Law Society Wales advocates legal apprenticeships

A recent survey conducted by The Law Society Wales office has revealed overwhelming support for the introduction of Level 7 Legal apprenticeships in Wales. Data gathered from students, trainee solicitors, and law firm owners in the region indicates a strong desire for this pathway into the legal profession. Remarkably, the research shows that 100% of Welsh students interested in a law career would pursue the L7 legal apprenticeship route if available in Wales. Additionally, 91% of students studying at Welsh universities indicated they would choose this apprenticeship over a traditional degree if the opportunity were accessible locally. Current Welsh paralegal apprentices also express intent to advance their careers, with 80% aspiring to become solicitors, all desiring to do so within Wales.

The findings arise in the context of significant recruitment challenges faced by UK law firms, with 40% struggling to meet demand, as highlighted by The Law Society. Presently, students in England can pursue the legal apprenticeship pathway up to Level 7, qualifying them as solicitors, while Welsh students encounter hurdles, having to either stop their education at the advanced paralegal level or move to England to access needed funding and opportunities.

The recent paper, produced in collaboration with University of Wales Trinity Saint David, outlines the critical issues facing the legal sector in Wales, including dwindling local legal services and severe court case backlogs contributing to an ongoing recruitment crisis. The case for expanding apprenticeship options argues that introducing a Level 7 legal apprenticeship can enhance diversity and address skills gaps, thereby creating a sustainable pipeline of talent for Welsh law firms.

Jonathan Davies, Head of Wales, emphasises that “The Welsh Government cannot afford to not invest in the Level 7 any longer. The status quo is simply not an option if we are to maintain equitable access to justice in Wales.” Davies notes that some regions in Wales have fewer than one solicitor per 10,000 residents, and the Level 7 apprenticeship would significantly improve access to legal services by nurturing local talent from diverse backgrounds.

Supporting this viewpoint, Mark Davies, Chair of the National Board for Wales, states, “There is a desperate shortage of lawyers in Wales. The Law Society of England and Wales has publicly acknowledged the ‘vanishing availability’ of legal provision across housing, welfare, education, community care and immigration.” He continues that launching the Level 7 legal apprenticeship could help ensure legal assistance reaches areas currently deprived of such support.

Dr Bronwen Williams, Head of Law at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and author of the paper, highlights the financial barriers that deter young individuals from pursuing legal careers. She explains, “There is clear evidence that some young people are put off from going into the legal profession by the costs associated with going to university, with many young people looking at apprenticeships as routes into professions."

Williams stresses that Wales loses out on home-grown talent as aspiring lawyers seek apprenticeship funding across the border, leading to a flux of Welsh talent leaving the sector for better opportunities elsewhere. “Those students who have chosen to access the paralegal apprenticeship funding in Wales all want to qualify further and will face the decision to either self-fund or have to cross the border to access funds, again causing a loss of Welsh talent in the sector.”

This survey underscores the urgent necessity for reform in the Welsh legal education landscape, with hopes that the Welsh Government will consider the introduction of legal apprenticeships as a means to alleviate several pressing issues within the community.