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LSRA to begin survey of non-practising lawyers

The Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) is seeking the views of recently-qualified solicitors and barristers who are not currently practising.

The LSRA has launched a five-minute online anonymous survey to gather the views and experiences of individuals who qualified as a solicitor or barrister in or after 2014, and who have chosen not to practise.

The survey will inform research and a report to the Minister for Justice on economic and other barriers faced by early-career solicitors and barristers.

The authority is seeking the views of those who completed professional training with the Law Society or the King’s Inns, and who have not proceeded to a legal career.

This includes people who qualified and never practised; and also people who did practise for a time in the past, but are not currently practising.

Economic barriers

The anonymous online survey will assist the LSRA in determining the economic and other barriers faced by young barristers and solicitors in progressing their legal careers, and to make recommendations to the minister.

The survey is being conducted with the independent research company Behaviour & Attitudes, and will run until 18 February 2022. 

The survey fieldwork will examine:

• The remuneration of trainee barristers and solicitors,
• The other costs associated with joining each profession,
• The information available to prospective trainee barristers and solicitors on available masters and solicitors firms,
• The information available on the terms and conditions available, and how they are selected, and

Maternity leave

Any other barriers faced by young barristers and solicitors, including the ability to take maternity leave.

The minister has asked the LSRA to pay particular attention to equity of access and entry into the legal professions, as well as the objective of achieving greater diversity within the professions, and to make recommendations for change. 

Last year, as part of the same research, the LSRA undertook a comprehensive survey of trainee and early-career solicitors and barristers, as well as law undergraduates. The authority also invited written submissions from stakeholders and the public.