The number of solicitor-apprentices is encouraging given it is a relatively new qualification, the education minister in charge of skills, apprenticeships and higher education has told the Gazette.
Solicitor-apprenticeships were introduced in 2016 as part of the government’s Trailblazer apprenticeship scheme.
The six-year programme is aimed at post A-level students, as well as those already working in the world of law, such as paralegals. Apprentices train as a lawyer and study the same qualifications as those taking the traditional route. By the end of the apprenticeship, the apprentice takes the Solicitors Qualifying Examination.
According to figures provided by the Department for Education, 1,653 apprentices were doing the seven solicitor-apprenticeship at the end of 2022/23. Another 174 apprentices were doing the level six chartered legal executive apprenticeship and 559 were doing the level three paralegal apprenticeship.
Speaking to the Gazette during a visit to national firm Irwin Mitchell’s Cambridge office last week (pictured), Robert Halfon MP said the numbers were encouraging. ‘I’m delighted. It’s a new route.’
Irwin Mitchell already has 125 apprentices at various stages of their development and plans to take another cohort from September across accounting, business administration, IT and legal roles. Halfon said the firm was ‘leading the way’ and a ‘trailblazer’.
Asked if he would like to see as many solicitor-apprenticeships as training contracts, the minister replied he would be ‘over the moon’ to see as many solicitor-apprentices as possible. ‘The more the better. I’m a passionate believer in apprenticeships because you earn on the job, you learn while you earn. It’s a no-brainer. It’s an incredible option.’
Marking National Apprenticeship Week this month, several firms stated their commitment to recruiting legal apprentices.
Meanwhile the Association of Costs Lawyer said work to create a costs lawyer apprenticeship is progressing rapidly. The association said the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education is currently assessing a draft occupational standard created by the Costs Lawyer Apprenticeship Employer Trailblazer Group. The apprenticeship is pitched at level 6 and would take three years to complete.
