On track to surpass 2021 record of 744
Trainee solicitor numbers in Scotland look set to reach record highs this year, according to new figures published by the Law Society of Scotland.
The latest snapshot shows the Society has already registered 316 training contacts for the period to end of July 2022, surpassing the 299 logged at the same point last year. This, the representative body says, is “well above” the long-term average.
While a final total for this year remains some months away, the Society notes that the vast majority of traineeships are typically commenced in August and September each year — so expect this 316 figure to rise sharply over the coming weeks. The 2021 figure to beat is 744.
The Law Society of Scotland’s president, Murray Etherington, commented: “These numbers are a good indicator of the current state of the Scottish legal sector. They point to both business growth and confidence in our profession.”
He added:
“I’m really pleased for each and every one of the trainees who have been registered so far this year, and the hundreds more we expect in the coming months as August and September are typically our busiest months of the year They’ve taken an important step in making a real contribution to Scotland, and our profession.”
Meanwhile, south of the border 5,626 trainees started on their two-year training contracts in 2019-20 — an 11% dip on the previous year due in part to the pandemic. The latest figures are yet to be released.
The Legal Cheek Scottish Law Fair 2022 takes place IN-PERSON on Tuesday 25 October at Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh. The Fair gives students from across Scotland the opportunity to meet the nation’s leading law firms. Register to attend.
