CHANGES in financial support for law students introduced by the Scottish Government are preventing poorer students entering the legal profession, campaigners have warned.
A snapshot survey of some 100 postgraduate law students at Edinburgh University shows fewer than 8% come from the poorest 40% of postcodes compared to 80% from the richest. The equivalent figures for those starting law degrees in Scotland are 57% from the most well-off postcodes and 27% from the poorest.
The Campaign for Fair Access to the Legal Profession, which carried out the survey, argues the figures prove Government changes to the way postgraduate law diplomas are funded are having a negative impact.
Currently, students who complete a four-year law degree get lower levels of financial help when they go on to complete their training with a postgraduate diploma – adding as much as £10,000 to any existing debts.
Previously, students from poorer backgrounds would get grants to support their studies, but the Scottish Government replaced this with a loan of the same amount, claiming it would allow an additional 400 law students to benefit.
Tim Haddow, a spokesman for the campaign – which is also backed by the Scottish Young Lawyers Association – said only an additional 20 students had received assistance.
"There is no assistance at all with living costs, even for the poorest students, whilst a student loan towards fees is capped at £3400, around half the actual cost," he said.
"The Scottish Government rightly prides itself on its record of access to undergraduate education where it promises that students should not pay fees and provides over £7000 a year in maintenance loans to assist students from the poorest backgrounds."
Mr Haddow said this was "in stark contrast with the arrangements for support to diploma students". He said it was "hardly surprising that aspiring lawyers whose parents or family do not have the money to help them bridge the £10,000 funding gap find they have little hope of converting a law degree to a legal career".
Campaign members want studying to become a solicitor to be given equal status with a medical degree to ensure students get full financial support for the duration of their study period.
An alternative solution would be for students to work during the latter period of their training to ensure debt does not put off those from poorer backgrounds.
In January, The Herald revealed that fewer than one in 12 entrants to law degree courses at Scottish universities come from deprived backgrounds, raising fears the profession is still a middle-class preserve.
Robin Parker, president of NUS Scotland, echoed the concerns, saying the research illustrates some of the barriers to fair access to entering the legal profession.
"Mr Parker said: "The backgrounds of students on law courses, like all courses, need to be reflective of Scottish society if we are to reach a point where opportunities to access the legal profession are available to all.
"We need universities to play their part and do what they can to improve access, just as we need the law profession to play an active role in creating a pathway to employment that is affordable, flexible, and underpinned by fairer access.
"Current legislation going through Parliament provides an excellent opportunity to ensure more is done to improve Scotland's poor record on fair access in all areas of study."
Last month, the Law Society of Scotland said it would carry out a new study into the barriers facing bright pupils from poorer backgrounds who want to join the legal profession after lobbying from the campaign.
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