Associates are to gain a new forum to discuss the issues facing young commercial lawyers as they wrestle with the toughest market for a generation, thanks to a new Legal Week event.

The first Legal Week Audience with… Associates will take the form of a panel debate with associates from four leading London firms.

The evening event, which will be held on 24 September at the May Fair Hotel in central London, will be chaired Clare Belcher, head of legal at Travelex, and includes associates from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Lovells, Olswang and Taylor Wessing.

The discussion will allow junior lawyers to share their experiences of working in a market that has this year seen hundreds of UK solicitors lose their jobs and hear how others are managing their careers in challenging times.

The debate, which will be followed by a drinks reception, is free for registering associates. The event will be held under Chatham House rules to allow for a free-ranging discussion.

Legal Week editor Alex Novarese commented: "As someone who spends most of his professional time talking to partners, it will be interesting to get the perspective of associates, especially considering the forces currently buffeting the legal profession. It seems a timely moment to hear the views of junior lawyers."

To register to attend this event, email [email protected] or call 020 7316 9792.

Click here for more information.