Academic excellence for business and the professions

Information for Solicitor Apprentices

Overview of what we will be providing plan your part-time study so that you are Your learning and development for you able to combine your studies with your on the Solicitor Apprenticeship • Induction programme office-based training. programme will be through The • Academic study programme incorporating a law degree As part of the programme, there will be , part of City, • Learning support an opportunity for you to meet solicitor University of , with support • Support for external examinations apprentices who are based at other law firms from CILEx Law School. • Reviews of your portfolio of competence and companies who will be taking the same • Student support services course at City. • You will be part of City, We will support you to meet regularly with the other apprentices so that you can build Induction programme in September your own peer support group. This will provide an introduction to your ‘Choosing an apprenticeship over the working life with your employer and the Academic study programme and requirements of the courses that you will learning support traditional route to qualification has been undergo. You will meet both your subject You will be working at your organisation the best decision that I could have made. tutors and your personal tutor who will four days each week and spending the fifth support you in your study. You will also day studying. City University have been very supportive be given guidance on the broader support and I am loving the challenges and systems which are available at City. After the induction, you will receive monthly face-to-face tuition in all your subjects and rewards that the combination of practical During your apprenticeship, you will be a minimum of monthly contact with your work and academic study brings.’ studying subjects which will grant you a personal tutor. law degree once you pass all the relevant subjects. During the induction you will Between each face-to-face session you will Holly Moore, be introduced to the skills you need to be be given a programme of study which will Solicitor Apprentice, ITV, successful on a degree. This will include be laid out clearly within the online Student and part of the first year cohort at guidance on the specific requirements of a Area which will support the course. The City Law School part-time distance learning course.

We will ensure that you are made familiar with all of the resources which will support you with your studies. This will include our library and online materials.

We will give you an overview of the subjects you will be studying. We will help you to

www.city.ac.uk Information for Solicitor Apprentices

This will include the chapters and other Portfolio sources that you are required to read, as ‘I love coming to City, University of During your six years as an apprentice, well as additional activities via online regular assessments of your office-based London once a month to meet with learning objects such as videos. These can work will be carried out to ensure that you be accessed anywhere and at any time – all the tutors, and the face-to-face are acquiring all the necessary skills to allowing you flexibility to manage your qualify and practice as a solicitor. tuition really doesn’t make it seem learning around your work/life. like a distance learning course at all. I You will be allocated a supervisor at your In addition to your regular personal tutor firm who will help you put together a am really impressed with the level of meetings, you will have other opportunities portfolio of the practical work. This will to have discussions with your tutors and support that we receive, both during be discussed every three months with an colleagues. Staff will communicate with you external assessor. those days and also via the CILEx in a variety of other ways including Q & A forums, email and social media. website. I am so glad that I have the The portfolio will help you map and plan your progress throughout the apprenticeship. opportunity to work and study at the You will also have access to peer support It will also ensure that you are supported to through an online forum on CILEx Law same time and to actually get to see build a portfolio of work which ensures you School’s Student Area and help from their cover all the skills required by the Solicitors the law we are learning about in action Academic Team in the first year. Regulation Authority. on a daily basis.’ Part-time LLB in Legal Practice The meetings with your external assessor This is a four year course which will run will be supportive and will give you and in parallel with the first four years of your Sarah-Jane Legge, your internal supervisor a chance to review placement. It will provide you with tuition in Solicitor Apprentice, your progress. Ashtons Legal core legal subjects that are necessary for all solicitors. On successful completion of the course you will be awarded a law degree. The City Law School Angela Jackman Postgraduate training For the last two years of your apprenticeship you will study the subjects and professional skills required to practise as a solicitor, and prepare for the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s externally assessed two stage exams. The City Law School’s lead solicitor for the External examinations Apprenticeship programme and Senior Stage 1: Lecturer at the school has this to say: Functioning Legal Knowledge Tests We will prepare you for computer based Welcome to The City Law School. We central assessments that you will take at the “ are delighted that we will be working end of year five. with and supporting you throughout your solicitor apprenticeship. We provide the Find out more These will be set by the Solicitors Regulation highest standards of legal education Authority and are called the Functioning and are confident that you will benefit For further information please contact our Legal Knowledge Tests. You are required to enormously from your time with us as a Professional Development Department. pass these tests before you can proceed to student. E: [email protected] the final exams and qualify as a solicitor. ” The City Law School is part of City, University T: 020 7040 0316 The subjects that you cover in the LLB of London. City has a long tradition of www.city.ac.uk/law/courses/continuing- provide some preparation for the knowledge excellence in legal education and in 2015, professional-development required for the tests. the National Student Survey found that City was the top university in London for The SRA is currently carrying out a consultation We will provide an intensive revision student satisfaction. on the nature of the assessments that programme for you during year five. apprentices will undertake. The precise content of the course might change in order to meet Stage 2: CILEx Law School the SRA requirements. Practical Legal Skills Assessments The subjects covered during years five and The City Law School has entered into a six will prepare you for this final exam at the unique partnership with CILEx Law School end of year 6. to deliver a blended online and face-to-face learning experience. We will provide intensive revision for the Follow us exams during the last six months of your CILEx Law School has been at the forefront @CitySolApps course. of legal apprenticeship design and delivery since 2012 and part of the Trailblazers in Law The City Law School Our experienced tutors will be available to development group. CILEx Law School has Gray’s Inn Place Campus provide regular support, either face-to-face over 200 legal apprentices, working at in- City, University of London or online. house legal departments, law firms and local 4 Gray’s Inn Place authorities. WC1R 5DX www.city.ac.uk/law