TSG's new head takes up group's job challenge

THE TRAINEE Solicitors Group has elected Irwin Mitchell's Richard Moorhead as its new chair.

Moorhead, who is in his third training seat with the Sheffield firm, takes over from University of Northumbria lecturer Fiona Boyle.

Moorhead, 25, says he decided to run for the post because "it is very important to get involved in issues that concern the profession and concern trainees in particular".

The national representative for Sheffield TSG, Moorhead stepped in as honorary secretary on the group's national committee two months ago.

He says the group will continue to pursue the aims it has set in previous years, with a focus on discrimination, monitoring of training contracts, continually-improved training and trainee debt.

"There's a real problem with debt and there's a problem with lack of confidence in getting jobs on qualifying. I am getting the feeling that things are starting to improve in terms of recruiting, but there is still a major problem with lack of jobs."