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Sara Enoch
International team
Dubai office
The Interim Market
Where the need for permanent lawyers has increased substantially over the last few years, so too has the market for interim lawyers. With increased workloads in private practice, busy law firms are seeking temporary solutions to fill their short-term needs. In turn, organisations which have traditionally relied upon secondees from law firms to cover specific projects and absences are having to recruit externally for the same reason.
Why do organisations use interim lawyers?
Companies and law firms employ individuals on an interim basis for a range of reasons including:
- Cover for maternity leave and other absences
- Cover for busy periods of the year
- In order to assess an employee,s performance with a view to permanent employment -'try before you buy'
- Assistance with particular projects – such as due diligence, discovery, novation projects, reorganisations etc;
- Where organisations find it difficult to recruit a specialist, they may reorganise internally and backfill with a temporary generalist lawyer.
Why would I choose an interim role?
Individuals choose to work in interim positions for a number of reasons:
- Flexibility
- A lifestyle decision enabling an individual to pursue other interests between contracts
- An opportunity to learn new skills and deepen skills base
- For overseas candidates, a temporary role offers a great opportunity to gain UK experience
- For individuals returning to work after an absence, a temporary role is an ideal way to return to the market
How much money can I make?
Remuneration for interim lawyers depends on a range of variables, including area of specialisation, amount of UK and/or overseas experience, the jurisdiction in which you qualified, the law firms/organisations where you have previously worked and the market in which you are looking to work.
Typically, an interim worker’s hourly rate is based on what you would be paid as a permanent employee. Private practice rates are higher than those in-house. Occasionally, locum lawyers take positions for which they are over-qualified, in which case they will have to take a rate below their market worth.
What kind of job can I secure?
Interim lawyers are sought to undertake a range of roles. Law firms with large pieces of litigation or M&A transactions may seek individuals to undertake disclosure or due diligence exercises. Equally, ‘start up’ companies may need a sole legal counsel on a temporary basis to be responsible for all the initial set up issues, contracts etc. Thus locum roles may be nine-to-five jobs with little pressure; equally they may be high-pressure, challenging roles with high-profile companies which will add depth to your CV.
How long will it take me to secure a role?
How long is a piece of string? Unfortunately, there is no real answer. It depends on your skill set, the market and your degree of flexibility.
The interim market usually moves faster than the permanent market, although this is not always so! It can take anything from a couple of days to three months or more to land a role.
Differences within the Interim Market
1. Temporary assignments
An individual working on a temporary assignment will usually be paid on an hourly or daily basis and will be payrolled by a recruitment company. All the administration is dealt with by the recruitment company, which pays the temporary worker weekly. An individual may either work on a PAYE basis in which case the agency deals with the tax, or via a Limited Company of which the temporary worker is a Director, in which case the Company deals with all tax issues.
2. Fixed term contract
Contractors are recruited for a fixed period by a company or firm. They are usually paid by the company or firm on a monthly basis in the same way as a permanent employee. The contractor’s salary is likely to be expressed as an annual salary (pro-rated). The contractor will be entitled to similar benefits to those of a permanent employee, including the same holiday entitlement. Contractors are tied into longer notice periods than a temporary worker.
