Barking and Dagenham to be first London council to hire solicitor apprentices

Barking and Dagenham Council is set to be the first London council to hire two solicitor apprentices into its in-house legal service.

These solicitor apprenticeships will be delivered by City University of London in partnership with CILEx Law School.

The council is also looking to recruit for a paralegal apprenticeship, which will be delivered by CILEx Law School.

The apprentices will all be recruited for a September start. The council hopes to target young people in the borough’s schools undertaking A levels in the summer.

Cllr Dominic Twomey, Cabinet Member for Finance, Growth and Investment at Barking and Dagenham, said: “These apprenticeships offer local youngsters the chance to become professionally qualified, without the burden of debt that comes with the traditional university path. Now that the Council is paying the apprenticeship levy, it makes sense for us to draw down funds from our apprenticeship account to create these opportunities. I am delighted that we are the first in London to create this opportunity.”

Noel Inge, Managing Director at CILEx Law School, said: “As well as giving local young people an opportunity to develop a law career, these three apprenticeships will assist Barking and Dagenham Council in meeting the public sector apprenticeship target. We look forward to assisting the legal team with the recruitment and training of these young people commencing in September.”

Angela Jackman, Senior Lecturer at the City Law School, said: “These apprentices will join the second annual intake on to the Solicitor Apprenticeship programme in September. The scheme being introduced by Barking and Dagenham Council will enable local people to become solicitors whilst working, earning and studying at the same time without incurring tuition fees. It is a six-year programme to qualification while working in a legal environment.”