Kent Law Student Gemma Blythe asks what incentive there is to become a legal aid lawyer in an article published by the Solicitors Journal online.<\/p>\n
In the article \u2018Happy 10th birthday to the Young Legal Aid Lawyers<\/a>\u2019, Gemma writes: \u2018No legal aid lawyer is in it for the money, not that there’s much left of it.<\/p>\n \u2018What is the incentive to become a legal aid lawyer when the government are decimating public funding? Before becoming a law student, I was a legal secretary in London and earning \u00a328,000. The average salary of a newly-qualified legal aid lawyer is \u00a325,000.<\/p>\n \u2018I worked as a legal secretary in a criminal law firm and caught the bug. I started becoming more and more aware of social injustices, and wondered what I could do about it. I always had an interest in law, so becoming a legal aid lawyer was a no-brainer. I have chosen this career path, not for the money, but because I am committed to access to justice.\u2019<\/p>\n Gemma is now a Stage 2 LLB Law student, studying part-time at Kent\u2019s Medway campus. She is also an active member of Young Legal Aid Lawyers (YLAL) and works as a Criminal Caseworker for law firm, Kent Defence.<\/p>\n In her article, Gemma writes: \u2018It is so important that students, paralegals, and young lawyers, who, like me, have an interest in social justice and legal aid, make themselves heard. Not only are the YLAL committed to practising in areas of law which are publicly funded, we are campaigning for a sustainable legal aid system and are committed to increasing social mobility in the legal aid sector. Aside from that, we are a social network for like-minded, passionate, and dedicated people.<\/p>\n \u2018This month, the YLAL are celebrating their 10th birthday<\/a>. Join us on 23 April at London’s South Bank University. It’s a cause most definitely worth celebrating.\u2019<\/p>\n Read the article in full on the Solicitors Journal website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Gemma is also involved with a new YLAL Kent group<\/a> which is hosting an event to celebrate the YLAL\u2019s 10th<\/sup> birthday at the University of Kent\u2019s Canterbury campus on Tuesday 21 April at 6pm.<\/p>\n Gemma said: ‘If anyone is interested in listening to some experienced legal aid lawyers, and watching a screening of the new Legal Aid Team animation (which sets out the cuts to legal aid), then please come along. We have four experienced speakers talking about legal aid in the following areas: crime, family, and extradition.’<\/p>\n You can register your attendance on Facebook<\/a> or email Gemma direct at: ylal.kent@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n