Articles From the Team
Time for a change?
In a more recent blog I extolled the virtues of not fearing change which centred around our recent Manchester office move. In a semi-self confessional to my work colleagues, I exposed the well-hidden secret that, despite my dare-devil, adrenalin junkie exterior, I was not in fact a massive fan of change. With all that said, I have always recognised (and it applies equally in life as it does to legal recruitment) that sometimes a change is necessary. Whether for personal, professional or legal reasons, we are often far more capable of recognising the need for change. It is often the implementation of change that is the bit where we fall down.
Given my aversion to change, it may come as some surprise that at the start of the year (as can often be the case for lawyers and all professionals) I have implemented quite significant change.
Having worked with a team of simply incredible legal recruiters in the North West (I take nothing away from my other colleagues nationally), I have taken a leap to move my focus to our London office to help build our permanent private practice offering down there. Given that I have been a legal recruiter for the best part of 5 years and in all that time have focussed on Manchester (which is where I cut my teeth for 9 years previous as a lawyer), moving away from that market and (dare I say it) the aforementioned fantastic team, the decision to make the jump was not an easy one.
In life and in business, opportunity can present infrequently and rarely does it come at a time when you are ready for it. Opportunity carries with it risk but also great reward (if it didn't it wouldn't be an opportunity) and ready or not, you have to be prepared to embrace it. It was the same in legal practice and applies to you as lawyers. The path of least resistance is often to stay put. I am not one to suggest that this is the wrong answer. For each person the answer will be different and require a good level of introspection. However fear of change and shaking up the status quo and doing nothing is never the answer
The legal market is full of opportunity. It won't have escaped your attention that the legal market is rife with work. Corporate and Real Estate are leading the charge as markets have improved to levels above and beyond the pre-crash levels and yet lawyers in these areas are in short supply. What does this mean for you? -Well, put simply, demand is outstripping supply. You are in demand. Now is your time.
Your firm may be looking after you - I hope they are. Yet, not all recognise the value of you and your skill set. Other's will and that is where we can assist. In my time in London, it is clear that real estate and corporate lawyers have available to them a vast array of firms and work that can offer different blends of technical work and work/life balance as well as financial reward.
Now is your time to strike. Don't fear change (though it is ok to do so) and embrace opportunity but remember that you are the driving force that sits behind it all. Opportunity doesn't always come knocking, sometimes you have to put yourself outside that door and press the bell.
If you are looking for legal opportunities and a new door in London then give me, Paul Warburton a call and we can talk through how I can help you, alternatively visit our website BCL Legal for more information.