Careers
Would you recommend doing an apprenticeship?
Tom Huxley, Document Solutions Assistant
Which apprenticeship are you completing?
I’m completing the Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship with CILEX. I’m due to finish this at the end of 2025/early 2026. Before this, I completed GCSEs and Level 3 BTEC in Marketing at college.
The CILEX element of the apprenticeship is related to administration within a law firm, including compliance, policies, and HR. I have a day a week for study, which I complete online in a cohort of 7 with a tutor who runs group sessions and 1:1s. The tutor is always available should I encounter any issues, and we catch up on a regular basis. I like to study online, and the flexibility means that I can work around the needs of the business during busy periods.
What have you enjoyed so far?
I’m really enjoying it so far. I particularly like the fact that I can put into practice what I learn straight away. The learning is all related to my role, which makes it much more interesting. It is giving me a better understanding of my role, and it is helping to grow my confidence.
Have you met any challenges?
As well as 1:1s, the CILEX tutor holds regular group calls with breakout rooms. This has taken me out of my comfort zone, but I’m enjoying the benefits, such as sharing opinions with others and speaking with people at different stages of their careers.
What opportunities does this apprenticeship offer you?
I was thinking about university, but I didn’t want to commit to a subject I wasn’t sure would resonate with me. This apprenticeship means I can both study and work in an area I am passionate about, and I’m grateful for this opportunity. I appreciate not having to worry about the financial burden. I can start to save for a house now, and I feel incredibly lucky that I won’t have the debt that a lot of my friends who are at university will have.
Would you recommend doing an apprenticeship?
I would recommend doing an apprenticeship because it gives you a great level of learning and understanding in the career you are interested in. I knew that apprenticeships were out there, but I thought you had to have gone to university to get one. It’s great that there are so many apprenticeship types, not just law or business.
Matt Groom, Solicitor Apprentice, Business Services
Which apprenticeship are you completing?
I am completing the 3-year SQE Solicitor Apprenticeship with Damar until September 2027. This is a shortened version of the Solicitor Apprenticeship for those who have experience working in the law and have achieved the first CLIEX level or a Paralegal Apprenticeship. I have just finished the 12-week Legal Foundations Course, which is like the GDL conversion course. It has been tough but very useful.
After GCSEs and A Levels, I started working in a law firm, where I completed the Paralegal Apprenticeship and CILEX bridging course. I’ve always wanted to qualify as a solicitor, so when Damar introduced their new shortened Solicitor Apprenticeship, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. I am very grateful to Higgs and Joel Nixon for supporting me in following this new-to-the-market route.
What have you enjoyed so far?
I love working at such a brilliant firm with a great team that gives me much more work and responsibility. I like studying on a self-study basis, as I have always done, and having my study day online makes it flexible in terms of supporting the team. I’m looking forward to starting the SQE 1 and 2 study, including using Damar’s AI tool, which benchmarks scores and highlights areas of strength and improvement.
Have you met any challenges?
The Legal Foundations course has been hard. It involves a lot of in-depth legal research, which I don’t do much of in my day job yet. I can see the improvements I’ve made from week 1 to week 12, and I understand more about the law and legal terminology.
What opportunities does this apprenticeship offer you?
University is such a big financial commitment, and it was one I was not able to make without working almost full time, so it made more sense to me to get a full-time job and then study alongside it. Two of my family members are accountants; one went to university, and one studied while working. They’ve both succeeded in their careers, but the family member who worked and studied had much more experience and has gone much further in their career, even though they qualified later. Seeing the difference convinced me of the benefits of apprenticeships. By the time I qualify, I will have no student debt and 9 years of experience, which puts me in a great position. It’s also financially beneficial to the firm, which can fund the course using the Government Apprenticeship Levy.
Would you recommend doing an apprenticeship?
I would 100% recommend apprenticeships. I wish more employers would offer them. It seems there are still barriers to apprenticeships and a lack of understanding and perhaps a bit of snobbery. Once more senior lawyers have the experience of having an apprentice and watching them pick up skills as they are learning, they see how invaluable apprentices are and they fully understand the benefits.
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Sophie Perry, Paralegal, Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
Which apprenticeship have you completed?
I have completed the Level 3 Paralegal Apprenticeship with Damar, focused on my practice area of law of tort and civil litigation. I got my results in December 2024 and was so pleased to have passed. I got a distinction for the timed written assessment.
What have you enjoyed the most?
I have enjoyed learning about the practice area that I work in and building on topics as my role progressed and changed. It gave me the confidence and extra knowledge to feel like I was doing a good job. I learn by doing, so being able to put my learning into practice straight away is such a huge benefit of an apprenticeship. It helps you understand so much more than just reading through textbooks alone. Learning on the job makes more sense and slots into place more easily.
Did you meet any challenges?
Juggling a young family with studying and exam preparation at night was difficult. I had to put in a lot of extra work over and above my allotted study time. I put everything into it, and the result made it all worth it and has given me a great sense of achievement. There were times that I questioned whether I would get to the end at all. I’m so pleased it worked out well.
What opportunities has this apprenticeship given you?
When Higgs considered introducing this apprenticeship and Andy Shaw, my head of department, spoke to me about it, I was in my late 20s. It’s so important that people know that apprenticeships aren’t just for young people or school leavers. I’m not sure I would have enrolled myself in a course like this, so it’s great that Higgs and Andy believed in me.
Would you recommend doing an apprenticeship?
I would 100% recommend doing an apprenticeship. I have learnt so much more than I thought I would. It doesn’t matter what stage of your career you start, you’ll get a lot of benefits from an apprenticeship and build your confidence in your skills and knowledge. It’s given me some great tools to build upon.