Legal Career
Olswang, Solicitor, Company / Commercial, London
New Career(s)
| Sports Agency |
Career Change Story
Having always been a sports fan the appeal of working in the sports environment was a major factor in my desire to move away from private practice. Initially I spent time contacting a number of agencies to increase both my knowledge of the sector, and my contacts within it, and I then had a number of meetings with different agents and agencies. Following several meetings at a medium-sized sports agency involved in a variety of sports, as well as marketing and sponsorship, I accepted an offer and made the move.
Career Change Reflections
The reality is that whilst the legal skills and substantive legal knowledge gained through a career in private practice are useful and applicable in an environment of this kind, there is also a lot to learn and new skills to master, which can take some time. I enjoy the less-structured working day and the diversity of work, but the workload is high and weekends are a critical time for almost anyone involved in sports.
I don't know what tips I can offer, other than to say that you should even be open to moving to a different role, as well as sideways, and not necessarily too concerned about taking a primarily 'legal' role, since otherwise you can find yourself doing the same job, but in a different environment, and then you effectively still have the same bridge to cross. In my experience legal skills and knowledge will always be relevant and helpful in the long term, as well as giving you a great fall-back option.
