what apprenticeships can you do as a lawyer

by Kody Grant 7 min read

For apprenticeships in law, you typically have three options. You can focus on legal administration, become a paralegal, or qualify as a solicitor if you wish to practice. It is also possible to use an apprenticeship to become a chartered legal executive, a hybrid position between a paralegal and solicitor which focuses on a specific legal niche.

Solicitor apprenticeship
This apprenticeship is a six-year programme which integrates studying for a law degree with paid, on-the-job training at a law firm.
Feb 8, 2022

Full Answer

Can an apprenticeship lawyer be employed?

While states like Virginia forbid apprentices from being officially employed or paid by their supervising attorneys, Washington makes employment a requirement for those in the state's Law Clerk Program.

What are the different types of law apprenticeships?

Law apprenticeships exist in the form of government-backed, employer-designed 'trailblazer' schemes, which cater for apprentices working towards three broad levels: legal administration/support, paralegal or solicitor. There is also a specialist pathway to qualify as a chartered legal executive.

What qualifications do you need to be a law apprentice?

law degree/Graduate Diploma in Law/Legal Practice Course (entitled to exemptions from training). Research your chosen apprenticeship pathway carefully and contact potential employers to check that you have the qualifications to gain a place on the scheme. What do law apprenticeships involve?

What is the solicitor apprenticeship?

The Solicitor Apprenticeship is a six-year, Level 7 programme aimed at post A-level students, paralegals and chartered legal executives. The period of study is reduced for those who progress from other legal apprenticeships.

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What legal apprenticeships are available?

Law apprenticeships exist in the form of government-backed, employer-designed 'trailblazer' schemes, which cater for apprentices working towards three broad levels: legal administration/support, paralegal or solicitor.

Who are they aimed at?

The majority of law apprenticeships are aimed at school leavers or career changers seeking an alternative to university. However, some legal apprenticeships require you to have more than GCSEs or A-levels.

What do law apprenticeships involve?

This largely depends on which apprenticeship pathway you take. The majority of schemes enable you to carry out paid employment in a law firm or an in-house legal team while gaining professional qualifications. You'll typically work 30 hours per week under the supervision of a mentor.

How much will I be paid?

All apprentices are entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW), which as of April 2021 stands at £4.30 per hour for apprentices under 19 and those over 19 in their first year.

How do I apply?

Competition among school leavers for legal apprenticeships is fierce so make sure that you research the firms you're applying to in order to tailor your application. Vacancies usually coincide with the end of the academic school year.

What is law apprenticeship?

A law apprenticeship combines paid work and training at a law firm with part-time study for professional qualifications. It is an alternative path to going to university that offers the same career destinations, but avoids the expensive fees.

What is a legal executive apprenticeship?

The chartered legal executive apprenticeship is run by CILEx and trains apprenticeships to qualify as a chartered legal executive. Candidates must first complete the paralegal apprenticeship before progressing onto this.

How long is a solicitor apprenticeship?

The solicitor apprenticeship is a six-year programme of paid, on-the-job training ending in qualification as a solicitor . The entry requirements are five GCSEs graded 9-4 (A* to C) and three A levels (minimum grades vary among employers from CCC – AAB or equivalent work experience. The apprenticeship also integrates a law degree, which is obtained at the end of the fourth year. Apprentices learn law and legal practice alongside gaining competence in legal skills, commercial skills and professional conduct.

What is intermediate apprenticeship?

The intermediate apprenticeship is aimed at school leavers who have not done A levels. Entry requirements are five GCSEs graded 9-4 (A* to C) or equivalent. Apprentices will develop skills to assist in the progression of cases on an administrative level. It is usually a 15-21 month course.

How much does an apprentice make in 2020?

How much will I earn? As of April 2020 the national minimum wage for an apprentice is currently £4.15 an hour for people aged under 19, as well as for people aged over 19 who are in the first year of their apprenticeship.

What is a legal executive?

A legal executive is another type of lawyer who is trained to specialise as an expert in one particular area of law. Within that specialism, the job of a legal executive is very similar to that of a solicitor – legal executives advise clients, draft documents and conduct research to find solutions to problems. The chartered legal executive apprenticeship is run by CILEx and trains apprenticeships to qualify as a chartered legal executive. Candidates must first complete the paralegal apprenticeship before progressing onto this.

How many hours do you need to work in a law office?

Requirements on legal apprenticeships vary by state, but most require working anywhere from 18 to 32 hours per week in a law office, logging a certain number of hours under the direct supervision of a practicing attorney and completing a course of study that usually closely emulates what's being taught on brick-and-mortar campuses.

How many law clerks have passed the bar in Washington State?

Of the 185 law clerks who have taken the Washington state bar since 1984, 62 percent passed on their first attempt and 91 percent eventually passed, says Talia Clever, compared to a 70 percent average pass rate across Washington for all test-takers in the past 10 years.

Is it easy to get derailed as an apprentice?

He says that the workload for an apprentice is comparable to that of a law student, but without the benefits a law school brings, including a diverse faculty who can answer questions, study groups and extracurricular events that reinforce material. As such, it's easy for an apprentice to get derailed.

Does Washington require law clerks to be employed?

While states like Virginia forbid apprentices from being officially employed or paid by their supervising attorneys, Washington makes employment a requirement for those in the state's Law Clerk Program.

How long does a solicitor apprenticeship last?

It will last from five to six years. However, any previous legal training you’ve done might reduce this time.

What are the requirements for apprenticeships?

Many employers have their own entry requirements which will be posted on their apprenticeship advert, but the government’s recommended entry requirements are: five GCSEs, including mathematics and English – grade C or above (or equivalent) three A levels (or equivalent) – minimum grade C. and/or.

How much of an apprenticeship must be spent on training?

Off-the-job training. It's important to note that the actual training set-up can also vary. In total, 20% of the apprenticeship must be spent doing off-the-job training. For example, trainees can have block-release for study, with work placements afterwards in four to five different areas of the firm.

What is a graduate apprenticeship?

Graduate apprenticeships: a new and evolving alternative. A graduate solicitor apprenticeship is one pathway to qualify by completing the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE1 and SQE2). This means that you can join a firm with a degree or approved equivalent.

When was the apprenticeship levy introduced?

The levy was introduced in 2017 and is payable by all businesses with an annual pay bill of more than £3 million. However, businesses can recoup this cash provided they spend it on apprenticeship-level training. That means that not every firm can offer apprenticeships.

Can a graduate apprentice study SQE?

Regardless of the route to completion, graduate apprentices will study the academic content of the SQE whilst working in a legal role, and will have the opportunity to apply some of it in practice from the very start of the training programme.

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