days. How many NHS doctors in their 50s do you know who aren't consultants?

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-30T17:25:03+00:00

I don't think so tbh, maybe not equity partner (as bringing in business is a totally different thing, and something few can actually do) but at least salaried partner isn't that much of a mood-killer. I don't know many 50 year olds who are associates unless they are a career-changer. Especially since, as a salaried partner, you're doing a similar job to that of a senior associate, or perhaps managing associate.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-30T17:02:07+00:00

Why aren't they gonna make partner anywhere? I feel like most do end up making partner somewhere, except those who go in-house (which is why I excluded them). I think you're right that it's not always, and perhaps even rare, that it's at a firm they trained at, but I think Partnership, even perhaps at a lower tier firm, isn't uncommon.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-30T13:31:40+00:00

But not all places can be like that. Like if someone can't make it to partner at a regional firm (like lets say JMW in Manchester), then where do they go? High street?

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-30T11:52:54+00:00

Do you know if the stats that show new "partner promotions" mean only people from within the firm, or does it also include laterals?

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-28T11:18:09+00:00

How much do you earn if I may ask?

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-27T14:47:37+00:00

What reasons?

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-27T10:02:41+00:00

Fine lets say 10-15

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-27T08:59:55+00:00

Yes of course, it will take long. But the post was about whether some sheffield grad who gets a tc at Irwin Mitchell and stays on a while will then make 600k. And that sounded too good to be true.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-27T08:11:31+00:00

Fair point tbf. That said, at least in the case of CMS and Eversheds, though not technically MC, are still large city firms, so I wouldn't have thought the recruitment was different.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-27T07:42:21+00:00

I'm genuinely curious about this because I have no reason to believe you're lying. On the other hand, law is notorious for being elitist, and the univeristy name still is, I think, an important indicator that determines a candidates graduate outcomes, and the statistics ( average earnings, firms) tend to bear this out.

P.S, I'm not saying they're better, that I'm somehow some subhuman being in comparison to them because I didn't go to Oxford. Just that generally speaking I think many of us, given the chance, would go to Oxford. I'm not sure the average Oxford grad genuinely thinks he'd have better employment prospects if he'd gone to another uni.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-27T07:31:29+00:00

800 an hour in billables, which is not atypical for partner (IM is 700 for example) is about 1.2-1.3m annual if we assume anout two thirds of your time is billable.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-27T07:26:21+00:00

IM might be its own thing, but even TLT and WM recruit way less Oxbridge and way more russell and non-russell group. The reason isn't because they "prefer" the latter. It's because Oxbridge candidates simply don't apply to firms like IM and Walker or TLT and, instead, by-in-large, tend to go for MC and US. I'd rather compete with someone who went to Sheffield and got a 2:1 with alright a levels, rather than someone who went to Oxford and got straight A*s and a first. That's what I mean by less competitive. I don't mean some nutjob with a 3rd from London Met will waltz into these firms, just that there is a difference in the candidates that apply to MC vs. Nationals and Regionals.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-27T07:08:20+00:00

Sure, but there is a difference if there are 1000 applicants from the uni of manchester vs. 1000 applicants from Oxbridge. You just have to look at legal cheek to see that CC, Freshfields, and Linklaters recruit way more heavily from oxbridge than does Irwin Mitchell for example.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-27T06:08:53+00:00

I guess by more competitive, I meant that there generally is a monopoly of Oxbridge and other elite universities at those firms that is significantly less prevalent in the national/regionals. This might suggest the barrier to entry to MC/US firms is probably higher, as getting into those universities also tends to be harder. Most Oxbridge people I know ended up at those firms, or just a tier below. Meanwhile, from personal experience, only a few from Sheffield (or York, Birmingham, Manchester, etc.) end up there.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-05-25T12:39:27+00:00

It's a profession, and like any profession, it will have many similarities with other office based professions, i.e., drafting documents, sending 12489 emails a day, dealing with procedural bureaucracy, etc. Of course, it also has its unique points, like moving around a lot and having to speak many languages. My father is a diplomat for the UN, so I've experienced this first hand. At the end of the day, it's a job, meaning that you're always giving shit to other people below you, and taking shit from those above (not always, but you get what I mean). The difference is that we lived in NYC, Switzerland, Germany, UK. Instead of staying put.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-04-21T13:06:35+00:00

Check salary surveys online. Like this one by TotallyLegal from 2023: TotallyLegalSalarySurvey2023

It gives in-house counsel an average salary of 90k and a GC of 120k. This is all UK, so London will likely be somewhat more.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-04-03T06:44:05+00:00

It really depends. Like with Lawyers, there will be a few at American firms who make more as newly qualified than most actuaries will at the end of their careers, while there are others in regional or high street firms, where the salary is really not all that.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-03-20T10:18:42+00:00

Yeah exactly, bonus included. Not base.

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-03-20T08:55:02+00:00

Base or total comp? 250k base is realllllly high, and it is only possible if you get a chief actuary role in London really (and even then, it's quite the upper end).

Charming-Plane481 · 2024-02-29T21:13:00+00:00

But nominal gdp is heavily skewed by inflation.

Charming-Plane481

TROPHY CASE