In-house query

[DrGilbertson]

DH is a solicitor and has started in house for a small company. He is the first in-house lawyer that they have employed - and they are employing him part time as they can't afford a full time role.

When they interviewed him he pointed out that they would need to pay for his practising certificate and CPD and access to precedents and practice notes.

All fine except for the precedents and practice notes where PLC (UK Practical Law) and Lexis Nexis (even discounted/slimmer packages) cost between £4K - £3K per annum which is probably more than his company would pay.

He asks if anyone knows of any similar provider that could offer online access to precedents and practice notes at a lower cost? He says he is aware of simply-docs.co.uk (£34 per annum), but he says it only offers precedents, and they need checking.

I said that I would ask Mumsnet ...

He should really contact each and get a quote. I don't think they're that much for a single user subscription.

But to answer your original question - I know of no alternatives. The employer should suck up the cost.

Absolutely they should pay.

Or go back to getting legal advice from external firms, which will most likely cost a lot more.

On a similar point, how will they/he control what hours he spends with them? Have they agreed that he stops working when he has used up his hours? He would be very likely pressured to do a full time role and be paid for part time. All the lawyers at work that I know have to work quite hard to manage their time.

Thanks!

If it was agreed that he would cover the costs of those accesses/licences and the company can get them more cheaply can they pay and then deduct from his salary?

wondering how often he would need to look things up? Is there a law firm or law library that he could arrange access on those occasion?

He should have them paying his PII as well. His insurer will have something to say if there is going to be a lack of reference material.