Fletchers launches legal apprenticeship scheme

A new legal apprenticeship initiative designed by Fletchers Solicitors and the University of Law is offering students a debt-free way into the legal profession and a serious alternative to the standard route in.

The program, which lasts six years, aims to give aspiring trainees who have been put off by the financial burden of the traditional university route, the opportunity to explore an alternative route into the legal world.

It allows students to learn on the job whilst at the same time completing an LLB, an LLM and a LPC at the University of Law, meaning that they will come out of the program fully trained and ready to begin life as a trainee solicitor.

To begin with, apprentices will only be taken from King George V College in Southport, and those already involved with the firm, but the plan is to roll out the scheme to a wider applicant taudience in the future.

Commenting on the apprenticeship programme Ed Fletcher, CEO at Fletchers Solicitors, said: “We’ve long advocated the investment in young talent, as part of our long-term plan to ‘grow our own’ people and harness talent within the firm that fits in with our core values. And what better way to do it than to grow this talent within the firm?

“I also think it’s incredibly important that we encourage diversity in the law profession – not everyone can afford the burden of spending years at university and not earning at the same time, so an apprenticeship is a great alternative.”

Professor Andrea Nollent, Provost of the University of Law, said: “We are delighted that Fletchers is grasping this new development opportunity for its current staff and future employees. We are confident that the practical nature of the programmes offered by The University of Law, alongside substantive work based learning, will deliver considerable enhancement to Fletchers’ future workforce.”

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