The benefits of becoming a legal locum in the private sector

By Jack Heaton, Senior Consultant, Sellick Partnership Limited - Legal Division

 

Over the last two years, legal professionals have seen significant changes to the way they work, as well as in the overall dynamics of the legal recruitment sector. As a result, expectations and priorities are also evolving - and a rising interest in locum work is one of the most prominent trends.

Historically, locum work has been a popular option for experienced or older legal professionals who are looking for a way to pivot to short-term contract work during the latter stages of their careers. However, in the current marketplace, locum work is increasingly being seen as a viable long-term career path, even for solicitors in the earlier stages of their careers, who are still in the prime of their professional lives.

The growing popularity of private sector legal locum work

The rise in demand for locum placements is being driven both by employers and by legal professionals themselves. From an individual perspective, this shift to locum work reflects changing priorities and expectations in the wake of the pandemic, which has had a significant impact on the way people are planning their careers.

In the last two years, many professionals in permanent roles started to place a higher priority on flexible working, seeking more control over their daily hours and where they work. Switching to locum work can be an ideal way of providing this flexibility, giving them the opportunity to move between roles more frequently and choose a position based on the terms on offer; while also taking advantage of employers’ increased willingness to accommodate staff who require flexible hours and home working.

At the same time, private law firms began to find more reasons to create new locum placements for a wide variety of reasons. Most commonly, this is to provide cover for permanent staff who are absent on holiday or on maternity leave.

Locums are also required to increase a company’s headcount during periods of excessive workloads. This was seen in the residential property market during the conveyancing boom created by the stamp duty holiday, which was introduced to boost the UK property market during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There has also been a significant rise in the number of legal locums being brought in to provide permanent recruitment cover - as a result of either extended growth periods or existing employees leaving.

Given the highly competitive and candidate-driven nature of the jobs market at present, and the fact that many solicitors have long notice periods of up to three months, this can be a process that lasts up to six months - meaning the need for a locum increases. These locum placements can be ongoing until the firm finds a permanent solution.

For all of these reasons, many law firms are now looking for talented locums who are motivated and able to hit the ground running without much need for onboarding and training.

What are the advantages of locum work?

Skilled legal professionals are being attracted to locum work for a wide variety of reasons, some of which can be attributed to the emergence of more favourable conditions. These include:

 

• Better rates of pay - due to the demand-driven nature of locum work, these placements are likely to be paid on an hourly rate basis. A locum can often earn the same amount in six months that a permanent employee would receive in a year.
  Locums also have a variety of options in terms of how they are paid, including being self-employed or registering as a limited company, which can give them access to better tax rates and more take-home pay.
• Greater flexibility - many people take on locum work for an opportunity to be their own boss. As a locum, you will have control over your own schedule, with greater leeway on flexible hours and remote working, as well as being able to independently plan extended breaks and holidays in between locum placements.

• More locally available roles - historically, locum work has involved a lot of travelling, as professionals move around the country from hotel to hotel in search of available roles. In the current marketplace, this is no longer the case - not only are most firms set up for remote working but there are now plenty of roles available in all parts of the country, meaning you will not need to travel to find work.
• Fast placements - the locum recruitment process is very fast-moving by definition, as most of these roles are created by firms that require someone to fill a short-term skills gap. Whereas applying for a permanent role can take weeks or months, with multiple rounds of interviews, locum placements can be arranged much more quickly.
• Flexible career options - many professionals prefer locum work for the opportunity it provides for a wider range of career experiences. Permanent staff working for ten years may only work for one or two firms during that time, whereas locums can experience working for six or more firms in a single year.
   

Where can legal locum opportunities be found in the private sector?

In recent months, the legal jobs market has been very favourable for candidates, with a huge range of roles to choose from, and companies proactively offering favourable terms in order to secure access to the best talent. The locum market is no exception to this, so anyone looking for locum work is likely to be able to find it, no matter where they are located.

The following sectors have seen a particularly significant rise in demand for locums:

• Conveyancing
• Commercial Property
• Corporate law
• Employment law
• Family law
• Litigation
• Private Client Law

 

By and large, it is the small and medium-sized firms that are showing the greatest demand for locums, as larger-scale national firms are usually able to provide their own cover. Law firms located in rural or coastal areas may also be more likely to require locums, as the availability of permanent candidates in these regions tends to be lower.

In seasonal terms, locum demand usually peaks between March and September, as more firms require short-term cover to help out during busy holiday periods. However, in the current market, there is strong demand for locums all year round, and the average placement periods are also growing longer.

All of these factors mean there has potentially never been a better time to make the move to private sector legal locum work. For those who are seeking greater flexibility and variety in their careers, or the opportunity to earn more money quickly, locum work can be a viable long-term option - and it is likely that more professionals will be exploring this pathway in future.

 

For more advice on the legal locum market within the private sector, please contact myself or my team on 0113 243 9775 or get in touch with Sellick Partnership here. Visit our Legal sector recruitment page to find out more about our process and services, or explore our online resources to get further insights into the current state of the sector.

 

 

In association with Sellick Partnership (Legal) Limited