LPC data raises interesting questions

The Law Gazette has recently produced an interesting article in relation to the number of students enrolled on the full-time Legal Practice Course, stating that this "has shrunk by 8.4% this year, reflecting awareness of the dearth of training contracts on offer". The article also states that "since 2008-09, the total number of students applying for LPCs has plummeted by 37.5%, from 10,933. In 2012-13 enrolments fell 4% to 5,673".

This article (and the subsequent comments section) raises a number of interesting questions around the reasons behind the fall in LPC numbers:

• Is it because students are now accessing and taking notice of more careers information about the statistical chances of success in obtaining a training contract?
• Is it due to the recession and will the numbers rise again when the recession levels out?
• Will the number of paralegal opportunities increase due to the rise of alternative business structures?  Will this reduce the number of training contracts on offer?
• Will the figures continue to drop if there are more alternatives available to students (eg, due to the introduction of legal apprenticeships)?
• Is the decrease in numbers of those applying for the LPC due to the introduction of higher tuition fees?
• Are more students enrolling on part-time LPC courses, which would enable them to work and study simultaneously?
• Should only students who have large law firm sponsorship study for the LPC?
• What about those students who want to work for small or medium sized law firms?  Are they less willing to take the gamble than in previous years, and is that a good or a bad thing?

I cannot say that I have answers to all or any of these questions. However, it is difficult to argue that the market is not changing.

Picking up on a couple of the above, it appears that students are now taking much more note of their careers advisers who tend to be pretty realistic about the statistical chances of success (for all types of lawyer). I would suggest that this has to be a good thing. Having said that, it is important to note that careers advisers also emphasise the fact that not all students will be suited to large law firms, which tend to be the main source of LPC sponsorship. Many students feel that they have to apply to these types of firm in order to be able to become a qualified solicitor, regardless of whether they actually want to work for a large firm.

And a final question to pose - will an increase in paralegal and apprenticeship opportunities necessarily lead to a further reduction in the number of training contracts or will firms see those entering the profession via these routes in a different light? It is hard to predict.

These are interesting times for practicing lawyers and particularly for those who are aiming to enter the legal profession. Students and careers advisers have surely got their work cut out.

Chris Wilkinson is chair of the AGCAS Legal Profession Task Group and employability tutor at the York Law School.