Fewer than half of trainees and newly qualified solicitors rate their salary and benefits positively, according to a new survey of more than 1,000 junior lawyers by Legal 500.
The L500 Future Lawyers survey found that while almost 80% of respondents were happy at their firm and would recommend their employer, only 43% rated their rewards package positively.
Salary and benefits received the lowest positive rating of all the areas covered by the survey, which questioned trainees and NQs working across more than 100 UK firms.
The research found trainees and junior lawyers rate their firms on far more than salary alone, with culture, supervision and quality of work all playing a key part in delivering strong overall satisfaction scores across the group.
However, the poor satisfaction score for salary underlines the extent to which remuneration can be a sticking point in a market where pay has become an increasingly visible part of firms’ efforts to attract and retain junior talent.
The Future Lawyers survey found firms performed particularly strongly with their junior ranks on day-to-day working relationships. Some 81% of those surveyed said they found their supervisors approachable, while 75% praised the culture at their firms. Work quality also scored well, with 74% saying they received good-quality work and 71% describing client contact as a positive experience.
Despite the profession’s reputation for long hours, 59% of respondents said they felt they had a good work-life balance.
However, more than half are content with their work-life balance, the findings mean that roughly four in ten respondents feel overworked, suggesting wellbeing remains an uneven experience across the market.
Perceptions of senior management were less positive than some other aspects of working life: 68% of junior lawyers said they thought highly of their firm’s leadership – a lower percentage than those who are happy with their direct supervisors.
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is another area where the survey produced a more muted response. Only 62% of respondents said they believed their firm was committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. The finding suggests a gap between firms’ stated commitments and junior lawyers’ perceptions of their implementation.
The survey also highlights frustrations around the mechanics of training contracts. Seat choices can have a decisive impact on future qualification options, but only 51% of respondents said their preferred seats were honoured by firms. The relatively low score makes transparency around seat decisions an obvious area for improvement, particularly where first-choice options cannot be accommodated.
For law firms competing in a crowded junior talent market, the message is clear: culture may be keeping trainees happy for now, but it is not enough on its own. If pay and progression structures fail to keep pace with expectations, the goodwill generated by strong supervision and high-quality work may prove harder to sustain.
Full findings of the Future Lawyers survey are available here
