SRA boosts minimum trainee pay
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has announced a modest increase in the minimum salary for trainee solicitors. The new minimum wage for trainee solicitors working in London will be set at £18,590 from August 2009.
Jonathan Spencer
This represents an increase of just 0.9 per cent from the current level of £18,420. The recommended salary for trainees in the capital however has been set at £19,040.
The news comes as a growing number of City firms continue to freeze trainee salaries in response to the global economic crisis. On average a trainee working at a top City firm will receive a salary of around £37,000 in their first year.
The SRA has also put the minimum wage for trainees outside of London up by 0.9 per cent from £16,500 to £16,650. However the regulator recommends those living outside of the capital should be paid around £16,940.
Chair of the SRA’s education and training committee Dr Jonathan Spencer said: “In view of the current economic climate, we decided to set the level for next year’s trainees salaries at a 0.9 per cent increase based on the RPI at the end of the year.”
The SRA began a consultation in October 2006 to determine whether the market favored the abolitition of the minimum salary for trainees. But findings in May 2007 showed the majority of respondents, two thirds of whom were trainees, said they supported the minimum standards aimed at protecting trainees from exploitation in the legal market.
Readers' comments (8)
Chrissy Vassiliou | 6-May-2009 6:49 pm
When you come out of law school most people have loads of debt so many want to make as much money as possible to cope with that financial burden. I don’t think this is enough to survive on if you take into account London living expenses and debt on top of that.”
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Corporate Rainman | 7-May-2009 9:11 am
It's worth remembering that some people will still accept a lower salary than the minimum regardless of what the SRA says.
I would definitely favour keeping the minimum salary, otherwise a culture of exploitation would appear without a doubt. This can be seen in Northern Ireland at the minute as all but a handful of the trainees this year and last year aren't being paid because they're so desperate to get a training contract.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 7-May-2009 4:12 pm
Ask any trainee who is currently paid the minimum wage whether it is important for the SRA to retain this and I am sure they will say yes. Of course it would not concern any of the trainees who are earning well above the minimum level. Why should it? Certain partners at my firm have made it clear that trainees should think themselves lucky to be paid at all, as back in their day they worked for nothing when doing their articles. If you work for a local/high street firm then it is imperative to have a minimum salary to prevent exploitation.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anon | 12-May-2009 12:48 pm
Partner = 400K per year
Trainee = 18K? per year
Trainee does the 'dog' work.
Case closed.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 14-May-2009 3:16 pm
Realistically what an absolute waste of time.
0.9% - an extra hundred and fifty quid if you're outside the M25?
What a Joke.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
The Pied Piper | 2-Jun-2009 3:11 pm
how ridiculous is 0.9% increase. The past few years it has increased by around £700 per annum and now just a pointless £150 squid! the cost of living has increased and it is not reflected in the increase.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 6-Jun-2009 11:32 am
I would like to know the salary of the person/persons who decided this and then I would also like to now how much they were on last year.
Have they got the courage to tell this....?
NO they won't... because they are t******
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 1-Jan-2010 10:36 pm
I am a trainee at a small firm and if the minimum salary was not in place, i would probably be working for free or on some ridiculous wage having incurred so much debt from law school! Having said this, the minimum salary is still a joke in comparison to how hard a trainee has to work! You need to think of the long term gain in a legal career, which is hard if you don't have the financial backing unless you work for a city firm!
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment