The Department for Business, Skills and Innovation (BIS), has today announced that plans to create new standards for legal apprenticeships have received Ministerial approval and are set to be published at the end of the month.

The new standards, which will allow apprentices to qualify as a solicitor, Chartered Legal Executive or paralegal, will enable more flexible routes to qualification, and have been developed by an employer lead group including; Addleshaw Goddard, Barclays, Browne Jacobson, Burges Salmon, Clyde and Co, DAC Beachcroft, Dentons, DWF, Eversheds, Gateley LLP, Kennedys Law, Lewis Silkin, Mayer Brown, Olswang, Pannone LLP, The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Simmons & Simmons, Stephenson Harwood, Thomas Eggar and Withers.

This group, who spearheaded the 'Trailiblazers Apprenticeship in Law' initiative that will shape the apprenticeship route into law from 2017, devised these standard which meet the requirements specified by CILEx Regulation and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and will allow apprentices to qualify as a solicitor, paralegal or Chartered Legal Executive, while working for their employers.

Gun Judge, Resourcing Manager at Addleshaw Goddard, and chair of the Trailblazers Legal committee, stated: " There’s never been a better time to start a law apprenticeship. The Legal Trailblazer Scheme enhances the alternative to the traditional route into law - opening the doors to a more diverse talent stream entering the profession. Our apprentices create a huge contribution to the firm, and we will be looking to hire more."

Legal apprenticeships are one of a number of different sectors which are participating in this apprenticeship initiative, supported by BIS.