The Qualification Season 2015: Niche areas

As part of “The Qualification Season” – a series of blogs by CapeClarke aimed at trainee solicitors looking to qualify in September 2015 – we will give a brief overview of the market conditions affecting many of the core legal disciplines that trainee solicitors look to qualify into.

Our next focus is on the niche areas of law, where opportunities are generally more limited, fewer firms operate such departments but there are also fewer people vying for roles when they arise.  Here, we are talking about Intellectual Property (IP), Pensions, Tax, Real Estate Litigation, Family and Private Client.

The Current Market:  As well as the larger commercial firms, disciplines such as IP, Pensions and Tax are often found in niche firms offering one of those areas as their sole specialism and operate at the top of the market.  The same can be said for Family and Private Client work insofar as those departments are usually found in smaller or mid-tier firms but also in various niche firms, often found around the wealthy towns and villages of North Yorkshire and Cheshire.

Is this a good career option?  The niche areas offer an interesting career – very specialist disciplines, operating at the highest level which can bring great rewards.  That said, you have to prepare for the fact that roles in these areas are few and far between.  On the flipside, there will inevitably be less competition for the roles.

September 2015 opportunities:  We anticipate a very small number of NQ opportunities in niche areas reaching the external market, most likely in Real Estate Litigation and Pensions.

 

If you would like to discuss this blog, have been thinking about a move or would just like some general advice about options in the market, please feel free to contact Terry Cape or Chris Clarke on 0113 2385965.

CapeClarke is a leading niche legal recruitment consultancy operating across Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle and London. Please feel free to check out our priority legal vacancies by clicking here.  Please note these legal vacancies are only a small selection of those we have been instructed on, so please get in touch if you do not see a role which looks suitable.