Grading
GRADING FOR SPA MEMBERS – CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW
AND RECOMMENDED SALARY SCALES
GRADE 1 – RECOMMENDED SALARY £25,000 - £30,000
Members require to meet the following criteria:-
• Minimum 2 years experience
• Formal qualification in an area specific to Scots Law
• Working as a fee earner with responsibility for a specific workload. No Secretarial or admin duties.
OR
• Minimum 5 years experience
• No formal qualification in an area specific to Scots Law
• Working as a fee earner with responsibility for a specific workload. No Secretarial or admin duties.
GRADE 2 – RECOMMENDED SALARY £20,000 - £25,000
Members require to meet the following criteria:-
• Minimum 2 years experience
• Formal qualification in an area specific to Scots Law
• Not working as a recognised Paralegal fee earner with responsibility for a specific workload.
• Carrying out less than 75% paralegal work with a higher or equal proportion of secretarial/administration work.
OR
• Minimum 5 years experience
• No formal qualification in an area specific to Scots Law.
• Not working as a recognised Paralegal fee earner with responsibility for a specific workload.
• Carrying out less than 75% paralegal work with a higher or equal proportion of secretarial/administration work.
GRADE 3 – RECOMMENDED SALARY £15,000 - £20,000
• Trainee status
• Formal qualification in an area specific to Scots Law.
• Less than 2 years experience
N.B. - Current proposals for changes to grading – the SPA is currently in discussions with SPA Members and the Law Society of Scotland regarding changes to Grade 1 to include a Senior Paralegal status. Student Membership is now offered to people enrolled on legal courses at all levels and the intention is to introduce this as Grade 4.