Tessa Jade-Heise completed the Bar Practice Course after university, then worked worked as a county court advocate/Solicitor's Agent through LPC Law. She subsequently secured pupilage and worked for a while as a barrister, before moving to the Netherlands and working for Dutch law firm Bierens Law (on English legal matters). In 2024, she resumed her work as a barrister and now specialises in civil, commercial, insolvency, and international private law. 

For our full interview with Tessa-Jade, check out https://www.commerciallaw.academy/courses/alternative-careers

Working abroad

There are a number of opportunities to work abroad. For instance, there are many firms based in tax-efficient jurisdictions (e.g. the Cayman Islands) that look to recruit English-qualified lawyers, although these firms usually require you to have accumulated a few years of post-qualification experience first. 

Some firms also offer opportunities to qualify into (or go on an extended secondment to) one of their international offices, and doing so doesn’t always require you to take an additional legal qualification.