SJ Berwin mulls of counsel position

SJ Berwin has set up a firmwide associate focus group to decide whether an of counsel role should be introduced.

With ;partnership prospects worsening across the market, the 15-associate alternative career path working group will debate the merit of the new role as either an additional position or an alternative route to partnership

The firm has sent a survey to all SJ Berwin associates to help gauge the level of ­interest in establishing the of counsel role.

Emma ;Herriman, ;a member of the firm’s ­associate solicitor forum, said: “The point of the ­survey is to find out whether this is something the ­associates feel is needed at the firm.

“The issue had been ­discussed at the forum, but we felt creating a separate body to discuss alternative career paths was needed.”

Herriman added that the group will discuss of counsel as a possible alternative role to associate as well as being used as either a route to partnership or a move away from the partner role.