Legal Career
Lewis Silkin, Solicitor/Property, London
New Career(s)
Career Change Story
With difficulty. Having qualified as a property lawyer some five years earlier, it's fair to say that I was going to be pretty restricted when it came to finding an in-house position - the majority of positions tended to target general commerical/ IP / IT lawyers. A little more foresight on qualification could have saved me an awful lot of hassle.A position did eventually arise that required a lawyer with both property and general commercial experience. It then became a matter of convincing my employers that, whilst I possessed the requisite property skills, I could adjust very quickly in gaining general commercial experience.As it turns out, this has been highly achievable as I have found that commercial law is less quirky and statute driven than property law and, in many ways, is a matter of common sense and experience. Perhaps that's why it's more enjoyable.
Career Change Reflections
In making the transition to life in-house, you may have to take a salary cut simply to get your foot in the door. Once your foot is in that door, the options open up and are well worth the sacrifice.
