“Trainee Solicitors ‘Exploited’ After Qualification” What’s New?
Any associates reading that headline might not think it’s a great revelation but there’s exploited and there’s exploited…
This not previously unheard of claim was made in the Gazette yesterday but before it gets dimissed as the usual op-ed piece by a [pissy, overworked, miserable, disgruntled] NQ, it’s worth a closer look.
Gazette: Trainee solicitors are being ‘exploited’ by firms offering them a Hobson’s choice between a paralegal role or the dole when they qualify, the Gazette has learned.
The Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) said firms’ financial problems meant they were attempting to avoid paying newly qualified lawyers’ salaries and to save on practising certificate fees.
…
[JLD committee member Kevin] Poulter said that junior lawyers are being hit hardest in small and medium-sized firms, although the issue has also surfaced at one large firm.
As you can see, this goes a little beyond making NQ’s forgo evenings and weekends in favour of billable hours and pizza at their desk. How widespread the practice is has clearly eluded the JLD so far – looks like they are going to do some canvassing to investigate further though.
Given the general reluctance of junior professionals to speak out against firms for fear of future career damage, we’d speculate that it’s more common than it first appears. Cynical behaviour by law firms is nothing new – ‘performance related’ layoffs anyone? But this sets a new standard when it comes to bending juniors over a barrel.
Name and shame.
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