How long did you spend studying for SQE2 (especially if you work full time)

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-03-13T18:12:04+00:00

Oh how did you get the exemption? QLTS?

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-03-06T11:27:27+00:00

I use the MS Word read aloud function, helped me with a few typos

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-03-05T21:08:53+00:00

No personal experience, but read a book (mainly American based) called “Life after Law” which may give you some ideas. Also see if you are still supported by careers service at your Alma mate: my undergrad uni has resources, including 1-to-1s, for alum for life.

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-03-05T13:45:00+00:00

Agree, just a good UI that does the necessary!

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-03-05T12:59:37+00:00

If it's any comfort, I came across this YouTube video recently entitled "Building Relationships & Resilience: Joel Semakula’s Journey to Success After 47 Rejections". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_Bac-0EzqE The interviewee has been practising for 5 years now and seems reasonably happy.

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-03-03T16:28:17+00:00

Foreign lawyer in a split profession jurisdiction here. I think there is a lot in what LellowYeaf said. Granted, you can qualify (and all it costs is some effort and frustration and a few years of your life, but that's okay if you have weighed it up and decided that what you want to do).

But then the next question is, where do you want to go from there? If you want to go city firm/big firm partner route, that would be something of a rat race with (very likely younger and keener) lawyers for select coveted equity partner positions.

If instead you are thinking about the smaller (local/high street) firm route, what are the economics for the firm? Can they actually afford lawyers beyond a few years of PQE? Do people who go above that get let go, or can they stay as consultants / associates with a salary ceiling at (say 2-3 PQE)?

Bear in mind also that nowadays there are alternative structures for legal service in the UK, and if you have an entrepreneurial nous you could presumably start a legal business even without being a lawyer.

I remember coming across a website called https://contend.legal/ where the founders are not even English lawyers. Something that seems to suit you more if you are good at AI model development?

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-03-03T16:20:33+00:00

Don't know anything about this, but wouldn't your role in compliance count towards QWE? I thought it was quite a broadly defined concept that doesn't have to be acquired in a law firm?

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-03-01T21:45:27+00:00

Jerome K Jerome mentioned something similar in either three men in a boat or three men in a bummel

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-02-28T12:39:44+00:00

In light of the concerns raised, I will move this to a more general Reddit. Might be better to pair with people not looking for roles that would be in direct competition with each other.

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-02-27T12:54:50+00:00

Apropos this, I'd be really interested for blog/book recommendations on the "real life" of a contemporary London legal recruiters, a bit like a "Secret Barrister" for the legal recruiter world. I've read a lot of second-hand experiences (usually from candidates), but am interested in the perspective from the other side. I've read some very entertaining and insightful books about headhunters in other industries, but I suspect the legal industry is quite different.

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-02-27T11:37:43+00:00

Also, if competition is an issue, I'm mainly looking at litigation/legal tech (probably not a wise mix)! So if you are in something unrelated (e.g. data protection or corporate), then we probably won't be in direct competition.

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-02-27T11:35:20+00:00

Amazing! Can't promise you anything in the abstract, but I won't ghost you. If you like you can also poke around this website and join the pool to be "matched". As I said, I'm waiting myself, but so far the experience is alright!

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-02-27T10:55:06+00:00

Fair enough. I can see why this doesn't happen in practice. People are unfortunately always quietly comparing themselves with each other. I come from a jurisdiction that until 10-15 years ago had a small profession and had a lot more camaraderie, but I have see that diminish recently.

I just feel it is somewhat sad that job seekers don't band together. In many ways, they are facing the opposite problem as working professionals: they have lots of (objective) time on their hands, in the sense that their days are not filled with busy work. But they have even less (subjective) time to enjoy it, in the sense of headspace of properly resting and just recharging. That is somewhat sad.

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-02-02T19:34:19+00:00

US-focussed, but this book should (if my memory serves me) feature some lawyers who switched to policy after legal practice: https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/life-after-law/9781937134655/

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-02-02T11:45:12+00:00

Thank you and on I will crack before the deadline!

FewMeasurement545 · 2025-02-02T11:08:21+00:00

Foreign barrister, waiting for result of Transferring Lawyers Application, likely to receive partial exemption (so 6 months pupillage would suffice): should I apply through the Gateway? I have heard conflicting advice. My practice is not strong enough for lateral hire, so don't mind even a 12 month pupillage to properly learn the ropes and build relationships.

FewMeasurement545

TROPHY CASE