What it’s like to work as an in house local authority lawyer: what I didn’t like

This is not a bitter confessional from a disgruntled employee, but it is only fair to acknowledge some of the challenges of working in local authority as an adult social care lawyer. I don’t work there anymore, so if I couldn’t give some negatives, you’d just assume I was lying! I spoke in my earlierContinue reading “What it’s like to work as an in house local authority lawyer: what I didn’t like”

What its like to work as an in house local authority lawyer: what I loved

For many, New Year is a time for reflection and 2021 has certainly been an eventful year. As regular readers of this blog will know, 2021 is also the year I left local authority and took a private practice role. It’s been nearly 6 months since then and I am (probation period dependant) settling intoContinue reading “What its like to work as an in house local authority lawyer: what I loved”

Putting emotion to the side, and the personal price of impartial legal advice

When I was at university, I was trained to put emotion to the side. It weaves through all the work we do, particularly around professional conduct. After all, lawyers can be asked to undertake any number of tasks they find morally or emotionally objectionable. Lawyers defend child molesters; they support parents that may seem unfitContinue reading “Putting emotion to the side, and the personal price of impartial legal advice”

Making the best use of in-house legal teams

I want to talk today about valuing your legal team, and how legal teams can adapt their ways of working to be more valuable. Because in private practice, lawyers are working in an open market. If they don’t attract clients, and deliver high quality services, then their income dries up. In-house lawyers don’t have toContinue reading “Making the best use of in-house legal teams”

Burn out, fatigue and a hypothetical fresh start

It may (or may not) surprise you to learn that whilst a large number of people study law each year, a fairly small proportion of those people actually have careers in law. And an even smaller proportion actually end up as qualified solicitors or barristers, but it’s true. Using just my own experience, I wouldContinue reading “Burn out, fatigue and a hypothetical fresh start”