Law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has announced that it will launch an apprenticeship scheme for paralegals in its Manchester office. Beginning in October 2016, the apprenticeship scheme will be delivered by the University of Law in partnership with Damar Training.
The head of the LSC at Freshfields, Olivia Balson, said: “We want to encourage wider access to law and possibilities for progression for the very best talents. These apprenticeships offer a flexible route for talented students to join the legal profession and opportunities to those already in the firm to nurture these talents.”
Freshfields isn’t the only major law firm to enter the apprenticeship space. DWF and Addelshaw Goddard have recently taken the plunge.
However there has been resistance to apprenticeships from some legal firms. In April, Clifford Chance and Slaughter and May ruled out offering legal apprenticeships, after a number of others have recently signed up to the trailblazer scheme.
