Legal Apprenticeships

What is an Apprenticeship in Law?

CILEX is an End-point Assessment Provider for the following Trailblazer Apprenticeships in Law: 

• Paralegal – Level 3
• Chartered Legal Executive – Level 6 

Apprenticeship in Law (Paralegal) and Apprenticeship in Law (Chartered Legal Executive)

These apprenticeships are based on standards developed by employers and feature an End-point holistic assessment of the knowledge, skills and behaviours that have been developed throughout the term of the Apprenticeship. An End-point assessment ensures that apprentices meet the standard set by employers and confirms that they are fully competent in the relevant occupation. Read more information about the new apprenticeships.

You can find copies of the Standards for both the Apprenticeship in Law (Paralegal) and Apprenticeship in Law (Chartered Legal Executive) by clicking the relevant links. 

Apprenticeships are employer driven, and are funded mainly by the employer organisations themselves, although there is some Government funding available.  Employers select an approved Apprenticeship Training Provider (ATP) to deliver the required training in preparation for the End-Point Assessment.

Employers are also able to choose the End-point assessment organisation (EPAO).  CILEX has been approved as an EPAO to deliver the end point assessments for both the Paralegal standard and for the Chartered Legal Executive standard, and is listed on the government’s Register of Apprentice Assessment Organisations.

Read more on the Assessment plan for the Apprenticeships in Law – Paralegal.

Read more on the Assessment plan for the Apprenticeship in Law – Chartered Legal Executive.

Legal Services Apprenticeship

An Apprentice completing the Advanced Apprenticeship will study CILEX Legal Services qualifications, which have been specially developed to meet the needs of the Apprentices.  These consist of an ‘on the job’ competence qualification and the choice of a range of ‘off the job’ knowledge qualifications. 

Paralegal Trailblazer Apprenticeship

An apprentice completing the Paralegal Trailblazer Apprenticeship will receive regular training from an Apprenticeship Training Provider.  Their programme of learning will be developed and agreed by their employer and the training provider.  So each apprentices experience will be different but the training programme could include recognised qualifications such as those offered by CILEX.

Chartered Legal Executive Apprenticeship

An Apprentice completing the Chartered Legal Executive Apprenticeship will complete the Level 3 and Level 6 CILEX Professional qualifications as part of the Apprenticeship. Those possessing a qualifying law degree may be able to complete the join an Apprenticeship. 

All Apprentices will be required to pass an End-point assessment at the end of the Chartered Legal Executive Apprenticeship.

Is it for me?

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, knowledge and experience to develop their careers. 

Apprenticeships are employer led. They are funded by the employer organisation and the Government, this means that you will not have to pay your training costs yourself. Apprenticeships are one of the few ways of achieving skills, knowledge and experience without building up significant tuition fee debt.

As you are employed during your apprenticeship, you are entitled to a minimum wage and other statutory benefits (such as sick pay, holiday and maximum working hours) offered to employees. If an employer offers extra benefits to their employees (such as healthcare plans or childcare allowances), then they may also be offered to you too!

How do I get started?

Apprenticeships are based on you applying for an apprenticeship vacancy within an organisation, so you will first need to find a legal services provider that is offering the apprenticeship you are looking for. For a legal apprenticeship this may be, for example, a law firm, a private company with its own legal department or a Government department. 

We recommend that you research the organisation you are applying to make sure you understand what they are looking for, and that they are the best fit for you. Legal Apprenticeships are highly sought after and the competition may be tough but a tailored, specific application will get you one step closer to your goal.

Apprenticeships are offered all year round but a popular time for positions to be advertised is at the end of the school/college year; so it is a good idea to start looking before the summer to find the ideal apprenticeship for you. There are a few ways in which you can look for job vacancies:

• CILEX Recruitment – We advertise employers seeking apprentices on our website. Click here to see what positions are currently available.

• The Lawyer Portal – CILEX has teamed up with the Lawyer Portal (TLP) which offers a wealth of resources and guides for anyone considering a career in law, whatever their stage or background. 

• The Government search engine – Using this search engine, you can see all apprenticeships local to you (including legal apprenticeships). You are also able to set up alerts to notify you of any new apprenticeships that become available.

• Direct applications – You may already have an employer in mind or know of a vacancy. There is no rule against approaching employers directly, as long as it is done in a professional manner. Our MyCareer service can help you to tailor your CV and cover letter to give you the best chance at success.

• Careers Advice Services – Your school, college, university or local job centre may be able to provide you with advice and point you in the direction of a vacancy.

• Training Provider websites – Many Training Providers will advertise vacancies on behalf of firms they are working with. This gives you a good opportunity to research your potential training provider and what may be offered as part of the apprenticeship. You can find Training Providers for legal apprenticeships via Google or by contacting them directly.

Once you have found a vacancy, you will need to submit an application or CV for the position. To help you with this, CILEX offers a free tool accessed via MyCareer which can be used to help with tailoring your CV for the roles you are applying for.

Join CILEX – make the most of your apprenticeship!

If you are looking to become a legal apprentice, or even if you have already started on your career journey, you can apply for CILEX professional membership.

As well as becoming part of a well-recognised professional association, CILEX membership offers you access to our exclusive member benefits and a wide network of legal professionals.

More information on membership grade and benefits can be found here.

Need help? 

If you would like to talk through your options and get more guidance on your next steps into the world of law, click here to complete our general enquiry form.