The good: There is no doubt that Australian lawyers living in London can be exposed to work that is diverse, exciting and often on a much larger scale than the work on offer from firms within Australia's capital cities.

"It is a change of scenery. At the big firms you're working on large and often multinational deals," says Blake Dawson partner Murray Wheater, who spent seven years in London before returning to Sydney in 2005. "There's travel too. Instead of going to Brisbane for a due diligence, you could be going to Rome. That is all fun. You're in a new city and dealing with the top investment banks and all the top advisors. And London being an international commercial centre, you feel like you're in the hub of things where things are happening."

And let's not forget the social side of things which, given the similar cultures and the significant expat community, can be a lot of fun. You're also likely to receive a very warm welcome from your new employer.

"Australian lawyers are absolutely loved in London," says Nigel Clark, a London-based partner at Minter Ellison. "They find that Australian and New Zealand lawyers are very well trained, they have a very good work ethic, and they work hard and play hard. They fit in really well, so London firms love to have Aussies and Kiwis in their office, especially when they hold the Ashes!"

The bad: Once you've landed that role in London, the reality of working in a magic circle firm or a large multinational firm may not be as glamorous as you were perhaps expecting. After all, a significant factor in the decision to take on Australian lawyers is that they have a reputation for working very, very hard.

"The work/life balance is definitely more work than life," says Wheater. "If you go to one of the magic circle firms or US firms, you should not expect to have much of a social life during the week. You do get to travel on the weekends, but it is snatched between deals and work. It's not a total party scene.

"Generally speaking, it is pretty full on. There are high expectations, particularly in the US firms which have high billable hour targets (of at least eight hours a day)."

"Australian lawyers are absolutely loved in London.They find that Australian and New Zealand lawyers are very well trained, they have a very good work ethic, and they work hard and play hard"

Nigel Clark, London-based partner, Minter Ellison

The ugly: To avoid the ugly, it's best to make sure you know exactly what you're getting yourself into. Ask which practice group you'll be working in and what expectations that particular group has.

"Do your due diligence. I basically just turned up to [one of the firms I worked in] because I had heard it was an excellent firm. I ended up being put in a group called The Group of Death," says Wheater. "They just lapped up South Africans, Aussies, Canadians and Scots because they knew we worked hard. If I had my time again, I would ask exactly what team I would be going in to, because that was never really discussed."

What to expect when coming home

The good: The good news is that having London experience on your CV is definitely seen as a positive and is an increasingly valuable weapon in your career artillery.

Law firms see exposure to London work as building better lawyers with greater depth of experience, as well as a more rounded career and character. And if you want to return to your old firm, chances are they'll take you back with open arms.

"If our lawyers go off and do a couple of years in London and they come back, that is a fantastic outcome for everybody," says Jane Lewis, director of people and development at Allens Arthur Robinson. "Last year, nearly 50 per cent of the lateral hires we made were from overseas locations, so the international market is definitely one which we draw from a great deal.

"Generally, it is about the richness of legal experience that they get and also about the general life experience which fills their tool kit."

"Do your due diligence. I basically just turned up to [one of the firms I worked in] because I had heard it was an excellent firm. I ended up being put in a group called The Group of Death"

Murray Wheater, partner, Blake Dawson

The bad: The bad news is that you might be competing with a whole cast of other equally enriched lawyers who have that much sought-after London experience.

"I think Australia is quite over-lawyered and I think the UK is probably over-lawyered now too," says Clark. "There are a lot of people competing for a smaller pool of jobs now."

The ugly: There is no ugly: after burning the candle at both ends in London, coming home to an Australian firm will almost feel like a holiday.

London Report 2011

>> London Report 2011: How to land a role in London

>> London Report 2011: Global firms as stepping stones to the UK

>> London Report 2011: Taking the 'homegrown' route to London

>> London Report 2011: What to expect when you get there... and when you return home