The legal-services regulator has made 32 recommendations aimed at addressing barriers to entry into the legal profession, as well as increasing diversity in the professions.

The recommendations come in a series of reports entitled Breaking Down Barriers and follow consideration of the findings of a comprehensive survey of solicitors and barristers at all levels of the professions.

The recommendations are aimed at addressing some of the key issues identified by the research – including opening pathways to qualification, the costs of joining the legal professions, workplace culture, and diversity and inclusion.

The LSRA says that many of its recommendations build on proposals set out in a 2022 report on the reform of education and training.

Some are addressed to a new independent Legal Practitioner Education and Training Committee, which is yet to be established.

Flexible routes

The recommendations on opening pathways to qualification include:

• Professional bodies should continue to increase flexible routes for the training of legal practitioners,
• Training providers should report annually to the LSRA on the diversity of intake in all courses, and
• The LSRA and the professional bodies should look at using the annual levy on the professions “and other funding mechanisms” to increase support for prospective barristers and solicitors.

On solicitor training, the LSRA says stakeholders should explore the introduction of a new apprenticeship route for solicitors, aimed at school-leavers or career-changers seeking an alternative to university.

“These could allow apprentices to ‘earn as they learn’ to become solicitors over a period of six to seven years,” the authority states.

Minimum pay

It also calls on the Law Society to engage with firms and organisations that train solicitors to ensure that all solicitor trainees receive a minimum pay threshold during training.

The LSRA adds that legislative amendments should be introduced to allow the Law Society to monitor and enforce breaches of this threshold for trainees.

The regulator recommends that the Law Society increase its financial supports for small firms to provide training contracts, and extend this funding to include independent law centres.

It also wants the solicitors’ body to encourage and support the direct intake of trainee solicitors in the public and private sectors, “with particular focus on the civil and public service”.

The report calls on all professional bodies to assess the impact of their existing access initiatives at second- or third-level education, and to consider expanding existing funded access programmes, such as bursaries, scholarships, and targeted internships.

Merit-based system for trainees

Although the LSRA finds that there is more information on training contracts available for solicitors, it recommends measures to address gaps.

“A merit-based system for the recruitment of trainee solicitors should be open and transparent, with greater clarity for all on the pathways, terms and conditions, and selection processes, and improved supports for trainees and training firms during the training period.

“The Law Society should consider the introduction of a centralised portal or online resource for prospective trainee solicitors,” it adds.

Annual wellbeing reports

On wellbeing issues, the LSRA suggests that law firms complete an annual report each year, to be submitted to the LSRA and Law Society, on the measures they have taken to ensure a positive workplace culture, dignity in the workplace, a reasonable work-life balance for staff, and employee wellbeing.

The LSRA calls for an action plan from the professional bodies and the Courts Service to address issues facing members of the legal profession with disabilities.

It also urges a review of training arrangements for non-EEA students to remove barriers to entry.

The LSRA also calls on the professional bodies to look at reducing entry requirements on a reciprocal basis for transfers between both branches of the legal profession – including a mutual-recognition framework for solicitors and barristers with fewer than three years post-qualification experience.