Record number of new trainees enter the legal profession
The Law Society of Scotland have just released figures for the number on new solicitor traineeships in Scotland, and this has broken all previous records.
In Scotland, the traineeship is the final step to becoming a solicitor, and typically (but not necessarily) follows the completion of an undergraduate law degree and a Diploma in Professional Legal Practice. The traineeship involves a period of two years of workplace training, under the supervision of a Scottish-qualified solicitor.
The Law Society of Scotland have confirmed that 796 new traineeships were started during the 2024 – 2025 legal practice year (which runs from 1st November 2024 to 31st October 2025). This is the highest number of new traineeships on record, and if you compare this to previous years you will see a steady stream of new legal talent entering the profession:
- 2023-24 – 764 traineeships
- 2022-23 – 765 traineeships
- 2021-22 – 788 traineeships (then a new record)
- 2020-21 – 744 traineeships (then a new record)
As a Highland based firm, we are well aware of how difficult recruitment in any position can be out with some of the main population centres, and the Law Society’s statistics show that this is no different for legal traineeships, with 73% of new traineeships being taken with firms based in Edinburgh or Glasgow.
At Macleod & MacCallum, we have always prided ourselves on giving potential new solicitors a chance to learn, work and live in our wonderful area, and this year we have recruited 4 new trainees to the Firm:
From left to right, Maja Jagiello, Ross Bain, Alison Martin CEO, Morgan Nicol and Eilidh MacLeod.
Interestingly, 70% of the previous legal year’s intake of trainee solicitors were female, which shows quite a shifting demographic within the profession as a whole, and certainly as you will see above this demographic was accurately replicated by Macleod & MacCallum as well.
As the figures show, nearly 4,000 traineeships have commenced in the past 5 years during a period of unprecedented growth for the solicitor profession in Scotland, and we are delighted to continue to play our part in developing the solicitors of the future.