Herbert Smith has booted out a trainee before he's even started - for failing a ten minute interview assessment.
The student had gone through an undergraduate degree, a masters, the GDL (at Herbies' expense) and then the LPC (again, at Herbies' expense). And he fell at the final hurdle - a short assessment that simply exists to tick off an outdated SRA requirement. Herbert Smith immediately withdrew his training contract, and the unfortunate student saw his career disappear down the pan before it even started.
Draconian though this is, it's not entirely surprising. Herbert Smith has form on this: earlier this year it rescinded two training contracts after students failed a paper by just one mark. At the time the firm said that "the current terms and conditions in our offer of employment clearly state that students have to pass all elements of the LPC course at the first attempt. We look to apply this policy on a consistent basis but do take into account any genuine mitigating circumstances before making a decision." It gave exactly the same statement this time round.
Whatever the official policy, to lose a training contract over a single test seems harsh. Cynics might suggest that the firm has simply over-recruited and is using any excuse to cut headcount. However RollOnFriday is not cynical in any respect.
Tip Off ROF
The student had gone through an undergraduate degree, a masters, the GDL (at Herbies' expense) and then the LPC (again, at Herbies' expense). And he fell at the final hurdle - a short assessment that simply exists to tick off an outdated SRA requirement. Herbert Smith immediately withdrew his training contract, and the unfortunate student saw his career disappear down the pan before it even started.
Draconian though this is, it's not entirely surprising. Herbert Smith has form on this: earlier this year it rescinded two training contracts after students failed a paper by just one mark. At the time the firm said that "the current terms and conditions in our offer of employment clearly state that students have to pass all elements of the LPC course at the first attempt. We look to apply this policy on a consistent basis but do take into account any genuine mitigating circumstances before making a decision." It gave exactly the same statement this time round.
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Herbert Smith yesterday |
Whatever the official policy, to lose a training contract over a single test seems harsh. Cynics might suggest that the firm has simply over-recruited and is using any excuse to cut headcount. However RollOnFriday is not cynical in any respect.