Legal Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are ideal for younger people
starting out on a new career, an adult looking to make a career
change, or an employee who would like to develop their skills and
knowledge to gain a promotion. Apprenticeships are flexible and are
designed to offer a structured programme to fit around the needs of
the individual and the employer. Learning takes place during
employment for most of the time through gaining ‘on the job’
skills. However there is a training element which usually takes
place at a local college or a specialist training organisation, or
through distance learning through providers. This off-the-job
training is usually done on day release or over a number of days in
a block, and leads to a nationally recognised qualification, such
as those provided by CILEx.
Are you a potential employer?
Are you a potential apprentice?
What is the difference between the traditional CILEx route
and being a Legal Apprentice?
The term apprentice has only been used in a limited way in the
legal sector. However CILEx has always understood the merits of the
relationship between working and learning for trainees.
CILEx students are often considered to be taking an
‘apprenticeship style’ approach as they combine study whilst
earning in the workplace. CILEx offers qualifications to become a
Chartered Legal Executive lawyer and
training for Legal Secretaries and
Paralegals. CILEx qualifications are
usually studied part-time or by distance learning and cost up to
£7,500 for the full CILEx training to become a Chartered Legal
Executive. The traditional CILEx route differs from
apprenticeships which offer government funding (depending on
age in England) and it can take longer for the apprentice to
qualify. There are also time limits for apprenticeships, whereas
the CILEx route has none. The apprentice route does not lead to
becoming a lawyer. There are opportunities for those studying the
CILEx legal apprenticeships to use their qualifications as partial
exemption from the traditional CILEx lawyer route though.
CEO of CILEx, Diane Burleigh OBE, says CILEx and national
apprenticeships are a perfect match: “CILEx is already home to
apprenticeship style learning. We’ve been leading on vocational
learning in law for 50 years and we’re already the awarding body
for the Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship in Legal Services. So
continuing to lead on the creation of further legal apprenticeships
and providing more options for paralegals and aspiring lawyers is
only natural.”
Read the press release for CILEx
Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.
National developments in the Legal Services sector
CILEx is currently working with Skills for Justice (Legal Services
Sector Skills Council), the National Apprenticeship Service, and
other key sector stakeholders to develop an apprenticeship
framework for non-lawyer staff employed in legal services.
It will be designed to meet the needs of the employers in the
legal sector and equip legal service employees with the necessary
occupational legal knowledge and skills to meet their specified
role.
Once developed, this framework would offer new opportunities
both to school leavers contemplating a legal career, and to
existing legal employees. The framework would also provide
progression routes into the legal profession for those wishing to
build upon their achievements.
It would offer legal employers the opportunity to recruit and
train staff in a flexible way that will meet their needs, and
potentially be subsidised by government funding.
Current Government backed Legal Apprenticeships being
developed
Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
Suitable for: Paralegals who are
fee-earning
Should have good A levels if taking the advanced apprenticeship on
leaving school
Length of time to complete: May take approx 18
months
Cost: Free if under 19
Outcome: Technical competency and legal
knowledge/skills
Progression: Possible exemptions towards
qualifying as a lawyer through CILEx (from Level 3 units). See
below.
Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
Suitable for: Paralegals who are fee-earning
and may take on supervisory responsibility in time. Should have
strong A levels if taking the advanced apprenticeship on leaving
school, or a non-law degree.
Length of time to complete: Approx 24 - 30 months
(still to be confirmed).
Formal assessments in keeping with CILEx dates:
January and June.
Cost: Free if under 19
Outcome: Technician level competency and legal
knowledge/skills.
Work that is still overseen but that has some autonomy.
Progression: Possible exemptions towards
qualifying as a lawyer through CILEx (from Level 3 units). See
below.
Employers and training providers can find out more about
funding, the qualification structure and how it could benefit your
business in our FAQs and factsheet.
Other Apprenticeships
Whilst the development of a national
apprenticeship framework in legal services marks the first step by
the sector towards the creation of a nationally recognised legal
apprenticeship, there are existing apprenticeships in other
roles.
The Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship in Legal
Administration is already being used by many legal
organisations. It contains a competence unit on administering
legal case files and a technical unit on the legal environment. It
is ideal for a process/legal administration role, and is set at
GCSE/AS level. Further details can be found on the
City & Guilds website.
Possible Exemptions to CILEx qualifications
Studying a legal apprenticeship opens up the door
to future vocational legal education. If you feel you
want to continue your studies to reach Chartered Legal Executive
lawyer status then your previous apprenticeship education may allow
you certain exemptions from parts of CILEx's qualifications. These
are detailed in the following
document. (PDF 225kb)
Bespoke Schemes for law firms
Increasingly legal firms are looking to create
their own ‘apprenticeship-style’ training for their employees.
CILEx Law School is already leading the way in helping a number of
firms to create these training schemes, some of which have the
backing of Skills for Justice.
These included bespoke programmes which will
provide a route into the legal profession for young people who
choose not to attend university, as well as being a development
option for current staff. The ‘apprentices’ receive customised
inductions, training and study support.
Similar schemes are also in place to help firms with their own
in-house training programmes where their staff study both at Level
3 and Level 6.
In 2012, national law firm Irwin Mitchell's
partnership with The College of Law and CILEx, was named the
Education and Training Initiative of the Year at the prestigious
British Legal Awards. Launched in 2011, the initiative was the
first legal and business education programme to be established by a
UK law firm. Read more.
More information / Contact us
To find out more information about how
employing a Legal Apprentice may benefit your firm, please email
your enquiry to: apprenticeships@cilex.org.uk
Alternatively, watch our Higher Apprenticeships in Legal Services
film.
Or visit the
Higher Apprenticeship in Legal Services website.
For more information on the apprenticeships in
England please visit
www.apprenticeships.org.uk, and for Wales please visit
www.wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/skillsandtraining/employers.
More apprenticeship developments underway
CILEx, in conjunction with Skills for Justice and
the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), is currently finalising the
first pathway through the framework for CPS paralegal case workers.
With support from CILEx and a number of voluntary organisations,
Skills for Justice is also developing an apprenticeship framework
based on national occupational standards developed for those
working in the Legal Advice Sector.