The future

1 Identify 3 barriers to the profession 2 Identify 3 issues regarding diversity 3 What are the key drivers in the Jan 16 “Future of Legal Services” document? 4 What will be the likely impact of each change?

1 Identify 3 barriers to the profession 1 Background (initial education and low income groups) 2 Work experience (who you know – nepotism) Political agenda 3 Training contract (harder to get – quality of contracts vary) 4 The Law Soc / Bar Council (target London centric schools excluding others)

1b Identify 3 barriers to the profession A Education and training – quality of education varies / training law firms varies B Background and gender – law firms hire students from high rank unis and students who get there from private schools C Awareness of gender issues need to be raised / is being a barrister as a female more difficult? D Getting experience in the first palce

2 Identify 3 issues regarding diversity 1 Russell group universities maintain white middle class private schooled 2 Unfair process recruitment e.g. female and low income groups suffer at interviews 3 Gender, age, ethnicity less likely to be given network to training 4 Gender, ethnic and income groups inherently male profession affects people getting membership

2b Identify 3 issues regarding diversity A Less female representation than males B Disproportionate workforce from lower socio economic backgrounds C Promotion of white males favouring other groups D Type of work females take more family law cases / male given different issues like fraud contract

3 What are the key drivers in the Jan 16 “Future of Legal Services” document? A Competition affected by barriers. Higher competition in London as best lawyers are based there – New types of competition B Legal funding cutting costs leads to loss of access to justice. Perhaps smaller firms pick this up. Political agenda changing talking about access to justice C More funding scholarships due to fees D Role of technology in law is eliminating some jobs but are looking to recruit for roles can’t cater for E Technology and training using it to have automated solutions and online dispute resolution / more need to recruit IT literate lawyers

3b What are the key drivers in the Jan 16 “Future of Legal Services” document?

4 What will be the likely impact of each change? Technology – more automation higher % of use and efficiency save costs – work harder – higher level of training Globalisaton – markets opening in EU/China/India firms want access to them – in UK it could lead to “brain drain” influence of lawyers – profession could be more domestic in outlook Rights for women / minorities – better served and greater access thus more jobs making it more competitive – more diversity Flexibility - More solicitors working from home via tech – ind can work flexibly – more sols who will be specialist and niche thus more bespoke services – undermine cohesivity

4b What will be the likely impact of each change?

Key themes collated from both groups