Social Mobility Report 2022
YLAL is acutely aware that the UK is experiencing an unprecedented cost of living crisis as this report is being published. Ballooning energy costs have led to a squeeze on household budgets, pushing increasing numbers of people into poverty. In addition, YLAL is aware of the pressure that the cuts and reforms to legal aid continue to place on firms and lawyers alike. For these reasons we made the decision to renew our social mobility survey and update our findings on social mobility in the legal aid sector. On this occasion we are indebted to LAPG for allowing us to use the data from their Legal Aid Census 2021 to complete our 2022 report.
The report is split into 4 key findings:
- The demographic of those entering the profession may be changing
- High levels of debt combined with low salaries and a lack of available opportunities to qualify remain a barrier to the profession
- Law schools are not doing enough to prepare students for careers in legal aid
- Stress, lack of support, juggling legal aid work with life’s pressures are affecting retention in the profession
We also set out recommendations for how these challenges can be addressed to make a better future for those in the Legal Aid Sector.
Read the 2022 Social Mobility Report here: