Apprenticeships in law: everything

you need to know

Thursday 16 March 2017

Addleshaw Goddard, Manchester

Trailblazer Apprenticeship leading to qualification as a Solicitor

Julie BrannanDirector of Education and Training

Solicitors Regulation Authority

• Development of apprenticeship route to qualification is part of SRA’s Training for Tomorrow programme

• Core objective- uphold public confidence in the profession, both domestically and internationally:

consistent and rigorous standards

innovation and flexibility in solicitors’ training

promotion of a broad, diverse profession

• Statement of Solicitor Competence

• Assessment of competence through the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), subject to consultation

Training for Tomorrow

• Describes the core activities all solicitors need to be able to do

• Divided into four domains:

Ethics, professionalism and judgment

Technical legal practice

Working with other people

Managing themselves and their work

• Key activities listed for each domain and critical factors which affect the individual’s ability to perform the activities competently

• The Apprenticeship Standard is the same as the SoSC

Statement of Solicitor Competence(SoSC)

• Employer-led; developed by group of law firms and other legal employers

• Level 7

• 5-6 years to complete

• Assessment plan is aligned to the SQE proposals.

• SRA will be the independent, end-point assessment organisation for the apprenticeship.

• Employers work with training providers to develop a training programme which will prepare apprentices for the assessment

Solicitor Apprenticeship

• Assessment plan for the solicitor apprenticeship:

On-programme formative work-based assessment against the SoSC by the employer or training provider

On-programme assessment of functioning legal knowledge through SQE stage 1

End-point assessment of practical legal skills through SQE stage 2

Solicitor Apprenticeship

• Apprenticeship route to qualification introduced within the November 2015 update of the SRA Handbook.

• First Trailblazer solicitor apprentices started September 2016.

• Second consultation on the new approach to qualification, including the SQE, closed in January 2017.

• Decision by SRA board on the SQE expected during spring/summer 2017.

• First live SQE assessments will be no earlier than academic year 2019.

Timeline

CILEx Presentation for Employers:

Paralegal and Chartered Legal

Executive Apprenticeships

through the Trailblazer

Introduction

Paralegal at Level 3

Chartered Legal Executive at Level 6

Basic structure of all Trailblazers:

Period of training

Separate end point assessment which is synoptic

End Point Assessor

CILEx has been approved as an end point

assessor for both the Paralegal and Chartered

Legal Executive apprenticeships

For the Chartered Legal Executive

apprenticeship, CILEx will be the only end point

assessor

For the Paralegal, although CILEx is currently the

only end point assessor, there may be others in

the future

Paralegal Apprenticeship

Generic occupational standard and assessment

plan

Paralegals can be trained in one of any number of

specialist legal areas of practice

Structure

Training:

Level 3 knowledge of specialist area of law and

practice

Level 3 skills: legal research and client care

Level 3 competence: covering the required

competencies for a paralegal identified in the standard

End point assessment

Portfolio

2 x timed assessments

Delivery

Training Delivered by a Training Provider selected by the

employer

Training Provider must be approved by the Skills Funding Agency

End Point Assessment Delivered by an Assessment Organisation, separate

from the Training Provider

Assessment Organisation selected by the Employer

Assessment Organisation must be approved by the Skills Funding Agency for the standard

Paralegal End Point

Assessments

It’s graded:

Pass

Distinction

Fail

Can cover a wide range of different areas of

practice

Off the shelf tests

CILEx will make available ‘off the shelf’ end point tests in: Civil Litigation

Personal Injury

Employment

Conveyancing

Private Client

Where the apprentice has covered a different area of practice, CILEx will approve a suitable end point test written by the Training Provider

Delivery of the End Point Tests

In either case, the test will be sat at the Training

Provider and then submitted to the Assessment

Organisation for marking, moderation,

standardisation and certification

More detailed information on the policies and

procedures for administration of the end point

tests is currently being considered by the

employer group and will be available shortly

Costs for the Paralegal End Point

Where the Employer uses an off the shelf test, the

cost will be £850

Where the Training Provider has written a test

approved by CILEx the cost will be:

£750 for the administration of the test and

£100 for each submission of a test for approval

Chartered Legal Executive

Mirrors the traditional route to qualification

Training:

Level 6 Knowledge, Client Care and Legal Research

skills + competence

The academic requirements are a pre-requisite for the

regulator and must be developed through either:CILEx examinations

LL.B + Graduate Fast Track Diploma or equivalent

End Point Assessment

Portfolio

Case study

Training is delivered by the Training Provider

The end point test will be delivered by CILEx

More about end point

assessment

NOT graded

Completed in a number of areas of legal practice

including:

Civil Litigation

Employment

Conveyancing

Probate

Criminal Litigation

Family Litigation

Costs

As part of the training

CILEx membership fee

Formative assessment costs for CILEx exams or exemptions

End point submission fee to include: Assessment

Quality Assurance

Certification

£1150

Legal Services Apprenticeshipshttps://www2.mmu.ac.uk/apprenticeships/

@MMULegalApps

The first legal services apprenticeships

• Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce

• Employer Skills Group

• Apprenticeship Advisory Board

• Legal Apprentices Network -enquiries@thelegalapprenticeshipnetwork.org

Paralegal Apprenticeship

• Technical Legal Knowledge CILEx exams

• Work based assessment of practical skills

• Functional Skills in Maths, English and ICT

Solicitor Apprenticeship

• LLB Degree Award

• Exemption from CILEx Level 6 Qualification

• Route to qualification as a Solicitor

• Flexible study

• Applied in the workplace

What our apprentices say

“Being able to work and study is very appealing and I am able to get hands-on experience at work and study the required aspects of Law at University. I spend a fair amount of my time in court, so I'm out of the office on a regular basis. The rest of my time is spent drafting court documents, calling clients and putting together evidence statements. I am well supervised but I have quite a lot of responsibility, this has been a great opportunity for me.”

Emily Hemlin, undertook an AdvancedApprentice in Legal Services for Slater andGordon

“I was keen to learn, earn money and study at the same time and my great A Level results meant I had more options open to me. I thought about studying for an undergraduate degree in law, but working in conjunction with learning was a critical factor for me. Being financially stable and making connections from an early stage was appealing.’’

Junior Smith, undertook an Advanced Apprentice in Legal Services at Express Solicitors

Join the conversation @MMULegalApps

Apprenticeships in law: everything

you need to know

Jaydene Hawkridge, HR Manager

Marissa Sanders, Graduate and Apprentice

Manager

Irwin Mitchell Apprenticeship

scheme

• Pre-levy

• Gap in the recruitment framework

• Personal experience

• Support in the business

Proposed Roles

Birmingham Employment

International Personal Injury

Serious Injury

Leeds Real Estate

London Serious Injury x 2

Sheffield Commercial Litigation

Low value PI

Motor

AG Apprenticeship Scheme

▶ 22 legal Apprentices since 2013

▶ Trailblazers and Solicitor Apprentice

scheme

"As a firm, we are committed to

redesigning the way legal work is done,

and passionate about providing a different

approach to attracting, retaining and

developing great people. We see

apprenticeships as an invaluable

opportunity for harnessing talent. Mike

Potter, Partner and Head of TST

AG Recruitment Process

- Online Application form

- Telephone interview

- 3 day mini ‘vacation scheme’

- Welcome Evening

- Induction

Irwin Mitchell Recruitment Timeline

March – April Application window

April – May CV and video interview

sifting

July Line Manager interview /

assessment

August A level results

September Start in business

Application Statistics

Office Applicati

ons

Video

intervie

ws

Assessme

nt centre

Roles

Birmingha

m

167 15 7 3

Leeds 142 17 6 1

London 198 11 6 2

Sheffield 129 19 10 4

Total 636 62 29 10

Apprentice support system

• Induction

• Line manager

• Buddy

• Monthly 121s

• Protected study time

• Technical and soft skill training – from Firm and

Provider

• Line Manager training – managing young talent

Irwin Mitchell Next steps

• CILEx Graduate Scheme

• Broadening the programme to other areas – finance, IT,

Customer Service

• BAU v regular intakes

• Grow organically

Ellie’s Perspective – Paralegal

Apprentice

• Background

– Joined the Commercial Litigation Team in September 2016.

– Currently assisting members of the Com Lit team in matters

that are funded by way of Legal Expenses Insurance.

– Primarily working on breach of contract and property claims.

– Completed A Levels at Barnsley Sixth Form College in June

2016, having studied Law, English Language and Literature and

Business Studies.

– Prior to joining Irwin Mitchell worked in family’s local business

in a role with managerial and customer service responsibilities.

Ellie’s Perspective – Why an

Apprenticeship?

– University costs

– Changing society/legal industry

– Experience

– Working for a valued and reputable firm

– No guarantee of employment after University

Ellie’s Perspective – Paralegal

Apprentice

• Recruitment experience?– Clear and structured

– Irwin Mitchell’s values/brand clearly implemented throughout

• How the role is going?– Invaluable experience, learning from skilled and knowledgeable

members of the team

– Development of key skills

– Understanding of court process/litigation/running of a law firm

• Advice to those thinking of taking on an apprentice– Ensure there is a willingness to invest time and effort

– Ensure there are sufficient resources to take on an apprentice

– Ensure there is sufficient planning and structure in place

Annie’s view…..

– I joined the Corporate sub team in the TST in September

2015, then moved to F&P and now I am currently in the

Real Estate sub team.

– Currently working on a large project that involves

transfers of a large amount of properties.

– Completed A levels in Law, French and Biology at Holy

Cross Sixth Form College in June 2014.

What attracted me to an

apprenticeship?

– The earn as you learn aspect

– Recognised legal qualification

– Real experience – knowing that what I was learning was

relevant

– Dedicated 3 hours a week to complete my qualification

and a week off per year for study leave to revise for

exams

My experience

The recruitment process

• 3 day vacation scheme/trial gave a real insight into what I would be doing

• The qualification was well advertised

My role– I was given more responsibility than I expected

– The same standard of quality is expected of you early on

– At the beginning some people were reluctant to let an apprentice pick up work for them

– We rotate seats which gives us a choice at the end of our apprenticeship and we gain more skills throughout

Considerations for employers

– Advertise the qualification they will be achieving

– If possible run a vacation scheme

– Target sixth forms as well as the main colleges

– Explain the type of work that your firm does

– Have a buddy scheme set up for when the apprentices

start

– Advertise blogs of previous apprentices

Discussion points

• What challenges do you face introducing an

apprenticeship scheme and how can you overcome

these?

• How should apprenticeships be promoted internally at

partner/management level by HR?

• What are the best ways to promote legal

apprenticeships to schools, parents and students

• What does the apprentice recruitment process look

like?

• How can firm’s best supervise apprentices?