Unpaid work experience is driving young lawyers into further debt

Law Society research finds legal aid lawyers are 'a dying breed'

Two out of three young lawyers turned to paralegal work as an alternative route to the profession after they were unable to obtain a training contract following graduation.

This figure has increased from 45 per cent from 18 months ago, according to research carried out by the Junior Lawyers Division (JLD).

Furthermore, the research found that of the 60 per cent who took the paralegal route, just over half (54 per cent) made the jump from paralegal work to a training contract. The JLD's 'Early Career Work Experience' survey, which attracted over 630 respondents, also uncovered a disparity between the development value of unpaid and paid work experience.

Unsatisfactory work experience

Eight out of ten respondents said they had undertaken some form of unpaid work experience to boost their CVs.

However, less than half found it 'consistently useful' to their development or job prospects, with higher satisfaction levels recorded for paid work.

Over a third of those surveyed said unpaid contracts offered no compensation such as travel expenses. Perhaps more worrying, a third revealed that unpaid work had driven them further into debt.

The results showed that a quarter of new entrants to the profession who undertook unpaid work did so for more than six months at a time, suggesting they may have been simply fulfilling firms' organisational needs.

The chair of the JLD, Sophia Dirir said: "Junior lawyers are facing difficulties both financially and in accessing genuine career opportunities in the legal market place. There is evidence of a worrying trend of long-term unpaid work experience, some placements lasting up to two years. I would urge the profession to re-evaluate the situation and not put short-term commercial advantage above the development of future legal talent."

A significant rise in the cost of young solicitors' education following tuition fee increases was named as one of the prime challenges faced by junior members of the profession. Sixty-one per cent of respondents spent over £20,000 on their legal education. This figure is over a third more from 18 months ago.

As a result, more than two-thirds of young lawyers are prioritising short-term earning potential over their long-term career goals in order to stave off student debt.

Legal aid lull

The survey also found that only 4 per cent of young lawyers are interested in working in legal aid. This figure is worrying as 6.5 per cent of solicitors currently work in criminal legal aid.

Commenting on the results, the Law Society president, Andrew Caplen, said the legal aid cuts and wider funding cuts were chipping away at access to justice.

"This latest research paints a grim picture of the future of legal aid, with fewer lawyers entering this essential area of law," he added.

Sophia Dirir commented that: "Our research shows the stark reality of the effects of university tuition fee hikes and legal aid cuts on the future of the legal profession and the justice system. The government's cuts will lead to people accused of crimes having no, or inadequate representation. This will ultimately deprive vulnerable members of the public of access to justice."

Commenting further, Caplen advised Students thinking of embarking on a career in law to think carefully and do extensive research.

"Competition for training contracts remains exceptionally high," he said, "with some firms receiving thousands of applications for each place.

"To succeed as a solicitor, you need determination, motivation and academic ability in abundance. Students should be confident that they are right for the profession and the profession is right for them before making that commitment."

John van der Luit-Drummond is legal reporter for Solicitors Journal