TC Offer...

[bella]

I was offered a TC last week over the phone and told that they would put the offer in writing.

The letter arrived today but it doesn't really say a great deal aside from:

Originally Posted by the Firm

"I am pleased to advise that you have been successful with your application and [the Firm] would like to offer you a training contract, subject to your successful completion of the Legal Practice Course.

We would like you to start your training contract in the summer of 2009 and we will be in contact nearer the time to agree a mutually convenient date.

In the interim, should you have any queries on the above or wish to contact me about any matter regarding the training contract please do not hesitate to contact me."

I doesn't even ask me to confirm whether I accept the offer or not. I will clearly write to them to confirm either way but on a separate point I am desperate to find out the starting salary!!

I found out everything else I wanted to know during the interview but obviously didn't ask about salary as...well you just don't ask at the interview!

Its not possible to find out the starting salary online or through a third party therefore I was wondering how best to ask about the pay without it sounding like thats all I'm interested in!

I wouldn't say my acceptance of the offer is necessarily conditional on the pay, but it may have an impact if the pay is too low for me to be able to afford my commitments (which it has potential to be as its outside London) as I am also paying off my own LPC fees!

Look forward to hearing your suggestions about how to deal with this, and thank you in advance!

[flamehairedfalconer]

Congratulations on being offered a training contract!!

Personally I always ask the salary in an interview, after all you are not doing the job for free! (even though the shocking salaries for paralegals might feel like it!)

Why not give the person who interviewed you a ring rather than writing? (Or the HR department if its a large firm) You will get an answer to your question much quicker and it saves having to think of a way to put an awkward question.

[VICKY2323]

What type of firm is it?

If is small/med High street then likely to be the Law Society minimum, its about 15-16k, so pretty crap!

If its a larger firm its likely to be more

[bella]

the firm is small to medium: 5-10 partners, 10-15 associates, a couple of legal executive and few consultants. the firm currently has 5-6 trainees. They are based in the south east (sussex/surrey region, just under an hour out of london) and all areas practiced are commercially focused, e.g. general commercial, commercial litigation, insolvency, property. The firm do often compete with city firms in their areas of specialism and are also ranked in chambers & partners.

best guess at salary?!

i'm hoping and praying its at least £20-21k...what are the chances?

[VICKY2323]

Im not sure. It seems that because there is a minimum, they pay the minimum.

I was at quite a large regional firm as a paralegal. The trainees were paid the minimum.

I would just ring up and ask.

Even if its the minimum just accept it, then look for other TCs and if you get a higher paid offer, kick the other firm to the kerb.

But Super Congratulations

[bella]

According to the Trainee Solicitors Group ("TSG" - http://www.tsg.org/training-contract.html), an offer letter should contain the following:

Originally Posted by TSG

Following your selection as a perspective trainee the firm must send you a letter of offer, which sets out the terms on which you are to be employed. It must include:
Any conditions to which the offer is subject;
Dates on which the training contract is to begin and end;
Minimum starting salary and arrangements for salary review;
The skills which you will practice and the areas of law in which you will be given opportunity to gain experience;
Any arrangements for re-employment once your training contract is finished; and
Holiday and sickness benefit entitlement.

It is good practice to accept an offer in writing. You should realise that an offer and acceptance of a training contract gives rise to contractual obligations on both parties and that a breach of these obligations by either of you could lead to legal proceedings.

The actual SRA requirements for offering a Training Contract are stated below:

Originally Posted by SRA

The letter of offer must specify the following:
• the type of training contract, with start and end dates
• starting salary and arrangements for salary review
• any conditions to which the offer is subject, for example
• confirmation of successful completion of the Legal Practice Course or student membership of the SRA
• fees your organisation will pay in respect of re-sits and re-attendance on the Professional Skills Course (you are required to pay for the first attempt)
• any probationary period before the contract is signed
• how training will be organised, such as
• the nature of your organisation’s practice, the areas of law and the skills in which the trainee will gain experience
• whether the trainee will work in separate departments or ‘seats’ and, if so, how this will be arranged
• how long the trainee should expect to spend in each area of law
• details of any secondments
• any other benefits, including benefits in kind, sickness benefit, holiday entitlement
• hours of work and office hours
• any arrangements for continuing employment on completion of the training contract
You can use your own form of offer letter. The SRA’s sample offer letter can be amended to suit the needs of your organisation.

Mine doesn't really cover the half of it, and to be honest just feels a little too wishy washy for my liking! I get that they can't give me start dates as I have already discussed this with them and am happy to arrange this nearer to time in the future, as basically it is to start as soon as I get my results for the LPC, but as this isn't know it can't be stated accurately.

Should I request a letter encompassing the details above?

At the moment it feels a bit like, on the basis of what the letter says (not much!), its not a "proper" offer but more just an idea they are toying with, "oh we liked you, might give you a tc someday, nearer the time we'll see about that eh?" kind of thing...

[Del]

Maybe it's all vague because it's not until 2009? Anyhow, I would take it and run, the reality is it's not going to be a huge amount

[bella]

I appreciate that it won't necessarily be a huge amount, however, I have bills to pay and debts to clear therefore I would need to know what it is even if only to ensure that I clear as much as possible from the money I am earning at the moment...future planning and all that.

Again I realise that it's only to start in 2009, but that's not so far away that the information relating to the offer can't be set out is it?! How on earth do larger firms manage to set the same information out 2/3 years in advance?

Phone them and ask.

If it isn't enough tell them so and ask for more, they won't retract the offer just because you asked for more cash; shows you have balls and will look after their clients.

Never be ashamed/embarrassed to ask for more money.

[traineeinneed]

Call the law society and talk to them about the minimum salaries for Trainees. I am on the recomended of £16,500 (which is for non-central London) but I understand the minimum is £15,800. It might have gone up this year and so my figures will be slightly out.

I agree that you should also check with the firm, but don't necessarily expect a letter that covers everything. I personally got an interview just after finishing my LPC and started work the following week. I never even had a written confirmation of any kind until my Training Contact was officially recognised by the law society and back dated.