Lawyer and lost, need careers advice

I qualified as a lawyer in Australia. After working as a graduate lawyer (which isn't a full lawyer role) I decided that I didn't want to do it because the work environment and the nature of the work was too aggressive. Aggressive to the point that you couldn't talk to your colleagues without them challenging every single thing you said: I have had some really unpleasant experiences. I really only took that role because I needed a job and this was the first offer in over a year. This was after doing three years of legal work experience with barristers and other law firms on a part to full time basis, receiving various promotions along the way. I ultimately moved back to the UK in part because there were no jobs where I was.

I got a Bachelor of Laws which was awarded with 2B Honours in Australia. I understand that this equates to a 2.2 here, which isn't good enough to get into most high profile companies. However, I was homeless during two years of my degree and had other serious issues to deal with but had no real alternative but to continue as the job market was rubbish, among other reasons. At the time I didn't tell my lecturers, though the university counsellor did know what was going on.

After this I started a Masters in teaching and got a GPA of 6.33 out of 7, which isn't too shabby. However, I haven't been listing this on my CV because I don't want to distract from the law. I don't know if this is the right approach.

I did the IB in 2005 after moving from NZ and being dumped mid-way into the first year of the diploma in Australia. I got 30 points. That's 392 UCAS points. I did Maths Studies (the lowest maths) because I had had so many breaks in my maths education having moved to two countries already and having no help. This prevented me from getting into science or engineering courses, so I did Arts then in my second year signed up for Law because I got a good GPA and thought that Law would get me a job...

I am British so there is no issue of right to work here.

I don't know how to address the grades issue, whether to include the Masters grades for teaching, what else I can do than legal practice (noting that I can't "practise" here until I do the £6000 conversion course if I want to do so at all). I have looked into compliance just because it seems to use law, and government jobs but I tend not to meet the residency requirements. I don't know what else I could do that is suitable for a highly analytical introvert. Sales or recruitment is no good and HR wouldn't work for me.

I have always wanted to do something in science, especially chemistry as that was what I got awards for in school and understood well. English and History, though I was trained to do it well, I always found a chore. I didn't do the right maths course in IB which prevents me from entering science now due to prerequisites unless I somehow do IB level maths now. I don't know whether it's smart to try to study towards something else, even if it is what I really like.

I'd appreciate some good advice.

Reply 1

danielwilkinson7

I think that you're probably right about putting the Masters on my CV. There's a big difference in grades between that (2014) and my law degree (2008-2012). Even my LPC (2013) grades were really good.

I started a Masters in Teaching but decided that it wasn't for me.

Reply 2

TheCynicalOne

You mention the £6k course - but can't you cross-qualify via the QLTR route, unless you weren't a fully practising lawyer in AU?

Reply 3

danielwilkinson7

I completed the first of four semesters.

I am fully qualified in australia and I can requalify via the QLTS. I did the Australian equivalent of the LPC.

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Reply 4

danielwilkinson7

The QLTS costs about £6k.

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Reply 5

TheCynicalOne

I'm sure you can shop around - some institutions offer (or at least they used to offer) distance-learning courses, where you just pay for materials + exams. Another option is to find a law firm that would be willing to pay for your QLTS (at least in part). The first step would be to get a Paralegal job and excel at it.

Reply 6

danielwilkinson7

Original post by J-SP

If you didn't come out with a qualification from it, then I would not put it on your CV.

Thanks

Reply 7

danielwilkinson7

Original post by TheCynicalOne

Yes, I expect there is a cheaper way to do it independently.

I have been doing document review and like temp jobs since I arrived in April and I'm looking for permanent jobs, but no luck yet.

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