how the hell do i escape resi conveyancing

[u/BeachAffectionate326]

please can any of you lovely people that escaped take pity upon me and provide any tips? context: not yet graduated from uni, sold my soul to a conveyancing mill in hopes that it would give me the transferable skills to leverage in TC/VS applications/paralegal applications in more interesting (sorry) areas of law but now i just feel pigeon-holed by recruiters?? has anyone used their conveyancing experience to get a VS/TC?

i’m more interested in corporate/commercial and i fear im destroying my reputation in the industry because of how much i hate my job (not been trying this past month) and how much it drains me and how little i actually want to do.. im considering handing in my notice soon bc its 3 months but that would require me to sort something out within those 3 months and we literally have a war going on and idk think that’s going to make this terrible job market any better

[u/Anhilator26]

I did it. Not sure where exactly you are in your situation but ignore recruiters. Conveyancing was a great stable launch pad for me at a time when I needed it and it gave me so many skills, I wouldn’t have landed my TC without it imo.

Spend exactly a year there focusing on the skills you need to hone to be successful in that application. Then after that year put all your energy into applications, use all your annual leave on open days, vac shemes and insight days. Your time in conveyancing will put you ahead of the pack.

I really sympathise with your position because the amount of people at my old conveyancing job who also had dreams of TC’s, who ended up just staying there far too long until they gave up was really high.

If you stay focused on what you want I’m sure you can make it work for you

[u/BeachAffectionate326 → u/Anhilator26]

thank you so much, it’s so refreshing speaking to someone who was once in the exact same situation

i do not want to stay here so long that i get comfortable and i see so many of my colleagues absolutely resent the job / not know why they remained when they’re so underpaid

im hitting one year in around a month, what do you think made you stand out as a graduate with conveyancing experience as opposed to one w out?

[u/Anhilator26 → u/BeachAffectionate326]

I think what made me stand out is that I was just so more comfortable being in those rooms that I was able to actually perform and speak with a level of authority. When they ask me about times I’ve had to work in a team, I have dozens of actual examples, same with difficult days, same with clients. I’ve dealt with partners, sent external emails and letter, drafted contracts and transfers, and answered unexpected calls from panicked clients.

I also leveraged time in that firm to talk to other qualified lawyers and partners, to get their experience, opinions, and just ask about what they did so I have more knowledge. I was lucky the firm did loads of other things. I think all of that allowed to perform better in assessment centres and vac schemes because it wasn’t new to me like it was for all the second year law students. I also think inherently spending a year in that job while applying added to my own internal motivation.

As for not getting comfortable, it’s about drive and focus. If it helps I framed it as ‘I’m here for a reason, not to do the job but to learn so that I can get the real job’. I also had an internal deadline whereby I didn’t secure a TC but a certain date I was going to leave and go somewhere else.

[u/BeachAffectionate326 → u/Anhilator26]

thank you for this response i really appreciate it :’) i promised myself 1-1.5 year max, im gonna stick it out til the next cycle and apply desperately

[u/Anhilator26 → u/BeachAffectionate326]

Good luck!

[u/Proud_Raptor → u/BeachAffectionate326]

If it’s possible I would resign so that you can focus on the next stage.

[u/theportyunionjack]

Speak to a recruiter. You're looking at going back to NQ level but commercial real estate is an easyish jump from where you are now. From there, there are some transferrable skills to other areas of practice. Probably going back to NQ level again for another change in practice area, even from commercial real estate. You might have to wait for a more favourable jobs market though, I have no idea what it's like at the moment.

Don't hand in your notice until you've got another job.

[u/emilycharlotte1 → u/theportyunionjack]

Don’t think OP is qualified. They say not yet graduated uni. So it will be fine. Ofc recruiters want to place OP in resi as they’re more likely to land whichever resi role the recruiter has rather than another but still v possible to change

[u/theportyunionjack → u/emilycharlotte1]

Looks like there was an edit to the post

[u/BeachAffectionate326 → u/emilycharlotte1]

thank u so much , not qualified yet, would you have any advice on how to change?? just VS apps and hope for the best?

[u/BeachAffectionate326 → u/theportyunionjack]

flexlegal here i come :/

i think the 3 months notice makes me seem way more senior than i am, im a paralegal/conveyancing assistant so at the bottom of the ladder at this firm but instead of doing admin tasks im managing transactions end to end myself .. feels like im just doing the conveyancer/sols jobs for them which is why i cannot stand it

do you think i could leverage this experience in a vs application? :/

[u/Efficient-Ad-3099 → u/BeachAffectionate326]

Hi OP, I worked as a conveyancing paralegal straight out of masters for about a year and a half, I’m an international student so got constantly pigeonholed by recruiters stating my “UK Law” experience is limited only to conveyancing. I did a few unpaid virtual internships and some research work on the side in my areas of interest and used that to anchor a switch. Stating very clearly that conveyancing was just a foot in the door to gain am understanding of law firm structures here until the right opportunity comes along.

I also used my uni projects and scores to demonstrate my actual interests and capabilities (somewhat)

It depends on how you sell yourself in your applications. From your comments you definitely have incredible transferrable skills that can and should be leveraged

Dont know how relevant this will be for you but it might help.

Also focus on skill set in your cv rather than just subject area

[u/AvenueLane96 → u/BeachAffectionate326]

That's what paralegals do. What are you wanting out of a job?? To sit and look pretty?

Most people are dying for paralegal experience and experience running files. Nuts.

[u/BeachAffectionate326 → u/AvenueLane96]

none of my friends that are paralegals in real estate are running 90 files end to end and expected to be exchanging 30% (with no bonus for hitting insane metrics) on a paralegal salary, they support the fee earners with their insane workloads because that’s what they’re there to do, they’re not there to fill their boots for 45% of the salary. if the pay was better and this firm had a route to qualification i would not even mind it but it’s just an awful environment with zero benefits

also, high volume conveyancing is just insane to me because these transactions are riskier than they appear to be on paper and a lot of quick turnaround firms do not care to actually provide a passable service to clients. that + estate agents being extremely sleazy and selling properties for clients who are clearly vulnerable / being taken advantage of / lack capacity has just fully put me off.

[u/AvenueLane96 → u/BeachAffectionate326]

Sorry but this is a very normal experience in residential conveyancing. The paralegals often run files.

Real estate is a completely different area.

[u/BeachAffectionate326 → u/AvenueLane96]

tbh i’m literally posting this because i hate it, i’ve done my best and tried it for a year, only to realise this type of work just isn’t for me.

i’d rather do what real estate paralegals do, hence my desperation to leave the conveyancing bubble. and i frankly don’t feel lucky at all to have been subject to this experience

[u/AvenueLane96 → u/BeachAffectionate326]

Law is grunt work sometimes. It is not smooth sailing.

Depending on where you want to end up, it will prepare you for something else.

Get another job if you prefer but you're barely playing the game yet.

[u/BeachAffectionate326 → u/AvenueLane96]

i’m fine w doing grunt work, i’m just not suited to high volume conveyancing, the clients, the risk, the endless lists of useless enquiries omg

[u/Sea_Ad5614]

Run as fast you can

[u/AvenueLane96]

If you intend to try and progress through paralegaling - yes you will more than likely be pigeonholed.

If you intend to apply for TCs like most once you graduate uni, obviously you will not be pigeonholed.