The sad news is that as businesses implode and law firms cut back, the redundancies are stacking up for associates (more have been announced this week). When it comes staffing issues amongst law firms, associates appear to be like fish in the proverbial barrel.

At the same time, it is positive to note that trainee recruitment appears to be holding up (unless you are one of said associates, in which case it might grate a little). Bearing in mind that this is a process that runs two years ahead of current events, it is probably not a huge surprise though. Firms will want to avoid the mistakes of the last major recession which left them with a shortage of junior staff on the upturn.

Beyond the law, however, job vacancies for students graduating this summer have fallen by almost a fifth (17%) and most have already been filled. So the options outside the profession are narrowing…

According to a report by market research firm High Fliers, many employers started scaling back graduate recruitment plans a year ago, and half had downgraded their targets for this year. A survey of 100 companies showed City jobs such as those in investment banking were worst hit. Unsurprisingly the main increases were in the public sector, a trend which looks likely to continue in the coming months.

A separate study of 1,000 final year students revealed fear across university campuses with regard to career prospects, only 13% were confident they would find a job they wanted. So whilst law firms have remained cautiously optimistic about job prospects for future trainee solicitors, there are worrying times ahead for a generation of young workers. Looking across to the States gives you an idea where we may be headed, for some sober reading click to read how one former legal assistant couldn’t even get a job in McDonalds.

Lucky timing for new trainees then, but not so great if you qualified in the last year or two…