Helping Students

I am writing in reply to your article on the Law Society Council's decision to approve the principle of employed solicitors advising third parties (see [2002] Gazette, 28 March, 1).

I find it tremendous that the Law Society is willing to find time to help out established solicitors find further areas in which to develop.

However, should not it be compulsory first of all to find work for the new generation coming through?

It appears, from the student perspective, that the Society is not doing enough to assist the potential new lawyers in finding training contracts.

Or at least the Society is not helping by standing by and allowing established firms (especially the large City firms) to take advantage of their positions and allow a two-year-in-advance recruiting process, determining where the students go to do their legal practice course and now even where they go to do their undergraduate degrees.

It is worrying that the Society, as the only body capable of regulating this sort of behaviour and policy does absolutely nothing.

To add insult to injury, the Society also does nothing to prevent former bar students from taking up training contract posts.

Remember, the Society's student membership fee is more than 200 - and if you do not have a training contract and have to pay for this yourself it puts another unnecessary pressure on students.

It is obvious that the Society needs to do a lot more for its members than just allow them to spread into other industries.

Let us get everything right in our own industry before we start to invade others.

R Kamp, student, Guildford College of Law

LAW SOCIETY RESPONDS: The sacrifices that students make as they train for entry to the profession are understood by the Law Society, as is the need to balance the interests of students with the needs of the businesses that recruit them.

The Guide to Good Practice in the Recruitment of Trainee Solicitors reflects this, for example, by delaying recruitment decisions for trainees until at least the final year of undergraduate studies.

Although some students might consider that recruitment at this stage is undesirable, for others the offer of a training contract prior to the start of their legal practice course brings financial sponsorship.

Of course, not all firms are in a position to offer sponsorship to students or to take trainees.

Therefore, the Legal Services Commission's proposal to consult on new forms of support for training contracts within firms that undertake publicly funded work is welcome.

Various forms of support are available to students seeking training contracts but it is made clear that a training contract for all cannot be guaranteed.

Fresh ways of working and new markets for the profession might be created by changing the position of employed solicitors.

More training opportunities could result - and this should not be overlooked by those concerned about trainees.

Julie Swan, Law Society head of legal education and training