Information for trainees

Information for PEAT 2 trainees.

A new page has been developed for current PEAT 2 Trainees. Please follow the link to access this page and download the information you require.

Trainee Salary Information

After careful consideration, the Law Society has decided that the recommended rate for trainee solicitors in first and second year is to remain at the same level as last year.  This is in response to the ongoing challenging economic environment that many law firms are operating in and is in line with many firms deciding not to award pay increases to other members of staff.  The recommended rate is a guide for firms and is reviewed by the Law Society annually, taking into account a number of factors including the wider business climate.  From 1 June 2011, the recommended rates for trainee salaries are £15,965 for a first year trainee and £19,107 for a second year trainee.

General information

Like law students, trainees are the future of the profession. The Society is committed to supporting  you throughout your traineeship and beyond.

The traineeship is a great time to get further involved in the work of the Society and develop contacts in the profession. In addition to opting in to receive New Lawyers' News and updates, you could:

• volunteer at our legal study and careers events
• judge in the Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament
• attend continuing professional development (CPD) for new lawyers
• join the Scottish Young Lawyers Association and the Trainee and Newly Qualified Society
• write an article for the Journal, the members' magazine for solicitors

• Find out more about being a trainee by listening to the Society's careers podcast, focusing on the Traineeship (transcript available).

• Read the latest trainee blog by second year trainee Elika Taghizadeh.

• Contact newlawyers@lawscot.org.uk if you want to find out more or get involved in these or any other projects.

The Supporting New Lawyers Strategy includes other examples of how to get involved with the Society and the profession. The Strategy can be downloaded here.

Guidance Notes for Trainee Solicitors - see guidance for first and second year trainees.

Trainee statistics - the Society registered 488 training contracts in 2011. View the full report, which includes historical data and a breakdown by geographic area and size of firm.  Also see report for 2010.

Changes to the traineeship and CPD - The Society is developing the new policy framework for legal education. It is particularly important that trainees are aware of changes and improvements to the CPD programme. See Education and training policy for further details. This new framework will be introduced from September 2011.

To make sure you don't miss any important information from the Society, opt in here to receive updates and information on news and events. If you have any queries, contact newlawyers@lawscot.org.uk.

Policy statement on termination of training contracts

As a result of the economic downturn, the Society has received a large number of calls from both trainees and training employers seeking guidance on whether a training contract can be terminated by reason of redundancy. The Society has issued a policy statement on the matter. Follow the link to download the full policy statement.