Law students facing increased competition

Posted By: James

Tuesday 5th August 2014

The growing number of law students in the UK has resulted in increasingly tough competition for places amongst graduates. Around 17,500 graduates will be chasing 4,500 training contracts at law firms and 300 pupillages in barristers’ chambers this year. The exponential growth of the legal profession has also put Britain on course to rival the US as the most “lawyered” country in the world. In 1980 there were nearly 40,000 practising solicitors in England and Wales, a figure which has now increased to 129,000. Chris Grayling, the justice secretary, told the justice select committee last year that there was an oversupply of lawyers. “One of the big challenges we have is not a shortage of lawyers in this country. Indeed, one of the areas that I think the Bar and both sides of the profession need to look at is the number of people who are operating in legal aid,” he stated.

The Times, Page: 5

 

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