A complete guide to being a legal locum

Generally, legal professionals opt for locum jobs to accommodate other interests. Legal locums could be: 

We encourage legal candidates to contact us if they decide to pursue a locum role, to discuss the best approach.  

We understand that many candidates moving into locum work have mortgages to pay and families to support , therefore one of the most important things that prospective locums must factor in is the impact of not having a permanent salary. We advocate - and support you with - meticulous planning to ensure a smooth transition and often have new locum assignments lined up for candidates as they approach the end of their current contract. 

Take a look at our blog on continuity and flexibility in the locum market. 

Locum jobs also present an opportunity to explore new areas of law that might not have been considered. This has been demonstrated by a number of our candidates who have learnt new skills in IT or case management.  

Ample job opportunities 

Candidates who commit to developing their skills, especially within a niche sector, could receive near-limitless job opportunities. How you leverage locum work is up to you. We’ve seen candidates use it as a temporary measure while they find a permanent position, while others decide locum work is the best career choice for them; we refer to the latter as ‘career locums’.  

As a legal locum, while searching for a long-term position, you get exposure to new organisations and locations, giving your CV and experience points a significant boost. We have a strong record of supporting candidates moving from locum roles to permanent employment, and vice versa.  

Many candidates wrongly believe that locum work stalls career progression. Instead, there are opportunities to accept more responsibility, delve into other areas of law to broaden your experience and climb to a more senior role. Take a look at our blog which delves into progression as a legal locum. 

There are several ways legal locums can be paid, the most popular form being through an umbrella company. At Sellick Partnership, we work with several umbrella companies that have been carefully vetted to ensure they meet HMRC requirements, and we are happy to discuss the process and answer any questions you may have.  

For more information view our blog on choosing an umbrella company.

How does it work? Each week, you submit a timesheet outlining the hours you’ve worked. Following your line manager’s approval, we pay the umbrella company, and then they pay you. The umbrella company deals with your tax and national insurance deductions, so the figure that goes into your bank account each week is yours.  

Legislative changes have meant many public sector roles fall inside IR35, meaning candidates can no longer work through their own limited company and miss out on the benefit of offsetting expenses against their tax. However, to account for this, we have seen an increase in the rates on offer.  

To learn more about being paid as a contractor in the private or public sector, visit our Advice for Contractors page.  

Are legal locums given holiday pay and sick pay?

While there are distinct differences between locum and permanent work, it’s crucial to remember that legal locums have employment rights and receive similar benefits to permanent employees. Many candidates who register with us are unaware of their entitlements, including:  

Hourly rates depend on the sector you work in, the role, the organisation, and where the role is based, as well as the flexibility the client can offer.  

Interested in finding out how much you could earn as a legal locum? Contact a member of our public sector or private sector recruitment team.  

Legal locums tend to rely on locum recruitment experts to find their next roles. At Sellick Partnership, we are a specialist in legal recruitment. We diligently study the market and maintain relationships with leading legal firms and departments nationwide. The importance of regular dialogue with your recruiter cannot be overstated.  

We will always contact our candidates when a suitable opportunity arises for locum work. However, if you’re nearing the end of an assignment and prefer to move early, we can offer guidance and support to facilitate that.  

In our experience, we find that one of the main concerns expressed by legal candidates is the length of assignments. Many candidates assume that locum work lasts only a few weeks or a month at a time, this just isn’t true.  

As we know, one of the core benefits of legal locum jobs is flexibility. Therefore, you’re often empowered to decide how long you stay with an employer. We have found that, as a minimum, roles last between two and three months.  

On the other hand, we have legal candidates who have been working on the same assignment for years. Therefore, in addition to flexibility and variety, another advantage of legal locum work can be job security.  

Our locum candidates regularly contact us to say how much they enjoy their assignments. If you are interested in becoming a legal locum or want to discuss what legal locum jobs we have available, contact us today or visit our dedicated legal recruitment page.