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Travers 'discriminated against pregnant trainee', tribunal hears

The harsh reality is that clients pay £500+ per hour for immediate availability: if they want assistance, they want it in accordance with their timing. And whilst clients might outwardly support part-time or flexible working, the second it affects them their support goes out the window. Let's be honest, most lawyers' jobs are not rocket-science and the reason an NQ is paid £63k at Linklaters is not because that 23 year old is a genius but because that person is committing to work all hours necessary. When I was a trainee and NQ I didn't make any personal plans between 9am on Monday and 8pm on Friday because I was paid to be available: that's the compromise you make for the money and the prestige of working in the magic circle. It is no different in other jobs: a researcher on Ant 'n' Dec gets paid £13k because its an awesome job, you work great hours and get to have illicit encounters with celebs; a fresh analyst at an investment bank gets paid £100k because its an awful job, you work all hours and you have to sleep with your MD to get anywhere. Most associates now seem to think that law firms can afford for them to work 9.30 to 5.30 (with an hour for lunch) and still pay them the big bucks - they are living in a dream world and need to understand the basic economics of running a business. As for "equality", why on earth should two identically qualified lawyers be paid the same salary but one is guarantee the right to go home at 5.30pm without question and the other leaves when their client says so? Comment

19-Feb-2013

1:54 pm