What is important to young lawyers? Have your (anonymous) say in the IBA’s Young Lawyers Survey

The International Bar Association invites young lawyers in the Scottish legal profession to take part in their worldwide survey to understand future trends.

The International Bar Association (IBA) is conducting a research project focusing on the interests of young lawyers around the world. The anonymous Young Lawyers Survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and is open to all lawyers aged 40 and under (you do not need to be an IBA Member to respond). The survey is available in both English and Spanish.

Young lawyers are the future leaders of the legal profession: therefore, it is in all of our best interests that talented individuals stay working in the law to contribute to its advancement, reform, and championing of the rule of law. What young lawyers experience and how their interests are managed will undoubtedly affect their future at their workplace, the legal sector in which they work, and the legal profession more generally.

The survey, developed in collaboration with consultancy firm Acritas (part of Thomson Reuters), will be used to collect data on the collective interests, priorities, and concerns of young lawyers. Determining the factors that affect young lawyers’ decisions to move workplaces is a crucial part of the research project.

Approximately 80 per cent of questions are multiple choice, and all questions are related to issues affecting young lawyers, including factors influencing a decision to move workplaces, impacts on career progression, and the effect of technology and artificial intelligence in the workplace. Workplace bullying, sexual harassment and mental health are covered in the survey as part of the IBA’s continued commitment to addressing these issues in the legal profession. Those taking part are also invited to share their experiences concerning the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

The IBA hopes to use this data, and any trends that may appear, to generate dialogue between young lawyers and the current leaders of the legal profession. Reflection is a key part of any development process and the data gathered by this survey will provide a greater understanding of how, as a profession, we can drive forward positive change.

If you are a lawyer aged 40 or under, we encourage your participation in the IBA’s survey: you can find the survey here. If you do not fit the criteria for the target audience, please forward the link to your friends, colleagues and wider network.