Report comment

In contrast to what has been said above, I find this very encouraging.

There are an incredible number of very capable young graduates, who have passed their law degrees and LPCs with flying colours, who cannot secure a training contract, and who are now working as paralegals, doing the same things that a trainee would hitherto have done.

The training contract model does not encourage employers to train aspiring solicitors. It encourages them to hire LPC graduates as paralegals with the carrot of a training contract dangling before them. This will, at least, ensure that paralegals are suitably rewarded.

I do, of course, accept that there is a difference in the standards expected of paralegals, but I'm confident that with appropriate regulation and guidance, only those who cover the equivalent to a training contract will be able to qualify.

You'll have to forgive my relative youth, but is this really that much different to the idea of articles, as they once were?