I need a change of direction!
In my career of nearly 32 years I’ve been made redundant 4 times.
Two of those my former employers might argue it wasn’t “redundancy”, but it’s splitting hairs as far as I’m concerned.
The first time – 3 months after I qualified.
The firm I did my training with decided not to continue with the criminal work that I wanted to do.
After a year freelancing for a criminal sole practitioner, I found a new role doing mainly criminal work but also helping out with some matrimonial.
But then 18 months later – bye bye!
I began to wonder whether private practice really was for me.
So after re assessing where I was in my career, I knew I had to do something different.
I found tenants for the house I’d bought 12 months before and returned home to mum.
And despite many offers of private practice roles, I stood firm.
And then opportunity knocked.
Which?, the magazine of the Consumer’s Association were looking for lawyers to offer advice to its members. Consumer law was a little different to criminal and matrimonial, so there was a steep learning curve, but it was the right move.
I was able to return to my house and begin to enjoy the career I’d worked so hard for.
It was also the beginning of a new phase in my personal like, which has led to 23 years of marriage and 2 wonderful kids.
Sometimes life throws you challenges – you just have to learn how to deal with them.