Cohort of solicitor apprentices join Schofield Sweeney
Schofield Sweeney has welcomed its first group of new solicitor apprentices this week. Five aspiring lawyers, who have just completed their A levels, join various teams across its offices as the firm pledges to provide better opportunities and routes into law.
The lawyers of the future who start their 6-year apprenticeship are Eesa Ubaid Rizwan, Paige Hunt, Katie Cage, Priya Kaur Sunner and Rebecca Foster.
The new apprentices will spend the first two years in a team before moving to other departments in years three and four. They will then decide on their chosen area of qualification for years five and six. This structure differentiates the programme from other law firms as it exposes them to different areas of law on their journey.
On completion, the individuals will have an LLB (Hons) Law and Legal Practise degree through BPP and go on to complete the Solicitor Qualifying Exams (SQEs) which, once passed, will see them qualify as a solicitor.
The firm has a proven track record of developing solicitor apprentices, as well as those in other disciplines such as IT and Business Administration. The new cohort takes the total number of apprentices employed currently to ten, demonstrating the firm’s investment into people.
HR Director Neil Towse comments: “We were keen to establish a programme for apprentices which meant they joined as a group and would then spend the next 6 years together, much in the same way as our trainees progress through their training contract, supporting and helping one another.
“We think that the apprenticeship programme is a fantastic way of helping people into the profession who may otherwise not have had the opportunity to do so.
“We know that qualifying through an apprenticeship works for both the apprentice and for the firm and we are committed to continuing and developing this programme in the future.”
Gaining academic knowledge is only part of the process to becoming a lawyer. The apprentices will gain hands-on work experience, together with a solid commercial understanding at an early stage of their careers, which will prove to be invaluable.
“Each of the individuals who have started this programme thoroughly deserve their place. We are excited about what they will bring to the firm and how they will develop and grow both during their apprenticeship and once they have qualified.” Simon Glazebrook, partner.