Article by: Naomi Jeffreys at The Law Society.

Aspiring solicitors should be paid £21,024 outside of London and £23,703 in the capital for qualifying work experience (QWE) for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam or during their training contract, the Law Society of England and Wales said today.

“This increase in the recommended salary for aspiring solicitors is considered to be appropriate at this time,” Law Society vice president Lubna Shuja said.

“It is expected that the rise in inflation will continue. There are a range of factors which will have to be taken into account during our discussions around the minimum salary policy and uplift next year, including the rising cost of living expenses and the economic impact that has had, and will have, on solicitors’ businesses.

“We are pleased to see some legal businesses have taken steps to offer one-off hardship payments to lower-salaried employees. This will go some way to relieving the strain on junior lawyers’ finances.”

The recommended minimum salary is updated annually. This is not a regulatory requirement, but a matter of voluntary good practice.

It was introduced by the Law Society in 2015 after the Solicitors Regulation Authority ended the regulatory requirement for a minimum salary for trainees.

Lubna Shuja added: “We encourage employers to consider this recommendation when looking at how much they will pay their employees.

“The policy applies to anyone undertaking a period of recognised training (such as a training contract) or anyone employed with the primary purpose of gaining QWE.”