Trainee rates of pay 2018

Trainee solicitors in Scotland should receive a pay increase in 2018/19, according to recommendations made by the Law Society of Scotland today (27 April).

The Law Society’s governing Council agreed that the recommended remuneration should be £19,000 for those in their first year and £22,000 for second-year trainees, increases of £1,000 and £500 respectively.

The recommended rates, which will apply from 1 June, would reduce the gap between those in their first and second years, which had grown as a result of consecutive annual percentage rather than flat rate increases.

Law Society President, Graham Matthews, said it was also important to narrow the gap between the trainee solicitor recommended rate and starting salaries for graduates in other industries.

He said: “Trainee solicitors are an integral part of the profession and the traineeship provides a solid foundation of knowledge, skills and experience in preparation for rewarding careers. It is also important that they are fairly rewarded and remunerated for the work they do and there is a real need to narrow the gap between the salaries of trainee solicitors and other high-calibre graduates. Law graduates have a range of career options available to them, and pay rates must remain competitive if we are to attract the best candidates in to the profession.

“Our recommended rate is advisory only, but trainees will no doubt be pleased to know that we have raised the benchmark. We recognise that economic conditions remain difficult for many firms and organisations, and that they are under pressure to control their costs, including salaries. Trainees can offer real long term benefits to the organisations employing them, but unfortunately, some simply cannot afford to take on a trainee solicitor. The only viable option for others is to pay below the recommended rate."

While the newly agreed rates are advisory only, they do provide a useful guide for firms and organisations employing trainee solicitors.  Ultimately it is up to employers to decide what to pay their trainees, but the Law Society of Scotland will not accept for registration any training contract where the salary is less than the living wage as set by the Living Wage Foundation.

The number of training contracts registered with the Law Society during the 2016/17 practice year fell by 1% to 543. Around nine out of ten traineeships are paid at or above the Law Society’s recommended rate.

Further information for trainees and guidance for employers can be found on our website.