Need to know

• UK bosses have increased job cuts this year, and faster than they have done the previous four years because of rising costs and underlying policy uncertainty.

• Pay rates are not faring well either, with median rises down 3%, the lowest since 2021.

• An unstable job market means more work for employment lawyers due to an inevitable increase of dismissals, redundancies and settlements.

Welcome to TSL’s Weekly Edge, whether you’re aiming for a regional or high-street practice, or just want to get a feel for how law works in the real world beyond textbooks, you’re in the right place. 

No corporate jargon, no massive deals, just real useful information designed to give you that extra edge in your legal journey.

🧠Wilson’s Weekly Wisdom

Timing is everything. In law, it can make or break your day and sometimes your career.

Whether it’s coursework, exams, meeting a client, or filing court documents, being on time is non-negotiable.

I’ve always considered myself fairly organised. During exam season I had colour-coded revision timetables, and I even kept a spreadsheet of all my applications and deadlines. But timing isn’t just about arriving five minutes early or hitting “submit” before midnight. 

Life has a habit of throwing curveballs. Sometimes two opportunities land at once, and you can’t grab both. Other times, something important outside of law: family, health, or just life happening collides with your perfectly planned schedule. No timetable can predict that.

The real skill isn’t just about organisation. It’s learning how to make peace with the moments you can’t control.

It’s recognising when to push, when to pause, and when to let one thing go to give another the attention it deserves.

In law, that might mean asking for an extension before a crisis hits or shuffling priorities so the most urgent task gets done first. In life, it’s sometimes as simple as stepping back and accepting that timing isn’t always yours to command.

As a trainee you learn that good timing isn’t luck; it’s part preparation, part flexibility, and part knowing when to say “I am at capacity that right now, but if I can get back to you by [INSERT a more realistic timeframe] if that is suitable.”

💡Spotlight Article

You stayed put.

Everyone else was job-hopping in 2022, but you kept your head down. Now, job adverts have dried up, pay rises have slowed to a crawl, and you’re hugging your role like it’s the last train home. 

Then HR taps you on the shoulder with the words no one wants to hear: redundancy!

🔎 What’s happening?

The UK job market’s officially caught a cold, and the symptoms are showing everywhere!

According to the Bank of England, it looks like bosses in the UK have been cutting jobs faster than they have in the past four years, mostly because of rising costs and all the policy uncertainty hanging over them.

A global survey from ManpowerGroup also shows the UK came out worst on hiring plans compared to 42 other countries. Only about 1 in 5 UK companies are planning to take on more staff, and that’s a big drop from the last quarter.

Pay’s not looking great either. Median rises have dropped to about 3%, the weakest since late 2021. Last summer, almost 40% of bosses were giving raises of 4% or more; now it’s under 10%. So, pay’s flat, costs keep climbing, and everyone’s stressed.

People aren’t just clinging to their jobs. They’re also taking a breather when needed.

Sick days are at a 15-year high, averaging almost two weeks per worker. Part of it’s down to stress, long-term health stuff, and an ageing workforce.

The other part’s because of the post-COVID vibe: nobody thinks dragging yourself in with a cold is some badge of honour anymore, and working from home makes it way easier just to stay put without feeling bad.

The result?

On the surface, the job market looks steady, but it’s chaotic underneath all those still waters.

People are clinging to their jobs, so if redundancies or disputes kick off, they’ll hit harder and probably get way messier legally than a few years back.

❓ Why it matters to high street firms

A shaky job market means more work for solicitors. When jobs are thin on the ground, every redundancy, dismissal, or settlement suddenly feels high stakes!

For instance:

Redundancy claims will spike: With fewer new roles around, people who get cut are way more likely to fight it.

Expect challenges over how fair the process was, whether consultation actually happened, and if alternatives were even considered.

Even decent employers can trip up if they’re not watertight.

Dismissals are going to get trickier: Folks hanging onto jobs won’t just shrug off bad treatment anymore.

If they think there’s discrimination, such as pregnancy, illness, or disability, tribunals will zoom in hard, and one slip could cost a lot.

Settlement agreements will matter more: In this climate, companies may throw out deals to dodge tribunals.

Employees need proper advice to know what they’re signing away, and that’s where high street solicitors step in.

Settlement Agreement

Think of it as a peace deal between a boss and a worker.

It’s basically a deal to keep things out of tribunal, usually with some cash offer on the table.

Sounds simple, right? Not quite.

If you sign it without proper advice, you could be waving goodbye to rights like unfair dismissal claims, discrimination protections, or redundancy pay.

Final Words

Staying informed about the evolving commercial landscape is crucial.

Each week, we’ll bring you relevant stories and insights from the legal market that matter to everyday firms.

We’re here with practical and clear commercial awareness, focused on sharpening your edge together.

Built by future lawyers, for future lawyers!

P.S.

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