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Beginning a legal career later in life
Law graduate and qualified career counsellor Jason Rickersey came into the legal profession as a mature-age student, admitted to practice at 40 years old and starting his career later than most — here’s what he learnt along the way.
Lauren Croft
Despite starting his legal career when most lawyers his age were making partner, Mr Rickersey said it wasn’t something that ever worried him.
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“For me, finishing the degree and being admitted were amazing achievements,” he said.
“I was a bit naïve when it came to working in law. I thought because of my diverse career background and life experience, forging a legal career would be relatively straightforward. Not easy, but not difficult. I got this wrong.”
During his degree, Mr Rickersey applied for several clerkships but was unsuccessful — and was working full-time, studying part-time, and had a mortgage to pay. But after accepting a redundancy in 2020, he was able to finish his law degree on his own terms.
“Being able to put all my energy into studies was a luxury I had never been able to afford. It meant I could be somewhat selective about work I took on. After a couple of short stints in legal support roles in insurance litigation, I scored an internship at a not-for-profit law firm. I did three days a week around my full-time PLT course,” he said.
“To this day, I am most proud of the work I did there. It’s ironic that my most satisfying job was unpaid. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Meaning is more important than money sometimes. Plus, I was helping the ‘missing middle’ — people who couldn’t afford a lawyer but who also didn’t qualify for legal aid. The work was also in line with my value system, which made it all the more enjoyable.”
Whilst Mr Rickersey said getting a start as a grad was challenging — he found an administrative role he couldn’t have gotten without his law degree, and had some valuable advice for law students.
“Right now, I’m working in an administrative role for the federal government, so I get exposure to government decision making. Admin law was my best subject at uni, so that definitely comes in handy. And I wouldn’t have got the job without my law degree,” he added.
“My parting advice is that no education is wasted. You will always be grateful for your law degree, whether it’s knowing how to read a contract or how to negotiate a better deal on a home loan. These are just some of the life skills you get from becoming a lawyer. And signing your name on the roll of practitioners is a day you’ll never forget.”
