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There is (supposedly) a lot going on in the junior end of the profession. The introduction of Apprenticeships, the increase in those becoming CILEX professionals, the scrapping of the trainee minimum salary, the potential introduction of work based learning by the SRA to replace the LPC (which seems remarkably similar to the CILEX route), the SRA’s decision to leave regulation to the profession and the end of the Legal Education and Training Review (not sure what impact if any that has had). Some of these things are positive and will have a negative impact on junior lawyers and the diversity of the profession.

So does this announcement signal a further change for the worse or hope for the future?

Whilst there are professional paralegals most I meet are post uni and post LPC graduates trying to get into the profession. Their paralegal experiences are often of exploitative, unpaid or low paid work, with the promise of a training contract which never materialises. After two years very capable people are left feeling disillusioned, broke and looking to other professions. Shockingly Duncan Lewis recently advertised unpaid full time paralegal roles, only to quickly withdraw it when spotted by Legal Cheek.

What about all those people trying to get a training contract, doesn’t this just get rid of those who aren’t good enough I hear you say? No. It means that those burdened by student debt and professional course fees that don’t have financial support from their family cannot get into the profession because they can’t afford to work for free or for minimum wage whilst paying off their loans and living expenses.

Paralegalisation has long been a problem identified by Young Legal Aid Lawyers and the difficulties facing those trying to get into the profession are clearly set out in its report 'One Step Forwards Two Steps Back'
http://www.younglegalaidlawyers.org/sites/default/files/One%20step%20forward%20two%20steps%20back.pdf

So will reducing paralegal pay mean the end to exploitation, investment in the junior staff and the recruitment of more trainees or support for those considering the CILEX route? (I think you can currently charge more for a paralegal than trainee but I could be wrong). Although many trainees will be on minimum wage will it reduce the years spent working as a paralegal or as an unpaid ‘work experience’. Or will it mean paralegals are increasingly working for free?

This is an important subject for junior lawyers to get involved in and discuss.