Dundas & Wilson's London trainees have received the double whammy of a pay cut and delayed qualification after the firm cocked up a cash-for-holiday scheme.

Earlier this year, in a bid to avoid further redundancies, the firm's staff voted to accept a 10% pay cut in return for an additional 18 days holiday. Unfortunately it didn't occur to anyone that the extra holiday would invalidate the training contracts of the London trainees, and so it looked like they would have to work the same hours on less wedge.

The firm has now managed to find a way out of the mess: by delaying their qualification dates. Although, rightly, their NQ salaries won't be withheld (at least for those who stay on with the firm). Alan Campbell, the firm's Managing Partner, confirmed that "we have offered to extend the period of traineeship in London to account for the additional leave. Where trainees continue their legal career with us, and have chosen to take the additional leave, they will receive the increase to NQ salary from the date on which they would otherwise have qualified. We will continue to liaise with the SRA to ensure we reach a satisfactory solution for all individuals concerned."

A Dundas & Wilson trainee yesterday

Campbell added that more than 97% of Dundas staff who voted were in favour of the measures.