In July 2024, Legal Wales, in partnership with the Lord Edmund Davies Legal Education Trust (LEDLET), will be offering a group of young people a unique opportunity.

Since 2020, Legal Wales has teamed up with London-based charity the Lord Edmund Davies Legal Education Trust (LEDLET) in an exciting initiative aimed at Year 12 pupils.

Learners living in Wales (or with a connection to Wales) can apply for a week’s residential Summer Scheme in Cardiff each July. They shadow Solicitors, Chartered Legal Executives and Barristers; observe a court hearing and have the opportunity to talk to a judge; and attend talks and workshops on studying law, legal careers and legal skills.

The scheme looks positively on applications from pupils who are facing or have faced particular barriers, such as being first in their family to aspire to higher education or to a profession; receiving free school meals; coming from an economically disadvantaged area; disrupted education; having a disability; being care experienced; or caring for others.

The Scheme is aimed at giving an opportunity to young people who might not have such opportunities otherwise.

Anyone can apply if they:

• live in Wales or have connections with Wales
• are in Year 12 and will be under 18 on the last day of the Scheme for their year, and
• have no family links with the legal profession.

The Scheme is completely free to the young people, including accommodation, travel and meals.

The LEDLET impact

Feedback from previous participants in the scheme has always been wonderful, with previous scheme participants expressing:

“I really enjoyed all of it as a whole, from the immersive university experience of living with people I’d never previously met, to being immersed in the legal world for the first time.”

“The placements at the chambers and time at the crown court were amazing.”

“A brilliant week!”

Get involved

The legal sector in Wales has always been supportive of the scheme, now there is an opportunity for all law firms and in house legal departments to contribute to the 2024 programme and ensure the continuation of the scheme long into the future by sponsoring learner activities.

You can contribute something to enable a young person to benefit from the opportunity by sponsoring their whole experience or parts of it.

Previous participants in the scheme have gone on to achieve wonderful things in their education and career and you can offer that same chance to the future generation of lawyers, as well as a heartwarming experience that builds connection, skills and self-worth.

Information

More information on sponsoring the LEDLET scheme participants can be found here.

Anyone interested in learning more or supporting the scheme should contact legalwales@gmail.com

Legal Wales Conference 2024

The annual Legal Wales Conference, this year hosted in West Wales on the 4 October 2024, also donates all proceeds of the event to the LEDLET scheme.

Booking is NOW OPEN for this prestigious event – the largest legal conference and dinner in Wales. Click here for more.

Lorna Baldry is a Legal Wales Foundation Board member.