It's that time of year again, when Legal trainees start assessing their options in the employment market. It's an exciting time for many and marks the culmination of years 
of study and hard work. However, it can also be a time of uncertainty, with many asking questions such as:

• What should I specialise in? 
• What are the career paths open to me? 
• What sort of salary can I hope to be paid?
• What are the possibilities for retraining?  
• What are the possibilities for moving to a larger/smaller firm? 
• When will NQ roles be available? 

• What does working in-house involve?

Every year, the Search Legal team in Scotland runs specialist events specifically tailored to help answer these questions and assist NQs in making their next career step informed. This year, Jersey firm Carey Olsen were co-hosts at our highly successful NQ / Recently Qualified events in Glasgow and Edinburgh, which took place only just last week.

Along with Keith Anderson (Vialex), Colin Anderson (formerly of Standard Life), David Beveridge (MacDonald Henderson), Lauren Stewart (In-House Counsel at Search) and Lara Paterson (Senior Consultant at Search Legal), they presented on options available to Newly Qualified Scottish solicitors. Simon Nash, Edward Quinn and James Fox (from Carey Olsen) led with a discussion about living and working in Jersey, and working at Carey Olsen in particular. Keith and David then focused on options within private practice and outlined their career paths to-date, whilst Lauren and Colin provided insight into life as an in-house lawyer. Lara finished up with a brief overview of the legal market in general, before providing information on opportunities available in London.

Both events were well attended and the feedback from those who came along was extremely positive. If you missed out on these events or are a Trainee, NQ or Recently Qualified solicitor seeking advice on making your next career steps, please don't hesitate to contact Lara Paterson or Alison Smith at the Search Legal team. Please also keep checking the Search blog, where we'll be posting some top tips for NQs over the coming weeks!