Paralegal/Legal Secretary/Legal Executive

notabasicb

In a tricky situation just dropped out of my Law degree in final year. Had a TC with top 5 secured but life intervened and it just wasn't the right route for me.

I think I would be much better suited to a support role in a legal office. Thinking of doing a legal secretarial course and then hopefully do the GCD legal executive course part time once I have a job and progress to a legal executive role.

Is membership of IILEX desired by employers or given my legal experience to date (top grades, internships etc) would I likely be given this work anyway without the Legal Exec qualifications just under the title 'Paralegal'?

BasedHobbes

Out of curiosity, why did you feel that a degree in law wasn't for you, but working in legal support role was?

notabasicb

BasedHobbes wrote: »

Out of curiosity, why did you feel that a degree in law wasn't for you, but working in legal support role was?

I've worked previously in PA/support roles an excelled at them. Its a dynamic I work well in. I have amassed a huge amount of legal information both substantive law and about the industry itself which I feel I could put to good use.

Not qualifying is primarily a lifestyle choice. I only have myself to look after so don't need a huge amount of money. I'm not interested in engaging in craziness and general dog-eat-dog life of being a fee earner. I know it would eat into my happiness. To an extent I enjoy the environment and absolutely love corporate law but think I'm best suited to a support role.

BasedHobbes

Honestly, I'd recommend you go back and finish your degree if you still can. It's one more year, and it'll boost your employment prospects either way.

Quite a few of my classmates have gone on to be legal secretaries in good organizations on the basis of their degrees alone. I'd imagine it is quite an advantage to have over someone who does not have a legal education.

notabasicb

BasedHobbes wrote: »

Honestly, I'd recommend you go back and finish your degree if you still can. It's one more year, and it'll boost your employment prospects either way.

Quite a few of my classmates have gone on to be legal secretaries in good organizations on the basis of their degrees alone. I'd imagine it is quite an advantage to have over someone who does not have a legal education.

Not happening & does not answer the question asked in the OP. No unsolicited advice please.

Peregrinus

It is relevant. The fact that you dropped out of a early-completed law degree and haven't gone back to finish it is going to strike any potential employer, and I think it may loom as a bigger issue than whether you are a member of ILEX. Does this candidate know what they want? If I hire them, might they leave six months later and go back to complete the degree? Or might they have another dramatic change of course? Do their excellent grades suggest that they might be unstimulated and unchallenged in a legal executive role?

Obviously you can explain these things at interview, but you may not be shortlisted for interview if the employer prefers candidates about whom he does not have these questions.

I get that you may not want to discuss the reasons for dropping out and not going back in a forum such as this, and that's fine. But it is relevant, and it will be relevant to a prospective employer.

In answer to your question; get all the relevant professional and academic qualifications you can. That will help to offset any impression your final year dropout might create that you are unsure or vacillating. (completing the degree would also help, but if that can't be, it can't be.)

notabasicb

Peregrinus wrote: »

It is relevant. The fact that you dropped out of a early-completed law degree and haven't gone back to finish it is going to strike any potential employer, and I think it may loom as a bigger issue than whether you are a member of ILEX. Does this candidate know what they want? If I hire them, might they leave six months later and go back to complete the degree? Or might they have another dramatic change of course? Do their excellent grades suggest that they might be unstimulated and unchallenged in a legal executive role?

Obviously you can explain these things at interview, but you may not be shortlisted for interview if the employer prefers candidates about whom he does not have these questions.

I get that you may not want to discuss the reasons for dropping out and not going back in a forum such as this, and that's fine. But it is relevant, and it will be relevant to a prospective employer.

In answer to your question; get all the relevant professional and academic qualifications you can. That will help to offset any impression your final year dropout might create that you are unsure or vacillating. (completing the degree would also help, but if that can't be, it can't be.)

That's helpful thank you. I will bear all this in mind when applying for jobs.

BasedHobbes

notabasicb wrote: »

Not happening & does not answer the question asked in the OP. No unsolicited advice please.

I respect that you might not want to hear that from me, but imagine what it will be like when an employer sees your CV. If you put down the course, they'll ask about why you dropped out, and are now seeking a career in law. If not, they'll ask where you were for those three years or so.

If going back is absolutely a no no, I would recommend that you get some sort of qualification.

MarkAnthony

I would have thought the vast majority of new legal execs have law degrees. Could be (and frequently am) wrong.

ILEX is certainty one route but it's the equivalent of one year's study to the GCD degree.

notabasicb

MarkAnthony wrote: »

I would have thought the vast majority of new legal execs have law degrees. Could be (and frequently am) wrong.

ILEX is certainty one route but it's the equivalent of one year's study to the GCD degree.

A lot of people seem to do such work while studying for FE1s and/or waiting to secure a training contract. Would anyone know therefore if such contracts are primarily fixed term/project based rather than permanent contracts as part of a firm's secretarial department.

nuac

Go for the qualification now. No point in regretting it later