New lawyers and students unsupported in lockdown: SYLA

Many trainee or newly qualified solicitors and law students felt a lack of support from their employers or institutions during the COVID-19 lockdown, according to a survey by the Scottish Young Lawyers' Association on the impact of the pandemic on young lawyers.

While two thirds of those who completed the survey felt their firm or organisation had responded "well" or "very well" to COVID-19 and lockdown, almost 30% replied "not well" while 3% were unsure. And just over half of trainees and NQs, and less than a third of students, felt they had received adequate supervision and support during this period.

Over 40% of trainees, and almost 50% of NQ solicitors, were placed on furlough by their employers – significantly higher than the Scottish employee average of 30%, on figures published in August 2020, and "far higher", SYLA states, than those placed on furlough in the 2-5 years and 5-10 years post-qualified brackets.

"Employers should be mindful that furlough is most likely to impact on the development of trainees and NQs during a time when they are going through an intense period of learning, and that where possible their professional development should be supported and reviewed regularly", it added.

Just under a quarter had been impacted by the effect of COVID-19 on the jobs market, through traineeships being unobtainable, cancelled, postponed or extended, post-qualifying job offers being withdrawn, or redundancy. Nearly all respondents had concerns about the impact on their professional development, through fewer job opportunities, opportunities to develop skills or build a network, or for supervision and feedback.

The survey further found that half of young lawyers who attended a physical court, prison or secure accommodation during lockdown were not consulted about this. SYLA has issued a call on employers to consult their staff about any work outside their home while restrictions remain in place, and to ensure they are provided with adequate support, and where appropriate, personal protective equipment.

Over two-thirds of students felt they had inadequate support from their organisation. While SYLA said this was likely to reflect the views of students across subject areas, it has invited recruiters to consider the impact that a sudden change in teaching has had on students and the varied approaches taken by different institutions. Students have also had summer placement offers withdrawn and sharply reduced opportunities for involvement in extra-curricular activities.

SYLA also asked members for feedback on what it, and other parts of the profession, can do to support young lawyers during this time. It is sharing the detailed results of the survey with the Law Society of Scotland and is planning events specifically aimed at mitigating the impact of the crisis on the professional development and personal wellbeing of its members.

Conducted during September, the survey attracted 270 responses. Click here to view the survey report.