Brexit and COVID-19: Harsh Realities for Junior Lawyers in the UK

For junior solicitors in England and Wales (i.e., attorneys with fewer than five years’ experience who completed the academic qualifications and a mandatory, two-year training program), 2020 has brought upheaval and uncertainty. It began with Brexit—the UK’s decision to leave the European Union (EU)—and has continued with the COVID-19 pandemic. By February 2020, many firms had either begun freezing junior lawyer recruitment or not keeping them on post-training. This harsh reality was exacerbated and, perhaps, eclipsed by the rise of COVID-19.