Could a career in the law be for you?

Historically The Law has been seen as a difficult career path to follow, open only to the highest achievers, (academically) and /or those from the middle/upper classes.

But let me dispel that myth!

The traditional route is still open and pursued by many which would include A Levels, Law Degree/Degree, followed by a Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), The Bar Exams or The Chartered Legal Executive (CILEx) exams.

This can be costly, take many years to complete and is increasingly competitive with more students than ever opting to take a law degree.

So what is the alternative?

A Legal Apprenticeship is now being offered by many institutions and becoming more popular in Law Firms nationwide.

Francis George Solicitor-Advocate were one of the first law firms to offer legal apprenticeships in our Swindon office.

We have had several legal apprentices. Lana started the apprenticeship following A Levels whilst Yasmin completed a Level 3 Business Admin Apprenticeship before deciding to progress into The Law.

For Lana, ‘learning new things every day and being able to talk to clients’ has been invaluable. 

Yasmin commented that ‘excellent prospects for career progression’ was one of the factors in her deciding to start a legal apprenticeship.

Apprentices can qualify as a paralegal and if they want to progress further, can expect to qualify as a solicitor, in a similar time to those taking the degree route. However, the advantage being that not only are they paid, but they are left with no student debt and 20% of their time is dedicated to training.

We offer work experience in both our Swindon and Witney offices and are always keen to develop links with educational institutions. For work experience remember to apply early!

For more information on careers in the law and work experience please don’t hesitate to contact us.