Legal apprenticeship trend continues in the North West

North West law firm Bott and Co is the latest legal business to consider the future of legal training as it begins a recruitment process for its first of 12 legal apprentices.

Successful applicants will join the firm's road traffic accidents (RTA), liability, holiday sickness, and flight delay departments at its offices in Wilmslow, Cheshire.

The firm's managing partner, Paul Hinchliffe, said: 'Training and development is central to the ethos at Bott and Co. Recruiting apprentices to develop their knowledge and skills while working for the firm is a natural fit with this.

'With their own personal drive and ambition, those who successfully complete their apprenticeships will have the opportunity to develop their careers to become chartered legal executives or solicitors.'

The apprentices will follow the civil litigation pathway of the advanced apprenticeship in legal services delivered by the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) law school.

Nicola Goodman, learning and development manager at the school, commented: 'We already work with Bott and Co in the delivery of CILEx courses to staff at both level three and level six through their in-house academy. We look forward to extending the relationship we have with them to include apprenticeship delivery.'

The firm, which had a turnover of £8.35m in 2013/14, already employs over 85 staff, a quarter of which have received funding for training or career development via the Bott Academy, which was established to support staff members in developing their careers

The announcement follows news from earlier this week that three other law firms in the North West of England and North Wales have adopted a pioneering legal apprenticeship programme developed by the University of Law (ULaw).

Hillyer McKeown, which has offices in Chester, Wirral, and North Wales, was the first firm to adopt the new articled apprenticeship scheme. It has since been joined by Rowlinsons and Gamlins Law.

The programme aims to provide an alternative route to qualification as a solicitor for those who want to 'earn while they learn'.

Global firm Mayer Brown, working in partnership with ULaw, has also announced a legal apprenticeship programme, the first City firm to offer an articled apprenticeship programme as an alternative route to qualification.