How solicitor apprenticeships are helping deliver the government’s missions on growth and reducing barriers to opportunity
In Spring 2023, legal apprenticeship specialist Damar Training and global legal education provider BARBRI announced the launch of an innovative new solicitor apprenticeship programme focused on reducing the barriers to opportunity that have beset the legal sector for so long. The programme is designed to meet the needs of talented future lawyers of all backgrounds, as well as the full breadth of legal services providers: in-house, not for profit and public sector, as well as the local and larger law firms which support communities and businesses across the country.
The model brings together Damar’s 40+ years’ experience in apprenticeships and BARBRI’s proven learning materials and technology. It is the first solicitor apprenticeship built “from the ground up” for the two-part Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) and the day-one competency requirements of solicitors. The apprenticeship is part of a ladder of opportunity, where students can join as school or college leavers (on a legal administrator or paralegal apprenticeship), as paralegals wanting to take the next step, or as graduates.
Apprentices are succeeding. At the most recent sitting of SQE1, 80% of Damar apprentices who completed their training plans and mock assessments in full passed the exam.
Brabners is a firm with a deep commitment to social mobility and investment in talent development and apprenticeships. They have solicitor apprentices and also work with BARBRI on a standalone basis for those who are ineligible for the apprenticeship, e.g. because they have already passed the LPC or SQE1. All four of their recent cohort, including three solicitor apprentices, were successful in their SQE exams. Lynette Smith, Brabners’ Head of Learning & Development, commented:
“We are thrilled that all of our latest cohort passed. This is a hugely challenging exam and we thank our amazing education providers, Damar and BARBRI for their support as well as congratulate our colleagues and their teams for the support they have provided.”
The programme is widening opportunity. A significant proportion of Damar’s solicitor apprentices are from “non-traditional” backgrounds; either personally, or they work for employers that previously found it difficult to offer training contracts or fund academic training. In particular:
- 80% live in the regions.
- 61% of employers are small or medium-sized businesses, mostly outside London and the South-East. This runs counter to the national trend by SMEs away from apprenticeships.
- 71% of apprentices are aged 25 or over – opportunities are opening up for people working as paralegals who previously had no accessible progression route to qualification.
- Many of Damar’s younger apprentices are progressing towards the solicitor apprenticeship via legal administration and paralegal apprenticeships.
- Solicitor apprentices have a wide range of academic and vocational backgrounds, including progression from the paralegal apprenticeship and other vocational legal qualifications. In every case though, their employers see their potential to progress to qualification.
- Most solicitor apprentices who have undergraduate degrees already have £50K+ of debt and are unable to fund additional training costs themselves. Often, they work for employers who can support the apprenticeship but are not able to finance significant additional training costs.
- 29% of employers are in-house legal teams in the public and private sectors. Notably, this includes 21 local councils – a part of the legal sector that has traditionally found it hard to recruit, develop and retain legal talent.
Damar’s Managing Director, Jonathan Bourne, said:
“If you are from a non-traditional background, the odds of getting into the profession are still stacked against you and, if you are not economically, socially or academically extremely fortunate, it is a big bet to take with £60,000 or so of borrowed money. Many people with the potential to become fantastic solicitors end up doing other things or not progressing beyond paralegal roles, often at employers who aren’t able to fund the final stages of their training. The apprenticeship route is a way to unlock potential, for employers and individuals alike.”
Lucie Allen, Managing Director at BARBRI, added:
“We are delighted for Brabners and their trainees. Their innovative approach really supports the opportunity that SQE can bring to both learners and employers. Our partnership with Damar continues to go from strength to strength and helps ensure BARBRI can support a range of learning solutions to meet our clients’ needs including the apprenticeship route or a curated programme of preparation and professional development courses.”
Damar Training and BARBRI remain committed to expanding access to legal careers for a diverse range of talented individuals and to supporting legal services providers of all sizes, in line with the government’s missions on growth and opportunity. Our solicitor apprenticeship programme is making a significant impact, offering new routes to qualification and breaking down barriers to access.
Find out more
If you would like to speak to someone about solicitor apprenticeships for your legal firm or in-house team, please get in touch.