Pay halved for most solicitors, survey finds

The economic downturn has forced two-thirds of solicitors to take pay cuts of up to 50%, according to a nationwide survey.

The study, carried out by the Dublin Solicitors Bar Association, also revealed that 38.1% of firms have made staff redundant and there are around a 1,000 unemployed solicitors as a result of the recession.

It also showed that solicitors are increasingly focusing on debt collection as a new area of business, with 47.2% of firms now practicing in this area.

Conveyancing (residential) was the most popular activity, with 83% of respondents involved in this field.

The top two challenges faced by solicitors’ firms are insurance costs and reduced turnover, according to the study.

A total of 176 managing partners of solicitors' firms responded to the survey, a national response rate of 26.5%. A total of 129, or 73.3%, of respondents are based in Dublin.