What Makes a Good Locum?

I’ve been a locum for almost 32 years, except for a couple of years at the turn of the century when I accepted an offer of paid employment following the birth of my son.  It was local and the money was good, that’s my excuse.

It’s not for me to judge myself but I have worked with well over a hundred different law firms, and for almost all that time I’ve been working when I wanted to be working.  Of course, there have been times when assignments haven’t been so easy to come by, but that’s the same with most jobs, especially over a lengthy period.  I’ve had the pleasure of a mortgage, bank loans and all the normal trappings that go with being a middle-income earner, I don’t feel that being self-employed has held me back.

If nothing else, I’m a survivor.  I don’t know that many fellow locums, we tend to be ships that pass in the night most of the time, but I’m pretty sure I’ve been at it longer than many. I guess, for those reasons, I can’t be that bad.  On more than one occasion I’ve been referred to as a safe pair of hands, which I take as a compliment.  Almost like an old pair of slippers.  I don’t mind that comparison either.

Firms don’t want someone who rocks their boat, or more particularly, their department.  They want someone who turns up on time.  That might sound obvious, but I’ve heard more than once about locums who’d agreed to take on a role and either failed to turn up on the first day or left without warning before the assignment was due to end.

Getting on with your new, temporary work colleagues is also high on the list.  Establishing a good working relationship with your secretary and departmental colleagues if you have any, is especially important.  To that list I’d add the accounts manager, or whoever it is within the Firm who processes your invoices. Remember you’re new, and even in well-run firms, your invoice can sometimes be overlooked especially when you first join, and it’s important to be paid on time.

I haven’t forgotten the clients.  Some Firms will have let your clients know of your impending arrival, but I’ve had assignments where no warning has been given.  Clients are the lifeblood of the department and need to be handled with care, patience, and tact. Some will be unhappy and occasionally hostile that their original fee earner has gone mid-way through their case.  You will need to be able to demonstrate to them that you are capable and that you understand their case.

Sometimes, you’ll have the benefit of leaving notes, but not always. If the files are in good order, the absence of notes won’t make much difference, but they sometimes won’t be. You need to be prepared for that. One of your priorities on joining a firm is to get to grips and up to speed with your new caseload, and where necessary, to reassure clients that you know what you’re doing.

Don’t be surprised if you feel unsettled at the end of the first day or even the first few days.  Even now, after all the jobs I’ve had, I invariably do, but if you accept that you will feel like that and remain focused, things will start to settle down and fall into place. Being a locum isn’t for everyone, but for the most part, I’ve enjoyed being a legal nomad.  I hope you do too.