Fletchers urges Government to scrap plans

The firm, which has taken on 104 apprenticeships through the apprenticeship levy, says if ministers go through with the plans it "will be a disaster for the legal profession and have a highly negative impact on social mobility and diversity."

Lorna Bailey, who heads Fletchers learning and development said "Removing legal apprenticeships would be a massive setback for young, aspiring lawyers and create a barrier into the profession. It is extraordinary that a government, which is committed to growth and social mobility, plans to wipe out one of the most successful social mobility programmes we’ve ever had."

She argued that if the defunding goes ahead the impact will be the opposite of the fourth of the PM’s five missions: Break down barriers to opportunity by reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain.

"It will put up barriers, and re-institute a class ceiling on the ambitions of young people. Our case studies [attached] make this abundantly clear. Many of our apprentices are between 19-24 and have come from a lower socio-economic background, now dedicating their careers to supporting thousands of clients after they’ve been injured."

Lorna explained that Fletchers, which has over 1100 employees and offices in the Northwest and Yorkshire, has offered apprenticeships as an accessible route to a qualification for nearly a decade. The levy funds solicitor apprentices, graduate solicitor apprentices and CILEX Lawyer apprenticeships. All these are a Level 7 apprenticeship and involve a legal qualification.

33 per cent of Fletchers staff, including apprentices, come from a less advantaged background (industry average 22 per cent). North West employees are paid 38 per cent more than the regional median wage. This translates to an additional £12,000 per employee on average compared to the regional median.

For employees in Yorkshire and the Humber, they are paid seven per cent higher than the regional median wage or £2,000 more. In 2024 Fletchers had 100% retention rate for solicitor apprentices.

Lorna said "Level 7 apprenticeships are crucial to provide our young people with high quality career opportunities. If the proposals go through, an important pathway to improved diversity, social mobility and talent development, all of which are government priorities in respect of the national growth agenda, will simply disappear. This will mean training contracts become more competitive and only accessible for those who can afford towards £50,000 in course fees."

Lorna complained that the plans exhibit ‘typical London-centric thinking.’

"Our law firm depends on using the apprenticeship levy to fund solicitor apprenticeships. This allows us to support over 100 apprentices. Our apprentices, in turn, help some of the most vulnerable people in society get back on their feet after serious injuries. It is hugely rewarding, socially useful work, but these plans are completely demoralising to our hard-working dedicated apprentices, many of whom have come from a lower socio-economic background and rely on the funding support."

Lorna said she is writing to MPs in the North West and Yorkshire alerting them to the serious risks attached to the de-funding plans, and urged other firms to do the same.

“It is vital that our legislators are made aware of the disaster waiting to happen, and step in to make ministers see how important apprenticeships are to the legal profession, and in turn, to access to justice. It is hard to understand why the government would want to take away opportunities from talented, ambitious college and university graduates, often without another route into law. Legal apprenticeships are crucial to develop talent and skills within a law firm.”

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