Is the Bar worth it ??????

yellowhouse

Hi all,

I just need to talk to a few people. I am currently in my second year of devilling and I am starting to wonder if this is the best career for me ? I love parts of it but I am wondering if there any ex barristers out there that can tell me what they have done after they left the bar and did you regret it ??

What kind of jobs are realistically available and did you find that your time at the bar was worth it ?

A few stories would really help

johnnyskeleton

Most people who leave the bar have mixed feelings about it. Having a regular income and not having the stress are usually the positives. Not having the benefits of being self employed the social aspect and the andrenalin rush of chasing deadlines and presenting cases in court are usually the negatives.

NUTLEY BOY

yellowhouse wrote: »

Hi all,

I just need to talk to a few people. I am currently in my second year of devilling and I am starting to wonder if this is the best career for me ? I love parts of it but I am wondering if there any ex barristers out there that can tell me what they have done after they left the bar and did you regret it ??

What kind of jobs are realistically available and did you find that your time at the bar was worth it ?

A few stories would really help

A pal of mine had a good and well established practice at the junior bar in Dublin. In middle age he decided on a change of priorities and direction. He left practice and took a well paid position in the public service where he enjoyed the advantages that went with it.

The advantages were, inter alia, the removal of the burdens of sole practice where you have to fund everything for yourself such as permanent health insurance, a pension, professional indemnity insurance, secretarial services if you need to use them and so on. He found the experience quite liberating as he was able to use his considerable knowledge and experience in a satisfying way that was devoid of the background noise of "where is the next brief coming from ? " angst.

I can think of two other individuals who did likewise. One took a position on staff at the office of the DPP and the other one went to the office of the AG. They have both done well and enjoyed what they did.

Depending on your area of practice, there are always opportunities in the private sector either as in-house counsel or similar. Your relative inexperience might tell against you in this area where you are competing with others for jobs.

You might also consider what some other people do which is to leave the bar and become a solicitor. I know of a few individuals who did that and they found that the change was the right one.

Second year devilling is still very early in the race so don't chop and change too soon as that can be detrimental especially when it comes to the elements that will comprise your CV in future years i.e you need to avoid the rolling stone gathering no moss impression.

Good luck....

yellowhouse

Thanks very much. That makes me feel much better. I think I might buy my time here for another year or two and then consider my options after that. These examples are really helping thank you so much

NUTLEY BOY

yellowhouse wrote: »

Thanks very much. That makes me feel much better. I think I might buy my time here for another year or two and then consider my options after that. These examples are really helping thank you so much

You're welcome.

I think that you are doing the right thing.

You will look back at this and laugh in about 15 years time when you are appointed to the High Court bench