Mills & Reeve’s Post

CATEGORY FOCUS: BEST PLACE TO WORK AWARD The 'Best Place to Work' award recognises businesses with a focus on developing talent through training, apprenticeships, work experience, diversity and inclusion, career progression and opening opportunities to all. Judges will be looking for evidence of how policies impact on employees at all levels. In 2023, our fantastic sub-regional winners for this category were: ~ for Northumberland & Tyneside: Muckle LLP | B Corp™ ~ for Durham, Sunderland & South Tyneside: Voicentric Ltd ~ for Teesside: Big Bite Three fantastic businesses, but the overall title of 'Best Place to Work' at the regional Grand Final in 2023 went to Muckle LLP - a thriving Newcastle-based law firm. It achieved Investors in People Platinum and founded the North East Solicitor Apprentice scheme which highlighted its commitment to accessible legal careers, creating opportunities for school leavers to enter the legal profession without the burden of university fees. The company has introduced various initiatives to upskill and develop its employees, including "The Muckle Way" framework - co-created with staff, it unifies vision, values, and client service. Do you think your business could win the 'Best Place to Work' award in 2024? ENTER NOW AT: nebusinessawards.co.uk #NEBizAwards

Do you employ apprentices or trainees in your business? 🔧 Did you know they must be registered with a state or territory training authority for you to pay them trainee or apprentice rates? It’s crucial to set up your apprentice or trainee employment relationships correctly from the start to avoid any legal or financial complications. If you’re unsure if you’re doing the right thing, call us – we’ve got your back! #Apprentices #Trainees #EmploymentLaw #WeveGotYourBack

Part 8 of the City Century 🔟❌🔟 series is now LIVE! Join us as we dive into all things English Legal System…what is it? And how does it work? In recognition of the Department for Education's National Apprenticeship Week theme ‘Employer Tuesday’, our brilliant #SAmbassador Isabel Wragg asks #CityStar Elizabeth Ajagbe-Ajagbe: “What sort of Solicitor Apprentices make for the best law students?”   City Century firms already know why Solicitor Apprentices are a no-brainer for business, social impact, and economic reasons. We hope that this video (along with our other #NAW2024 content) will inspire other employers to get on board! As a reminder, this 10-part series hosted by Jonny Lynch answers all your burning #commercialawareness questions. Every Tuesday at 5pm on this City Century LinkedIn page 10 questions answered in 10 minutes. It’s that simple. Short on time? We’ve got you covered. Check out our TikTok page (@citycenturycareers) for bite-sized highlights from each of the interviews. There really is no excuse for missing out! Drop us a like and/or comment below to tell us what you think of 🔟❌🔟 #CityCentury #CitySenseSAminars #solicitorapprenticeships

Since year 11 (I’m now a year 13 student), I’ve been thinking about the next steps beyond A levels, which even thinking about the idea of future planning, can feel overwhelming. It is a big chapter in our lives full of unknown and potential and I’m sure that many of those who are going through the same situation as me are also feeling the same excitement, nerves and determination to achieve their goals in their chosen field. At first, I had absolutely no idea how I was going to work towards a career in law (wether that was through apprenticeship or university) because growing up in a struggling environment, I’d always thought you had to “know people”for even a chance at legal work experience, and if you grew up in a more fortunate background, your chances of succesfully entering the profession was higher. Well, I am glad to say I was wrong! When City Century and Young Professionals introduced me to the idea of becoming a solicitor apprenticeship as an alternative to university, it felt like thousands of new doors could be opened (maybe that’s a bit exaggerated but the feeling was very much likewise). Over the last 3 years, I have taken part in over 11 events (virtual+ in-person), and will be taking part in 2 more over the following weeks. Now, I’ve learnt so much about the application process, the different law firms, including some in the ‘magic circle’, attended courses by the University of Law and even got to speak to solicitor apprentices at the networking events. As the time is caving in for beginining university applications and very soon solicitor apprenticeships, I would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to these two organisations, Dan Miller, and all the people who’ve been involved in organising these events, for giving me these opportunities and resources, which I wouldn’t of had otherwise. Not only do I have something for my personal statement but I also have the knowledge to go through with the solicitor apprenticeship, which is becoming an increasing goal of mine. I have no idea what the outcome of the next year will be but at least I can now breathe knowing that I have a chance at becoming something I’d always dreamed of being. #youngprofessionals #citycentury #linklaters #Freeths #CharlesRussellSpeechlys #BrowneJacobson #AllenandOvary #BirdandBird #SimmonsandSimmons #Ashfords #FarrerandCo #Ashurst #BlakeMorgan #workexperience #lawopportunities

It is eight years since solicitor apprenticeships were introduced and Joanna Goodman reviews their impact for the Law Society Gazette. The 'earn as you learn' route to qualification is an alternative to the more traditional graduate route into the profession - and it seems to be suiting many candidates and law firms. Joanna speaks to Solicitor Apprentices and firms who have embraced this route to qualification and their conclusion is: "Solicitor apprenticeships are providing new routes to qualification, injecting young, diverse talent into the profession." The article also discusses some of the challenges and how firms have approached them including providing extra support for school leavers. Read the article ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eUsa5u5k #lawfirms #solicitorapprentices #legalsector

🌟 Incredible Insights from the Linklaters Solicitor Apprenticeship Event! 🌟 Hi, Network! I recently attended the Linklaters Solicitor Apprenticeship Insight Event hosted by Young Professionals and with the 2025 applications now open, the timing couldn’t have been better! 🚀 Here are some key highlights that left a lasting impression: 1. A Culture of Growth and Support 🤝 Hearing from Becky McGregor and Malcolm Horton really highlighted how much Linklaters values its apprentices. Despite the steep learning curve, they make sure you have all the tools to succeed—hands-on experience, mentorship, and opportunities to grow from day one! 💡 2. Application Tips You Can’t Miss 📋 The advice shared by Honor Hawkes , Maddie Pennington Pennington , and Evie Sandwell was a game-changer! Here’s what I took away: - Stay organized : Setting personal deadlines will keep you on track and avoid last-minute stress. ⏳ - Know the firm : Go beyond the homepage and show why you’re genuinely excited about Linklaters. - Network! : Reaching out to current apprentices and professionals can make all the difference. 🤝 3. Life as a Solicitor Apprentice 🔍 Saheer Syed and Annabel Kaley shared how they balance work at Linklaters with studying for their LLB at BPP University. It’s impressive how much responsibility apprentices are given, all while having a dedicated study day to focus on academics! 📚 This event left me feeling more motivated than ever to continue pursuing my path in law. Huge thanks to Linklaters and Young Professionals for hosting such an inspiring event! Best of luck to everyone applying! 🤞🏽 #Linklaters #YoungProfessionals #SolicitorApprenticeship #LegalCareers #MagicCircleLaw #CareerInspiration

🔮 INSIGHT TO LINKLATERS🔮 Today I attended the ‘Insight to Linklaters’, hosted by Young Professionals, Dan M.. The event offered an invaluable glimpse at how it is like to be an apprentice in a magic circle law firm, along with comprehensive details on the application process. 🛍️ KEY TAKEAWAYS 🛍️ Becky McGregor and Malcolm Horton explained the impact and the purpose of starting a solicitor apprenticeship in Linklaters. They also provided information on how Linklaters, as a law firm will support its apprentice on their career growth. ▪️By offering apprenticeships for solicitors at the degree level and by sponsoring organisations and insight events such as Young Professionals. This has made it easier for young people to learn about the legal profession. ▪️ Furthermore, having such a programme will allow Linklaters to involve the younger generation to work in the firm, which will also cause new dynamics. ▪️ Apprentices are also provided with extensive training and tools to help their career goals. This demonstrated the encouraging atmosphere Linklaters had created, enabling trainees to succeed in the firm. 💡KEY TIPS 💡 Solicitor apprentices: Annabel Kaley, Honor Hawkes and Maddie Pennington discussed their experiences as Linklaters apprentices , whilst also offering some important application advice. ▪️be confident with the things that you are saying and what you believe in, display your interest towards law and why you want to be there ▪️ research on the firms before applying ▪️be open-minded to every opportunities and advices provided by others, put yourself into networking ▪️be organised with deadline ⭐️CONCLUSION ⭐️ It was a very beneficial session where they gave thorough details regarding their apprenticeship programme. It was also encouraging to see Linklater's commitment to young people, demonstrated by the apprenticeship scheme and the insight events held. A Huge thank you to all the speakers at the event, it was a very informative and helpful session. #linklaters #youngProfessionals #law #insights #virtual

🌸✨️Insight To Linklaters✨️🌸 I have just attended the event hosted by Young Professionals, Dan M.. The event 'Insight To Linklaters' was an amazing virtual programme as it was very detailed and based around solicitor apprenticeships, so it was super helpful. Franchesca Dadzie opened the event well by introducing everyone on call aswell as giving a brief introduction to the law firm. It then progressed onto Malcolm Horton who expanded on solicitor apprenticeships and the law firm itself, thoroughly explaining what it is and what the law firm offers and what they look for. Next it moved onto the solicitor apprentices: Annabel Kaley, Honor Hawkes and Saheer Syed who gave important tips on the process of becoming an apprentice at linklaters. They talked about the different stages and provided advice on what happens and what to expect in each stage. The members of the early careers team: Evie Sandwell, Holly Allen and Maddie Pennington went through the process of the application and gave crucial tips and advice to help with each step. A couple of tips given were: - Take your time on the application as the Watson glaser test needs to be completed within the 5 day that follow after submitting the application. - Make sure to practice the Watson Glaser before doing it. - They don't prohibit the use of AI if it is used properly for example fact checking and not copy and pasting. - Whatever you have written on the application could come up and be asked in an interview so be aware of what you write and make sure its something you can talk about. - RESEARCH THE FIRM BEFORE APPLYING! To conclude, they did a mini Q&A where they answered recurring questions asked by many aspiring apprentices. I believe that this programme was highly beneficial as they provided an insight and great detail on the apprenticeship side of the firm. A huge thank you to the linklaters team that were on the call: Annabel Kaley, Becky McGregor, Evie Sandwell, Honor Hawkes, Malcolm Horton, Saheer Syed, Holly Allen, Maddie Pennington and Francesca Dadzie for a very informative session. #linklaters #event #online #virtual #Youngprofessionals #law #legal #solicitor #solicitorapprentices #Insight #solicitorapprenticeship #apprenticeships #lawfirm #watsonglaser #programme #session #tips #applications

This article talks about the instances wherein the probationary employment period can go beyond 6 months, namely: 1) in apprenticeship agreements 2) employment is covered by special laws 3) practice is established by company policy or required by the nature of the work 4) to give the employee another chance to improve. Read to know more: https://lnkd.in/gYayTiMG #ProbationaryEmployment #EmployeeTrial #RegularEmployee #JobOpportunity #EmploymentLaw #TrialPeriod #HiringProcess #JobSecurity #EmployeeRights #LaborCodePH #ndvlaw

"Management, Legal & Professional Services Apprentice of the Year Finalist" 🎉🏆 ...out of 450 applications! I first heard about the Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards in 2021. At the time, they were called the BAME Apprenticeship Awards and I went to their awards ceremony in Birmingham to support my friend Alika L. who had been nominated at the time. It was a huge event full of people dedicated and committed to apprenticeships and it was inspiring to see. It became clear to me that the role of the #MCAAppAwards aligns perfectly with my passion: promoting a more inclusive future for all apprentices. It's a goal I chase in all my extra-curricular activities: 🌍 Co-founding the Legal Apprentice Society and organising its events 🌍 Creating content for Apprenticeish's Podcast and LinkedIn page and managing the brand 🌍 Mentoring and encouraging LLB law students and neurodivergent sixth formers on their journey to becoming lawyers. 🌍 Collaborating with various apprenticeship platforms to speak on panels and in webinars and network at events 🌍 Connecting work experience students interested in a legal discipline to lawyers with the relevant expertise The movement of diverse and talented apprentices is here: ✔ Sharing knowledge about the programme ✔ Making previously gatekept professions more inclusive ✔ Eliminating ignorance and converting the sceptical ✔ Validating each other's experiences ✔ Appreciating our unique and rewarding journeys Getting this award would go beyond my own personal success because it showcases the power of the apprenticeship pathway itself, not just the outcome. Keeping my fingers crossed for this one!