Schillings launches new apprenticeship scheme, helping to widen access to legal profession

Schillings, the multidisciplinary reputation and privacy consultancy helping clients handle high stakes situations, is proud to have welcomed two paralegal apprentices, who will complete a comprehensive training programme with a view to ultimately qualifying as solicitors at the firm.

The apprenticeship route will enable them to obtain legal qualifications and qualify as solicitors with no student debt, whilst gaining valuable experience as legal apprentices alongside their study.

Schillings’ new apprentices, Rene Kent and Tolu Ayeni, joined the firm in September and both recently completed their A-Levels at non-fee-paying schools. Over the duration of the apprenticeship, they will combine working as paralegals at the firm with part-time study at BPP University.

Following the initial two-year paralegal training, if successful, they will continue with their solicitor qualifications. Overall, it will take just over six years to complete both the paralegal and solicitor apprenticeships, during which they will obtain a paralegal qualification, a law degree and both SQE qualifications.

This newly launched apprenticeship scheme is part of Schillings’ increased focus on improving access to the legal profession. It builds on Schillings’ annual Insight to Media Law Scheme, which is run in partnership with BVL, a social mobility charity supported by the UK Supreme Court - and headed by Schillings lawyer Victoria Anderson - which looks to improve diversity in law. First launched in 2021, the Scheme has seen over 50secondary school students take part in various workshops with the firm’s legal, intelligence, communications, security and diplomacy experts.

Rene and Tolu join Schillings having participated in legal access schemes run by Schillings and BVL. Following this, they both undertook a period of work experience at Schillings.

In running the apprenticeship scheme, Schillings hopes to widen access to the legal profession for those who attended non-fee-paying schools, and those who may not have otherwise considered pursuing a career in law.

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