Code of good practice in recruitment of trainee solicitors: Law Society replaces SRA as signatory
The Law Society has replaced the Solicitors Regulation Authority as a signatory to the Voluntary Code of Practice for the Recruitment of Trainee Solicitors.
The Code was drawn up to assist all parties involved with the recruitment of law degree students and non-law degree students as trainee solicitors. It represents good practice in legal recruitment and supports firms and potential trainees.
The confirmation settles any uncertainty about whether the Code would remain in place for the forthcoming recruitment programme, after the Solicitors Regulation Authority stood down. The current signatories to the Code have stated that it will remain in its present form for the current recruitment cycle and has been updated for the following recruitment year.
In January 2015 the Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) approached the Law Society about replacing the SRA as a signatory to the Code. The SRA had resigned as a signatory on the basis that recruitment practices and procedures are not a regulatory matter.
Commenting on the announcement, Law Society President Jonathan Smithers said: “The Code outlines a fair and transparent process for firms and potential trainees to follow and allows firms to compete for candidates on a level playing field.
“Crucially, it enables solicitor trainees to explore the possible career options available to them before making a commitment to a particular employer. Employers voluntarily subscribe to and agree to comply with their responsibilities under the Code and students also have responsibilities under the Code.”
The other signatories, the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS), Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) and the JLD remain committed.
The Law Society would encourage local law societies, firms and potential trainees to note the Code and the behaviours it suggests as good practice.
