Solicitors who remain in private practice receive increasing responsibilities, partnership usually comes 6 to 8 years after qualifying. There is wide variation between the salaries offered by firms whose work is international or related to financial markets and smaller scale domestic market work. The pressure of work can lead to intense periods of activity both through the night and over weekend. The typical environment is a modern office block. Extensive contact with clients and colleagues.
Jobs are quite widely available Mainly in large towns and cities.
Lifestyle implications Smart conventional dress is expected. The work can be very stressful with tight deadlines and a constant demand for high quality performance. Part-time is offered to most working mothers. Travel Travel within a working day is occasional Absence from home at night is occasional Overseas work or travel is occasional Gender balance Over half the entrants to the profession are women. Proportion of women partners is still small, but rising.