Laid-off minority lawyers toil for no pay
Some black and minority ethnic (BME) lawyers are working for free because they failed to land paid training contracts or work after they were made redundant.
The shocking statistic is revealed in research carried out by the Law Society and published exclusively by The Lawyer in its inaugural report on diversity, out today.
The Law Society said: “Some BME solicitors [are] working for no pay. In today’s society, with wrangles over the minimum wage, it seems incredible that individuals are still prepared to work without remuneration to fulfil their passion to break into the legal profession.”
The Lawyer Diversity Report 2010 suggests that minorities have been affected disproportionately in redundancy programmes, that women and minorities are pushed towards lower-paid areas and that a fifth of LGBT lawyers have experienced discrimination at work.
These factors are leading talent from non-traditional groups to leave private practice in droves, resulting in a loss of £125,000 per associate and a surge in Employment Tribunal claims.
The report explains the issues behind these trends and carries out the first audit of the diversity profiles of the UK’s largest 30 firms.
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Readers' comments (33)
Anonymous | 1-Nov-2010 4:10 pm
To "Someone in the law"
You are the exception not the norm. Yes it can happen but it's highly unlikely.
Just because you got lucky, that doesn't change the general picture. No one is making excuses. It is easy to say what you say when you are the lucky one.
If you got a 2:2 now you wouldn't get anywhere no matter how hard you tried.
This is reality.
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Anonymous | 1-Nov-2010 4:12 pm
to Anonymous at 1-Nov-2010 3:34 pm.
Sounds like a scam to me.
Unfortunately such is the competition for jobs that it would probably be tempting for someone.
Very sad indeed.
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Anonymous | 10-Jul-2011 8:23 am
Surely I agree with most of your comments. Most of the the newly qualified solicitors in my firm are working for nothing hoping that a time will come for the big cheque.
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