42기 사법연수생들의 직업선호 변화와 그 원인 : 판⋅검사 선호의 하락과 중대형로펌 선호 현상을 중심으로

Abstract

In this article, I tried to find out how Judicial Research and Training Institute (JRTI hereinafter) students changed their job preferences in the course of their education and why they changed them. In order to explore this issue, I carried out

my own surveys to JRTI students who entered JRTI on March 2010. I gave them my questionnaire twice in view of obtaining longitudinal data, first time one week after their entrance ceremony (March 9, 2011), second time right before their internship

program started (May 23, 2012). After reviewing my survey results, I found out JRTI students changed their job preferences quite dramatically during their years in JRTI. JRTI students mostly preferred judges and public prosecutors as their first career when they entered JRTI.

But during the course of their years in JRTI, their preferences for judges and public prosecutors faded away. While in contrast, their preferences for big law firms increased a lot. There are six reasons for this change. First, South Korea changed its system of appointing new judges in June 2011. Due to this reform, it became unavailable for newly graduates of JRTI to become judges right after their graduation. Newly graduates of JRTI should have more than 3 years field experience in order to apply for judges. Instead, the Supreme Court of Korea initiated a new Law Clerk system for newly graduates. But the status of a law clerk is much insecure than a judge, because one can work as a law clerk only for two years. After that one has to find an another job in order to fulfill 3 years field experience requirement if one wants to apply for judgeship. This made it harder for JRTI students to become a judge. It resulted in the decline of JRTI students preference for judgeship. Second, JRTI students commitment to social justice fell during their years in JRTI. Therefore, the shortcoming of working in a big law firm, which is far from empowering minorities, has become of less importance to JRTI students. Third, skepticism began to grow among JRTI students that it is not easy to make a progress in social justice by working as a judge or a public prosecutor. Fourth, JRTI students began to regard it much more important to have an opportunity to learn from their seniors in their workplace. But with regard to this point, their expectation for judges and public prosecutors dropped during their years in JRTI. Fifth, as far as creative working environment is concerned, JRTI students responded that their expectation for judges and public prosecutors fell during their years in JRTI. Finally, JRTI students began to emphasize the desirable location of their jobs. While judges and public prosecutors

have to move to their new working location every couple of years, associates in a

big law firm mostly work in Seoul and do not have to move. Accordingly, JRTI students began to prefer working for a big law firm.

필자는 사법연수생들이 사법연수원 과정을 거치면서 직업선호가 어떻게 변화하며, 그 원인이 무엇인지에 대해 알아보고자 하였다. 이를 위해 필자는 42기 사법연수생들을 상대로 사법연수원 입소 직후 시점(1학기)과 원내교육과정을 모두 마친 시점(4학기) 2차례에 걸쳐 설문조사를 수행하였다. 2번의 설문조사결과를 비교분석한 결과 사법연수생들의 직업선호가 상당히 변화

하였음을 알 수 있었다. 사법연수원 입소 직후 시점의 사법연수생들은 대부분 판사, 검사를 선호하였다. 하지만 4학기에 접어들자 판사, 검사에 대한 선호가 상당부분 감소하였고, 반면 중대형로펌 소속변호사에 대한 선호가 증가하였다. 그 원인으로는, 먼저 객관적 요인으로, 로클럭 제도의 도입과 함께 사법연수원 수료 직후 판사임관이 불가능해진 점을 들 수 있다. 그리고 주관적 요인으로, ① 42기 사법연수생들의 사회정의실현에 대한 의지가 4학기로 접어들면서 감소한 점, ② 판사, 검사라는 직업을 통해 사회정의실현(공익활동), 경험 많은 선배 법조인의 지도를 받을 수 있을 것, 만족스러운 직장위치, 창의적인 업무 경험이란 목표를 달성할 수 있을지에 대해 부정적인 응답이 증가한 점을 들 수 있다.