The New Lawyers' Engagement Strategy - Background
In August 2006, the Society’s first New Lawyers’ Coordinator joined the Society's Education and Training department. Collette Paterson was appointed to analyse the ways in which the Society and the profession connect with the future of the legal profession in Scotland. New lawyers include the following groups:
- young people in circa 450 Scottish secondary schools, or those further education colleges, who might wish to pursue a career in law.
- people considering leaving established careers to embark on the study of law.
- LLB students at ten universities and Diploma students at five universities.
- 1,000 trainee solicitors;
- 450 newly qualified solicitors each year;
- solicitors who have been working in the Scottish legal profession for less than five years, being an estimated 2250 solicitors; and
- those who are in-between stages
The Society has been examining how it can engage with these groups, all potentially the next generation of Scottish solicitors, for their benefit and also for a sustainable solicitors' profession in Scotland.
From young people in Scottish schools considering which degree to embark on, to that defining moment of no longer being a second year trainee solicitor but a member of the profession, as the professional body in Scotland it is the Society’s responsibility to help new lawyers make informed career decisions. If new lawyers decide to qualify into the legal profession, it is the Society’s responsibility to ensure it is proactive in supporting their development as solicitors, and engaging them in the issues facing the profession in 2007 and beyond. These groups are not only tomorrow’s solicitors, but tomorrow’s key decision takers and policy makers.
Since 2006, the Society has been liaising with universities, law firms, new lawyers themselves and other relevant stakeholders to ascertain current levels of engagement. Visits to Universities, schools and law firms have been made and feedback sought. In addition, the following meetings were instrumental in helping to formulate future policy in this area:
- Meeting at Drumsheugh Gardens between the Society and student representatives of the Universities which offer the LLB in Scotland – Wednesday, 28th February 2007.
- Meeting at the Drumsheugh Gardens between the Society and the committee members of the Scottish Young Lawyers Association – Saturday, 24th March 2007.
- "Engaging Tomorrow's Lawyers Today - the New Lawyers Conference" - Saturday 9th June 2007. You can download the conference report, and the six page summary report, from the right hand side of this page.
