Addleshaw Goddard announces lawyer qualification plan for school leavers

Addleshaw Goddard is spearheading what it hopes will be a revolutionary scheme to enable school leavers without university degrees to qualify as solicitors.

At the moment those with no qualifications beyond A Levels are able to become legal executives. But under plans Addleshaws is drawing up with the SRA and a committee of other firms including Simmons & Simmons, Clyde & Co, Eversheds and DAC Beachcroft, participants will have the opportunity to become solicitors instead.

The new route into law, which aims to open up the profession to those who cannot afford uni, the GDL, the LPC and Oceana every Tuesday night, promises a return of sorts to the article clerkships of old. Unfortunately the 21st century version is called 'Trailblazers Apprenticeship in Law', which sounds like a Cub Scouts badge.

The coveted Trailblazer Apprenticeship in Law badge (a RollOnFriday simulation)

The scheme is due to launch next year, and Addleshaw HR specialist Gun Judge certainly didn't play down the significance of the new initiative, calling it "a pivotal milestone for social mobility in the legal profession". However Addleshaws was unable to confirm the size of its 2015 intake, so quite how pivotal it will be in practice remains to be seen.

Judge said the new standards would "enhance the alternative to the traditional route into law - opening the doors to a more diverse talent stream entering the profession".

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Comments

What a great idea. I mean, we obviously don't have enough young people seeking entry to the profession through the traditional routes, do we?

Are "legal executives" not "qualified lawyers"?

I am not sure this a new idea but welcome it. You will get people, when qualified that are also 'street wise'.

It's tough enough getting a job with a 2:2. These trailblazers have no chance.

Been doing something like this in Scotland for years (Law Society of Scotland professional exams). I qualified this way and I get nothing but respect from my peers for taking what is viewed as the hard route. Been employed since I qualified.

How is it the hard route exactly?

Re hard route - I can only comment on the Scottish system. You work for three years with a law firm under an in-office training contract whilst sitting the law society of Scotland's professional exams. There are 12 exams in total. You are given 4 years to complete these. The law society only provides you with a reading list and past paper, nothing else. No direction as to what will or will not be relevant, no classes or tutorials. The subjects are what you would expect anyone studying law to cover (criminal law, conveyancing, evidence, commercial law for example). There are two examination sessions held each year (spring and autumn) and you decide what you are sitting when (and in some cases pay for the exams). The office contract gives you practical training and you deal with the exams yourself. You then have to attend university for a year to sit the diploma in professional legal practice with the LLB graduates (where I was surprised at the level of hand holding) and then undertake a two year traineeship with a law firm (again same as the LLB graduates). Having not sat the LLB I cannot compare but I received nothing but respect for the route I have taken.

Re Scot who did the non-graduate route - to be fair, that does sound like a tougher route than the uni, GDL etc one. Glad to hear that all the hard work was worthwhile.

A route to qualification as a solicitor is already there. CILEX (legal exec) can be used as a stepping stone. I've done exactly that. Doing the LPC after a seven year stint at the coal face only served to underline the failings of the traditional route.

Re 12.54. I suggest you try undertaking a degree equiv. course on top of long hours in a city firm and see for yourself

"aims to open up the profession to those who cannot afford uni"
What is this supposed to mean? In England students can get loans and only pay it back if they earn enough later, so there's no question of "not being able to afford it".

what a great idea!- if it takes 6 years to quality then they are both educated and experienced. I know which i would recruit if i had a uni and a "trained" lawyer to select.