New lawyer apprenticeship standards approved by minister

03 September 2015

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), has today published the new assessment plans and standards for legal apprenticeships following Ministerial approval.

These new standards form part of the ‘Trailblazers Apprenticeship in Law’ initiative that will shape the apprenticeship route into law from 2017 and will lead to apprentices qualifying as a Chartered Legal Executive, solicitor or paralegal.

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) has overseen the process of developing these apprenticeships alongside CILEx Regulation and the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Vicky Purtill (pictured), head of qualifications at CILEx, the awarding organisation for the Chartered Legal Executive apprenticeship pathway said: “CILEx is committed to progressing legal professionals within the workplace through vocational education and we are very pleased that the standards have now been approved and published. We have worked alongside industry leaders on creating these apprenticeships and receiving Ministerial approval now enables us to progress further with their development.”

Harvey Sandercock, education portfolio holder for the CILEx Regulation Board said: “We are excited that the Chartered Legal Executive trailblazer apprenticeship has been approved by BIS. It is essential that the new apprentices are guaranteed to achieve the same standards of expertise as other Chartered Legal Executives and we are confident that they will. The training and assessment arrangements, which have been approved, will provide a new generation of specialist lawyers with a firm grounding in the practical legal skills their employers and clients value, supported by high academic standards.”

Harvey continued: “Great credit goes to CILEx colleagues who worked closely with the employers and supported and guided this development.”

Mandie Lavin, chief executive CILEx, said: “Having been the authority on vocational legal qualifications for more than 50 years, CILEx’s role in ensuring the paralegal and Chartered Legal Executive apprenticeship standards meet the requirements for learners to become first-class legal professionals has been paramount.”

Mandie continued: “These new, employer led standards ensure the qualifications will be market driven and fit for purpose and we look forward to working with both legal businesses and learners on delivering these apprenticeships and continuing to encourage a more diverse profession.”

The trailblazers for law are one of a number of different sectors who are participating in this apprenticeship initiative, supported by BIS.

The new standards will enable more flexible routes to qualification and have been developed by an employer lead group including:

• Addleshaw Goddard
• Barclays
• Browne Jacobson
• Burges Salmon
• Clyde & Co
• DAC Beachcroft
• Dentons
• DWF
• Eversheds
• Gateley LLP
• Kennedys Law
• Lewis Silkin
• Mayer Brown
• Olswang
• Pannone LLP
• The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS)
• Simmons & Simmons
• Stephenson Harwood
• Thomas Eggar
• Withers
• Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx)
• Law Society
• Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)

ENDS