10 December 2019
A combination of technology, deregulation, market disruption and commercial pressures are forecast to cause a fall in employment in the legal services sector of 13,000 (4%) over the next seven years
This would reverse a 25-year upward trend―since 1993, the number of legal professionals has increased steadily at a rate of 2% a year, from 61,329 to about 150,000 in 2017. Total employment in the legal services sector was estimated at 321,000 in 2017.
The Law Society’s strategic workforce planning report, written in conjunction with the Institute of Employment Studies, and published this week, predicts the drop will mainly affect support staff.
By 2027, the report predicts, legal professionals will comprise 57% (currently, 47%) of the workforce, and legal associate professionals, such as compliance officers 15% (currently, 11%). The number of legal secretaries is projected to decline by nearly two-thirds, and other office support staff by a quarter―to account for 3% and 9% of the total workforce, respectively. Consequently, there will be about 20 legal professionals per legal secretary, and five legal professionals for every secretary or other office support worker.
‘Our analysis anticipates the shape of the future legal workforce, identifying trends and skills gaps based on a range of alternative scenarios, from technology adoption and Brexit to competition,’ said Law Society president Simon Davis.
‘For anyone aiming for a career in the law, it is worth noting that a common theme from employers was that firms were paying more attention in recruitment to people skills, such as communication and team working, whereas in the past they had only looked at technical legal skills. Commercial awareness and management skills were also seen as important.’
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