The College of Law’s Legal Services Policy Institute has proposed a somewhat interesting take on qualifying to be a Solicitor.

The proposal states that once a student completes the LPC they are a qualified solicitor. However the only work they will be able to do is ‘unreserved legal activities such as transactional work or employment advice.’ Basically a glorified paralegal role. If a ‘qualified solicitor’ would then want rights of audience then they would have to complete further training at a law firm similar to that of the current training contract.

Although this sounds good on paper, it would then make it much more easier to become a qualified solicitor, yet you wouldn’t quite be a full qualified solicitor, as you would have no rights of audience. The profession would then be not as somewhat special as it is now. Would this mean that any tom, dick and harry would then qualify once they pass the LPC?

Don’t get me wrong as I really wish the process in qualifying as a solicitor was a lot easier but I would rather be a fully qualified solicitor, not just one that can do the paperwork. I mean I do the paperwork now! It would also possibly mean that the older generation will be the one’s attending court as the younger generation wouldn’t have a clue unless they did the further training. But on the other hand so many people like myself could be qualified in an instant!

Another thing is that would this mean the end of paralegals and legal executives? They are somewhat similar roles to the proposed changes.

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how far this goes!!

Found here!

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