Michelle Wisson
Gordons kicks-off apprenticeship scheme with five recruits
Yorkshire law firm Gordons has welcomed its first cohort of apprentices as part of a scheme that will allow them to break into the legal profession without completing a degree.
The diversity initiative will enable the five eighteen year olds to learn the practical skills necessary to qualify as legal executives through on-the-job training and supervised fee-earning work.
Paul Ayre, managing partner of the top 100 firm, said that not all enthusiastic students can afford university so the programme plays an important part in allowing talented young people a different route to forge a career in the legal profession.
Beth Caygill, Bryony Russell, Daniel O’Connell, Jasmine Smith and Laura Betchette fought off stiff competition, which included a series of strenuous assessments, to secure their places. Gordons will pay the individuals a salary as well as pay for the fees necessary for them to train as legal executives, estimated to cost over £32,500.
The young apprentices will train in their individual chosen departments of commercial litigation, personal injury, company, commercial property and residential law.
This scheme is part of a wave of plans to alleviate growing concerns about admission into the legal industry amidst ongoing fears of the spiralling cost of higher education.
DWF, Eversheds, Irwin Mitchell and Norton Rose have also launched apprenticeship schemes for young people or paralegal academies that assist the legal training of non-legal staff.
Readers' comments (1)
Julian Summerhayes | 20-Sep-2011 12:57 pm
I think this is an excellent idea providing that those entering the scheme are treated no less favourably than everyone else. Law is notoriously difficult to break into, and when it comes to the ability to move from one to another, you don't want any stigma attached to the apprentice. I can't wait for the day to see the first managing partner of a magic circle firm coming via this route.
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