For lawyers looking out for a new role, the cost of any further study paid for by an existing firm can become their responsibility if they decide to move on under their current contract. While this is an issue to be aware of when thinking about making a move, even for those who have resigned to the fact that they may have to pay for some of their study costs, there may be an alternative that doesn’t leave the candidate out of pocket.

The cost of further study may be covered by a new employer, or even split between a recruitment firm and a client in some circumstances, according to those in the industry. “If you’re a good candidate, you shouldn’t be disadvantaged and the situation is really very flexible. Even if there’s a contractual term most times employers and candidates can get around that,” said Xavier Cheng, Asia-Pacific consultant with CML, based in Hong Kong.

Cheng said a number of candidates were sponsored to study and become US qualified after a couple of years working with a firm may be eligible for a wider range of positions when finished. He also mentioned a past candidate who was sponsored by one firm and studying to be Hong Kong qualified but quit after 12 months after finding a new job. The new employer was fully prepared to compensate the candidate for out of pocket expenses related to study in the interests of securing the right person for the role available.

Cheng also urged candidates to consider all possibilities before deciding to take a one or two year break to study where an employer agrees to keep their role available upon their return. “One co-worker’s firm had sponsored their candidate to do post-graduate study but during the time they had off the firm did a lot of restructuring and the candidate’s role was one of the first ones let go. Of course firms are not going to reserve headcount for those who decide to take 12 or 18 months off, especially in a time sensitive practice such as regulatory or M&A. For these firms time is money,” he added.

In general, further study should be carefully considered in today’s market, according to Cheng. “Unless you’re looking for a career change, I would say an MBA for a lawyer is really not necessary. The same applies to an LLM. There are some PRC firms who will prefer candidates with an LLM but experience over qualification is the norm. Anyone looking to undertake further study I would advise to choose something around business development in the legal field,” Cheng said.

Cultural compatibility was another issue which clients often raised with Cheng. Even when dealing with a candidate who is dual or US qualified, firms will still ask whether that candidate would be comfortable in a room full of PRC, Mandarin speaking clients and how they will relate professionally, he said.