From Law to Consultancy - is this possible?

Question

Hi everyone,

I’m currently working as a corporate/commercial paralegal in Dubai, and after nearly 10 years in the legal industry, I’ve decided not to pursue the SQE and I’m now looking to pivot into management consulting.

A bit about my background: I completed my LLB (Hons) while working full-time, studying online over several years. I’m now in my 30s, and while my degree isn’t from a traditionally ‘well-regarded’ university, I’ve gained hands-on experience.

I’d really appreciate your advice on:

How to position a legal background in consulting applications or interviews
Whether there are specific firms, pathways, or programs that welcome career changers without a traditional MBA
Any tips on making the shift as someone slightly later in their career journey

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

Answer 1

Hi there,

I've worked with several candidates transferring from law to consulting. Actually, it's not as uncommon as you might think.

Consulting firms love candidates with a law background because it already signals to them they are high achievers, articulate, with an ability to go deep into a particular topic and also to communicate in a coherent, structured manner.

What is critical is how you approach the application process and how you present your profile, especially in your CV (that's the place where most people get it wrong). Your CV should make a great case for all the transferable skills that you have developed which could be deployed into consulting. And also present any situations from the past, and even your work as a lawyer, when you found yourself in consulting-like situations.

This guide should help you get started on how to think about the overall process:

Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Feel free to reach out directly if you have any questions.

Best,
Cristian

Answer 2

It’s possible, but you’ll need to be a bit strategic.

Start by framing your legal background around transferable skills: research, structured communication, contract negotiation, risk analysis, and working with clients under pressure. Consulting firms care less about the degree label and more about whether you can break down problems, think clearly, and communicate with impact. Keep in mind that you're likely to come in at an associate level, even with 10 YoE.

In the Middle East, MBBs don't typically hire people from legal backgrounds although it's not a disqualifier, but usually they've either got top-tier academics or an MBA from a target school. Without a traditional MBA, your best chances are:

Tier-2 firms with operations-heavy or implementation mandates (e.g., Oliver Wyman, Roland Berger, Strategy& industry verticals)
Specialist roles within transformation teams, legal/regulatory strategy, or delivery units
Boutique consultancies that deal with regulatory change, compliance, or public sector work
Internal legal teams at consulting firms, though these roles are more contract-focused and support-oriented, not client-facing consulting work

You’ll need to show strong business awareness, case prep, and a clear narrative about why you’re switching now. If you want help refining that story or prepping for interviews, happy to connect. I coach candidates from similar paths looking to break into consulting in the GCC, feel free to reach out.

Answer 3

Hi there,

It is possible to transition from Law to Consulting. In both BCG and Bain, I had colleagues who were from Law background. And in both cases, the person had been doing quite well before they left after 3-4 years for better opportunities.

What you want to bring out during application and interviews are your strength in logical thinking, structured approach in problem solving, and ideally if you have experiences handling client relationship etc. Those would be highly transferrable skills for consulting.

Within the consulting firm, there is no specific track / pathway for people with law background. You'd be joining as a generalist.

An MBA might be an easier way to make the transition, though. You can consider 1 year program e.g., INSEAD.

As for tips for someone is slightly late in career journey to join consulting, the one thing I want to highlight is to be humble - let go of your ego. You would have peers and even supervisors on your projects who are much younger than you. Focus on what you can learn from them and don't let age difference get in the way.

Best,
Emily

Answer 4

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on your career trajectory thus far!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your questions:

First of all, I would advise you not to worry about your positioning, since consulting firms value applicants from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds. In your application files, you should highlight your transferable skills - though this advice applies to any applicant.
Moreover, there seem to be no specific programs tailored to non-business applicants - you would join as a generalist.
Lastly, regarding your question about joining consulting later in your professional career, I would strongly advise you to focus primarily on your learning trajectory. You will likely start at a lower rank compared to your position in law, and many of your colleagues and supervisors may be younger than you - but this is quite common and should not discourage you.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare your application files, for your upcoming pre-interview assessments and/or interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen