Why Are These Lawyers Choosing to Earn Less? Linklaters Lawyers Sign On For Reduced Salary

More Linklater lawyers are signing on to earn less money in a scheme permitting German non-partners to work 40 hour work weeks for reduced earnings.

The number of Linklaters lawyers who have signed on to the firm’s fixed-hours and reduced-rate pay career has doubled in less than three years, reports show.

Linklaters have taken an increasingly proactive approach towards their lawyers’ careers, including the recent reports on their risk averse approach towards firm social events.

“YourLink”, is a career path developed by Linklaters which offers pre-agreed, regular hours and comes into force on May 1.

It’s German origins come in part at least from the lengthy and onerous career path needed to achieve a legal career in Germany, which lowers the pool of qualified lawyers and also results in high competition from public service agencies and companies looking for in-house lawyers.

These roles have long been considered easier than working at law firms, where a work-life balance is seen as hard to achieve.

“We recognize that alternative, flexible options are increasingly in demand,” Thomas Schmidt, head of human resources at Linklaters, said.

The question for law firms now is whether the lower-earnings alternative is also something that captivates other law firms outside of Germany.

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