Newly Qualified Solicitors - frequently asked questions

What type of legal roles do Sellick Partnership recruit for within the public sector?

Sellick Partnership is a market leader in legal recruitment and as such, we have built expert knowledge of our sector – our clients want us to use our knowledge to help bring talented legal professionals into their teams on both a temporary and permanent basis. Previously, we were predominantly specialised in locum positions, but as a result of our years of experience and trusted expertise, more and more of our clients now approach us to help with permanent positions. To put it into numbers, in 2020 Sellick Partnership increased recruitment numbers by 50% for permanent legal roles within the Public Sector.

Does Sellick Partnership recruit junior roles, or do you only recruit to mid-senior level roles? What experience level do Sellick Partnership recruit for?

The Sellick Partnership legal team recruit for vacancies at all levels including Partners, Senior Solicitors, Newly Qualified (NQ) Solicitors as well as Paralegals and Legal Officers.

Many of our long-standing candidates have progressed their career with us after initially securing Paralegal roles. Whatever stage you are at in your career – Sellick Partnership can help. It is highly likely that we will have a role that will match whatever you are looking for in your next move. If you are struggling to determine what that next move might be too, we can always offer some advice and guidance on this.

It is also worth noting that public sector organisations are always keen to receive applications from more junior candidates as they are keen to offer training and development opportunities and provide a structured career path for them.

Again, to give you some numbers Sellick Partnership have increased placements of NQs by 20% in a role within local authority in 2020 compared with 2019, with numbers in 2021 continually growing.

Are Sellick Partnership in contact with hiring managers all the time – will my manager find out I am looking for a new role?

Confidentiality is something we take very seriously at Sellick Partnership, and we have a responsibility to do so. We would never discuss your circumstances or share your CV without your consent. As market leaders in the legal recruitment industry, our clients and candidates choose to work with us time and time again not just for our expertise, but also the level of confidentiality and assurance we provide. Any conversations with our Consultants regarding your professional development and any potential career moves are completely private and confidential.

How safe and appropriate is it to look for a new role at the moment given the COVID-19 pandemic?

Every candidate across every industry and sector has probably felt a little anxious about moving roles during a global pandemic. However, at Sellick Partnership, we have seen the organisations we work with really embrace either fully remote working or a mix of remote/office based working. This has meant that many organisations have quickly found alternative ways to on-board, train and welcome new team members remotely. Things such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, regular team catch ups and buddy systems have all played a huge role in this.

Where is the best place for Newly Qualified Solicitors to look for roles? Is there specific places where recruitment agencies and hiring managers would advertise them?

It is really important for Sellick Partnership to reach as many potential candidates as possible, and this is why we engage with a wide variety of media. Sellick Partnership use the traditional job boards, and regularly post on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. That being said, websites like Lawyers in Local Government are a valuable resource for NQs and not just for job seeking. It is important for Sellick Partnership to target our specific candidates so that the jobs that arrive in your inbox are as relevant as possible.

If you have any further questions or if you would like some more advice, please contact us. Alternatively, you can check out our latest live public sector legal jobs here.