London Paralegal Trades Law Career for Dog Walking, Reports Higher Income

A former paralegal in London has left her legal career behind to become a dog walker, reporting that she now earns significantly more while working fewer hours.

Liz East, 30, who studied for six years with the ambition of becoming a criminal defense barrister, found her previous role demanding. She often worked more than 12-hour days and endured a commute exceeding two hours to reach London. East described the legal environment as "negative and difficult," and found the long hours combined with social pressures unsustainable for her future plans.

After leaving the legal profession, East initially took a consultancy role for six months before deciding to pursue a different path entirely. She began by walking dogs and offering a boarding service, initially working part-time at a local pub while building her client base. She observed a high demand for dog-walking services in her area.

East now walks between 20 and 30 dogs daily across approximately four walks. She states that her income has increased substantially compared to her previous legal career, and her working hours have been halved. While acknowledging that her career change has drawn mixed reactions, with some assuming it is a low-skill, low-earning profession, East emphasizes that her focus is on her passion for dogs and the outdoors.

"I'm on thousands more per month than I was working in corporate and do half the hours I used to," East said. "But if people do this job because they want to earn more money, they're not doing it for the right reasons. You should do it because you want to be outside and want to be with dogs."

East's husband also works in dog walking and boarding. The couple no longer experiences the dread of long weekend hours that characterized their previous employment. She added that while she retains her law degree, she has no intention of returning to the legal field due to her strong satisfaction with her current work.

She noted that while some people have expressed judgmental views about her career shift, she believes she learned valuable skills from her legal studies that she still utilizes. East advises others to pursue fulfilling careers, stating, "Life is short, don't stay in a job where you're unhappy. Just make the change and go for it, I've not regretted it for one single second."