Legal Apprentice - Crazy to Quit??

Legal Fool

just wondering if anyone is in the middle of an apprenticeship and hates it like me?? I'm seriously considering leaving mine---just dont think im cut out for Corporate Life!
I'm reluctant to leave because of the money and time i have spent on my "career" so far but i just dont see me ever really being happy in this line of work and given the fact that when i qualify (summer 2010) there will prob be very few jobs for solicitors I think that maybe i should cut my losses now before I waste €5,000 on ppc2 fees and a year and a half longer on a job i hate!

Anyone in the same boat as me??

partyguinness

Stick it out..as soon as a you qualify then jump ship but at least you will have something to show for it. I feel you would would regret not finishing in the future years even though you might never work in law.

I qualified 4 yrs ago and there were many times as an apprentice I hated the crap pay and where I was working (although I liked the work itself) but I stuck it out and it is well worth it.

If its any consolation you are not alone.

Legal Fool

I know what ur saying is right---i just think if i stay here for another year and a half its gonna suck all the life outta me. Have felt for a couple of years that maybe this isn't what I want to do but just felt that i was so far in after doing the fe1s and all that it was too late to back out.

im thinking if i don't make the move now i won't get the guts again! thinkin of ringing the law society to see if I could take some time out from my apprenticeship and if i decided to come back could i retain my time from ppc1 already completed!

I dunno my parents would be gutted!

Eoin

Is your company not helping out with any of the fees? There's no doubt there is a massive shortage of jobs out there, but have you not done the hardest bit having passed your FE1 exams?

Do you hate all aspects of law, or just working in a solicitor's office? Alternatively, do you hate what your boss does, or being an apprentice?

You never know down the road if there may be legal-related jobs that could be more suited to you e.g. in-house council / corporate compliance in a big company.

Edit - posted before I saw your reply. Don't do it for your parents' sake - do what you want to do. Just don't rush into any decisions based on being an apprentice, or the current economic climate.

partyguinness

I really think leaving at this stage is a big mistake..you should stick it out...ask for a weeks unpaid holiday and get away for a short break just to recharge or something...I know what you have been through but dont throw it away..but if its really what you want then good luck with...

You havent said what you would like to go into?

Legal Fool

No its not that I hate all aspects of law--some work ive done has been interesting enough but I suppose theres just not enough of it. My office is very quiet at the moment and i have been given nothing of interest lately--im stuck doing debt collection!

With the way the economy is at the moment I dont think my office will be able to contribute to my ppc2 fees so il have to get a loan out to pay them.

another factor is that I moved from the city recently and while i love the change my job just doesnt seem to fit with the move! Law is a tough business and to succeed i know you have to work really hard and be extremely dedicated particularly when your just starting out. I just wonder do I really have the drive and motivation for it!

Legal Fool

Thanks for your comments don't worry im not going to rush into anything. I had been thinking fo going into teaching (i know very different form Law). I'm looking into courses at the moment and i have a long list of things to check out before i think about leaving here. In the meantime if u hear of anyone who might be in the same position as me or maybe u know someone who left their apprenticeship (or am the first!) i'd love to hear about it.

I'l keep ye posted!

AARRRGH

The problem seems to be -

You're stuck doing "boring" law work at the moment
You're worried about your job prospects
You don't live in the city anymore

All three of these are temporary.

1. Talk to your boss about it. Or at least, accept that this will all be over next year when you qualify.
2. Every career area has problems at the moment. You could also start your own firm? Or - and this is what I would do - specialise in very interesting cases, such as human rights or freedom of speech issues.
3. You will be able to move to whereever you want once you qualify.

Basically I'm trying to say if you can, stick with it, because the problems you are feeling are temporary, whereas quitting is permanent.

Johnny Utah

Legal Fool wrote: »

just wondering if anyone is in the middle of an apprenticeship and hates it like me?? I'm seriously considering leaving mine---just dont think im cut out for Corporate Life!
I'm reluctant to leave because of the money and time i have spent on my "career" so far but i just dont see me ever really being happy in this line of work and given the fact that when i qualify (summer 2010) there will prob be very few jobs for solicitors I think that maybe i should cut my losses now before I waste €5,000 on ppc2 fees and a year and a half longer on a job i hate!

Anyone in the same boat as me??

I think you should definitely finish your apprenticeship. As it is, you're nearly qualified. A year (and 5 grand) is nothing in the grand scheme of things. If you still decide to pursue teaching after you're qualified, at least you'll have something to fall back on. However, if you quit now, you'll have nothing to show for all your hard work. Stick with it!



I'm a law graduate (passed fe1s) and I can't get a training contract at the moment. I'd do anything to be in your position. I missed Blackhall this year (Sept 08), and I've decided that this is my last year applying for the training contract, so I might have to leave the profession myself.:(

Lawstud

I know how you are feeling but hang in there and don’t quit. Most trainees are overworked, underpaid and are generally treated like crap. In such circumstances most go through a period when they question whether they are on the right track. I know I did as well as those who I trained with

I’m qualified now and I’m happy I completed my training notwithstanding the current state of the profession.

Hang in there! In the long run you will be glad you did

universe777

LILI25 wrote: »

Hey, does anyone know where the best place to start looking for an apprentership is, i was told a& l goodbody always take people on but they say they have no positions till 2011, am just sittin my fe1 this year,and am looking for apprentership sumwer in dublin?

can any advise me?

Don't you read the newspaper's/watch the news?
You'll have to spell it correctly before anyone will give you one.

LILI25

reply to universe777:
not really as far as i no anyway in interviews you dont get a spelling test, prehaps for immature, idiots like urself they do require this.you might need to get dat checked out u may have a wild form of Dyslexia, if the interviewer gets you to do a spelling test.

mikemac

Lawstud wrote: »

I know how you are feeling but hang in there and don’t quit. Most trainees are overworked, underpaid and are generally treated like crap.

+1

Stick it out OP.

kizzyf

Try to find out if you can take a break from your traineeship to resume it later. You may just need time to clear your mind and see what other routes you could take. Just from seeing other people who had doubts about whether they were in the correct career or not it usually turned out that they were not and changed at a later stage. I have only heard of one person who didn't complete their traineeship, he failed a PPC2 exam and never bothered to repeat it and left Ireland.