UK Lawyers to Lose 10,000 Jobs by 2011

London’s The Times newspaper predicts that up to 10,000 UK lawyers could lose their jobs over the next two years, based on interviews with recruiters, consultants and senior law firm partners.

That’s well over 10% of the island nation’s 83,000 privately employed solicitors.

The United Kingdom’s legal sector (including non-lawyers) lost 16,700 jobs in 2008, to 279,800. The 2009 losses are expected to be much worse.

Vacancies for associate solicitors down by 95% this year. One recruitment agency received 700 applications for three entry-level vacancies.