Junior lawyers call for delay to minimum wage
consultation
The Law Society's Junior Lawyer's Division has called on the
Solicitors Regulation Authority to delay its consultation on
scrapping the minimum wage, citing, amongst a range of issues, a
lack of assessment on the impact the move would have on diversity
and social mobility in the legal profession.
The JLD says that the SRA could not have chosen a worse time to
consult on scrapping the minimum wage, with the Legal Education and
Training review still going on, as well as a lack of evidence over
the impact removing the minimum wage will have on diversity and
social mobility.
Camilla Graham Wood of the JLD Executive Committee said:
“The reasons for not consulting on this now far outweigh the
reason for doing so, apart from the obvious fact that the economic
climate remains unstable, there is also the uncertain matter of
what impact alternative business structures will have on trainees
and their pay. Add to that the potential fall out from the Legal
Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill and its impact on
young lawyers working in legal aid and it is clear that the timing
of this is atrocious.
“With legal services going through drastic change,
removing the minimum wage could be a risk. There is a real danger
that without the minimum salary protection in place, those from
less affluent backgrounds could be denied entering the
profession.
“At the very least, the SRA should opt for common-sense
and await the outcome of the LETR before even contemplating putting
a removal of the minimum wage on the agenda.”
The JLD has made a freedom of information request to the SRA on
a range of questions concerning the current trainee solicitor pay
landscape.
Camilla Graham Wood added: “The JLD is in no doubt that
the minimum salary must stay, but if the SRA insists that the
matter must be consulted on it should be done at a time when there
is greater stability in the new legal services market.”
See
the JLD's call for action.
Ends