Beth Brindley, a Solicitor at Blacks Solicitors, discusses legal apprenticeships, her experience and why the legal community must make careers in the law more accessible to create a diverse workforce.
“As a vocational career, many people often have an idea that they want to work within the law. However, there can be barriers that are presented by the more traditional routes, such as university. Legal apprenticeship schemes allow for diversity and can give people who might not be able to, or want to, go to university the opportunity to still achieve their dream career.
Blacks Solicitors is leading the way in making law more accessible through new pathways and was one of the very first firms to offer the Level Seven Solicitor Apprenticeship. More law firms should consider implementing apprenticeship schemes to give people the chance to start a career in law and create diversity within the industry.
Legal apprenticeships
Legal apprenticeships have seen a huge increase as more people become aware of the opportunities that are available to avoid university. They present an alternative route to become a solicitor, paralegal, or chartered legal executive, without having to study law at university.
Legal apprenticeships are government-backed, and employer-designed schemes that involve working and studying. Ultimately a legal apprentice should be able to end up qualifying in whichever legal field they find most interesting.
I’m the first apprentice to qualify at the Firm through the Level Seven Solicitor Apprenticeship, and I was one of the first to apply when it was first offered at Blacks in 2016. The course gave me significant opportunities to experience life in a variety of different teams, gain valuable experience in a well-respected law firm, and receive payment as I learned.
My experience
It wasn’t until the end of my GCSEs that I started to consider law as a career choice. However, I knew when I finished my A Levels that university wasn’t an option for me, so I began to investigate the apprenticeship route.
I started as a Solicitor Apprentice in September 2016 and throughout my apprenticeship I gained experience across a variety of teams, before qualifying in the Commercial Law team. My apprenticeship gave me the required skills to specialise in commercial contracts including T&Cs, supply contracts, distribution contracts, and licence agreements. I’ve also secured expertise in intellectual property and trademark registrations.
Making careers in the law more accessible
For anyone who knows that university isn’t for them, it’s important to remember that there are still options when it comes to achieving their dream career. As with many sectors, the apprenticeship route presents a fantastic opportunity to leave the traditional education system and learn on the job.
Whilst academia and learning is critical for a job in the legal sector, the workplace requires an additional set of skills which are not currently taught in our education system. Apprenticeships offer the best of both worlds, with the academia broken up with practical, hands-on experience.
The inclusive nature of apprenticeship schemes allows talented individuals to train and qualify as a lawyer even if they aren’t able to access more traditional routes. After six years, I have the same qualifications as somebody who has followed the ‘traditional route’, no student debt and an invaluable skill-set that most university graduates don’t have.
For more information, visit Blacks Solicitors’ apprenticeships page.
Image: Blacks Solicitors
Josie Miller
Josie Miller is Editor of Yorkshire Legal News. She welcomes comments and questions.
