When junior lawyers think about career planning, it's often triggered by a specific event. Qualification is approaching, a colleague has handed in their notice, someone mentions salaries at another firm, or a recruiter gets in touch on LinkedIn.
Suddenly the question becomes: "Should I move?"
The problem is that career planning isn't really about deciding whether to move firms. It's about understanding where you're trying to get to in the first place.
The lawyers who tend to make the strongest career decisions are rarely the ones chasing the next opportunity. They're usually the ones who have spent time thinking about the longer-term picture.
What Does Success Actually Look Like?
Early in your legal career it's easy to focus on the next milestone.
- Qualify
- Get promoted
- Increase your salary
- Move to a bigger firm
All of those things can be positive, but they aren't objectives in themselves.
It's worth asking yourself:
- What type of work do I genuinely enjoy?
- What sort of clients do I want to work with?
- Do I want to specialise early or keep my options open?
- What kind of culture helps me perform at my best?
- What does a successful career look like for me in five or ten years?
You don't need all the answers immediately, but the earlier you start thinking about them, the easier future decisions become.
Don't Judge Your Career Against Someone Else's
One of the biggest challenges for junior lawyers is comparison.
LinkedIn updates, promotions, qualification announcements and career moves can create the impression that everyone else is progressing faster. In reality, legal careers are rarely linear.
Some lawyers qualify into their ideal team and stay for years, others move firms shortly after qualification, some build successful careers at regional firms, while others move to national or international practices.
Different routes can all lead to successful outcomes.
The important thing is understanding whether your current role is helping you develop the skills, experience and opportunities you need.
Focus on Development, Not Just Salary
Salary matters and nobody should ignore it.
However, the best early-career decisions are often driven by development opportunities rather than immediate financial gain.
For example, a newly qualified solicitor might receive a higher salary offer elsewhere, but if their current firm offers stronger supervision, more client exposure and a clearer progression route, staying put could prove the better long-term decision.
Ask yourself:
- Am I getting good quality work?
- Am I learning from experienced lawyers?
- Am I developing client-facing skills?
- Am I building expertise in a marketable area?
- Is there a realistic progression route?
The answers to those questions often have a bigger impact on your long-term earning potential than a short-term salary increase.
Know When to Review Your Options
Career planning doesn't mean constantly looking for another job.
It does mean regularly assessing whether your current role is still helping you move forward. Some common reasons junior lawyers start reviewing their options include:
- Limited progression opportunities
- Lack of support or supervision
- A mismatch between expectations and reality
- Wanting exposure to different types of work
- Relocation or personal circumstances
Reviewing your options doesn't mean you have to leave, sometimes it simply confirms you're already in the right place.
Build Your Network Before You Need It
Networking often feels uncomfortable when you're junior.
Many lawyers assume it's something they'll focus on later in their careers.
In reality, building relationships early can be incredibly valuable.
Attending local Junior Lawyer Division events, Law Society events and industry networking opportunities helps you:
- Learn from other lawyers' experiences
- Understand different career paths
- Build confidence
- Develop professional relationships that may benefit you later
The strongest professional networks are usually built gradually over time, not when someone urgently needs a new role.
A Simple Career Planning Exercise
- If you're unsure where to start, take 30 minutes and write down:
- What you're enjoying in your current role.
- What you'd like more exposure to.
- Skills you want to develop over the next 12 months.
- Where you'd like to be in three years' time.
- What's currently helping, or preventing, that progress.
You don't need a perfect plan, but having a clearer understanding of your direction than you had yesterday is important.
Final Thoughts
Most junior lawyers spend more time planning a holiday than planning their career. That's understandable, as the early years of practice are busy and demanding.
But taking time to think about where you're heading, what motivates you and what opportunities will help you get there can make future career decisions far less daunting.
Whether you ultimately stay where you are or move elsewhere, the best decisions tend to come from having a plan rather than reacting to circumstances.
At Thornton Legal, career planning is one of the most common topics we discuss with junior lawyers across the North West, Yorkshire and North Wales. Not because everyone is looking to move, but because understanding the market and your options is an important part of building a successful legal career.
