Recommended minimum salary: trainees should see increase

Aspiring solicitors should be paid £24,320 outside of London and £27,418 in the capital for qualifying work experience (QWE) for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) or during their training contract, the Law Society of England and Wales said today.

“The increase in recommended salary for aspiring solicitors is considered appropriate at this time,” said Law Society president Nick Emmerson.

“The minimum salary policy and uplift supports those seeking to enter the profession with an appropriate salary recommendation.

“We encourage employers to consider this recommendation when looking at how much they will pay their employees.

“The policy applies to anyone undertaking a period of recognised training, such as a training contract, or anyone employed with the primary purpose of gaining QWE.”

Notes to editors

The recommended minimum salary policy is reviewed in June each year, with the revised amount coming into effect in September in line with the academic year/ new trainee or QWE year.

The recommended minimum salary is updated annually. This is not a regulatory requirement, but a matter of voluntary good practice.

It was introduced by the Law Society in 2015 after the Solicitors Regulation Authority ended the regulatory requirement for a minimum salary for trainees.

The current recommended minimum salary for trainee solicitors is £23,122 outside of London and £26,068 in the capital. The rise for 2024/2025 is 5.18% compared to 9.98% in 2023/2024.

About the Law Society

The Law Society is the independent professional body that works globally to support and represent solicitors, promoting the highest professional standards, the public interest and the rule of law.

Press office contact: Naomi Jeffreys | 020 8049 3928