Is anyone else worried about the future of solicitors?

I've always wanted to become a solicitor and wanted a secure career with good pay to enable me to have a comfortable life; nice house, nice car, holidays etc.

However, with recent government changes, I'm worried about my future career and whether it's going to live up to what I always thought it would be.

Is anyone else worried about this?

I can see you are worried. Why not apply to work at the GLS? I think the apps process is open now. I know law has a bad rep employment-wise at the moment, but you know, this isn't the only time it's been tough to get a TC - it's all happened before.

Yes, lots more grads/GDLrs etc - it IS possible, or at least that is what I am choosing to believe!

I've always wanted to go private if I'm honest, so never really considered GLS.

I suppose we all should take on your optimistic attitude - I certainly should anyway, otherwise I might drive myself insane dwelling on it.


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I've always wanted to become a solicitor and wanted a secure career with good pay to enable me to have a comfortable life; nice house, nice car, holidays etc.

However, with recent government changes, I'm worried about my future career and whether it's going to live up to what I always thought it would be.

Is anyone else worried about this?

I think I'm thinking you seem to be someone who is looking for stability nice house, nice car, nice holidays - security. that's why I thought the govt might suit you! Sorry!

Sorry to say that the GLS probably doesn't provide this. Remember, most GLS jobs are in London. Pay restraint has lead to real terms pay cuts of about 25 - 30% and restraint will continue for at least 4 more years. House price rises in London are far outstripping the rest of the country, and so new lawyers with large student debt and no savings really will struggle to get on the property ladder in London nevermind get a nice house, have a car and have holidays.

Also, depending on the political bent of the next Government there is a significant chance that the Civil Service will not be a secure job - there are already signs of it if you look at the media etc. about reform.

You make a number of assumptions in your post about who new lawyers might be - I already have a house in London, ta!

But your post is helpful and informative, if a little negative. Of course what happens is, you start out in a job and of course you can't afford a house straight away, but as you advance you earn more money. No one needs a car in London for the first ten years here either.

Cuts effect all industry, govt is no different, but I expect the govt is a good employer - they are flexible for a start, likely to be a good long-term bet I would have thought.

Once you hit the normal lawyer grade (1 yr pqe) you don't earn more money. No department has pay progression, pay increases are capped at significantly below inflation and because of civil service reform there is little opportunity for promotion so you don't earn more.

I didn't assume anything about new lawyers. I said the GLS probably didn't provide and that new lawyers with large debts etc. In other words I was saying there are exceptions but for the majority what I say is correct.

In terms of negativity I don't see how. All I did was state fact. You can't assume the government is a good employer - in fact the evidence suggests otherwise...people's terms and conditions are being unilaterally worsened, in the last few years the unions have held a number of strikes over employment conditions etc. As for stability, it depends what the next government does but with more cuts planned and further reform to be driven through it simply isn't possible for people to assume job for life.