header-logo header-logo

Home Login E-newsletter About us
29 April 2021 / Jason O’Malley Lunn
Issue: 7930 / Categories: Features , Profession , Training & education , Diversity
printer mail-detail

The case for solicitor apprentices

© Copyright LexisNexis 2026. All Rights Reserved.
47606
Jason O’Malley Lunn, director of talent learning & knowledge at Plexus Law, explains why it’s time to embrace the solicitor apprenticeship pathway
  • Explains how solicitor apprenticeships can benefit a legal services company or law firm.

Solicitor apprentices have been working in the legal sector for nearly five years now and, in 2022, we will see some of the original cohort admitted to the roll after taking the Solicitors’ Qualifying Examination (SQE).

Parts of the profession have been quick to embrace apprenticeships, and apprentices can now be found across the legal sector from the high street through to large corporate law firms. In 2012 my firm, Plexus Law, took on seven of the first legal services apprentices, four of whom are now on the solicitor programme. We have since grown the scheme, recruiting more than 170 apprentices with an 85% retention rate.

For legal services firms, apprenticeship programmes have several benefits.

Retention

The solicitor apprenticeship lasts about six years, and the first benefit is retention. This is

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Read All
Sponsored by
EIP—Stuart Malcolm

EIP—Stuart Malcolm

EIP strengthens Commercial practice with a new partner

Ellisons—Francesca Brown

Ellisons—Francesca Brown

Ellisons welcomes Francesca Brown to Family team

Shakespeare Martineau—Marie Bourke

Shakespeare Martineau—Marie Bourke

Shakespeare Martineau strengthens Sheffield regulatory practice with new hires

NEWS
Read All
NLJ this week: A cautionary tale of bankruptcy and digital promises
A wide-ranging Civil Way column highlights developments from insolvency procedure to employment law, but one case stands out for its lessons on bankruptcy, family homes and digital communications
NLJ this week: Trade mark reality check for expanding brands
A sprawling Intellectual Property Office battle between House of Fraser and Frasers Property has delivered a masterclass in modern trade mark law
NLJ this week: Relocation battles demand more than good intentions
Courts in England and Wales and Singapore are increasingly confronting complex disputes over international child relocation as families become more globally mobile
NLJ this week: Domestic abuse reform faces its hardest test
The government’s long-awaited family law reform consultation could mark a turning point for domestic abuse victims navigating financial remedy proceedings, but significant challenges remain
NLJ this week: Open justice push brings experts into the spotlight
A new commercial court pilot giving the public access to documents used in hearings, including expert reports, is raising difficult questions about transparency and privacy
Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
back-to-top-scroll