Newly qualified solicitors, firm partners or owners and paralegals are being urged to take part in a survey to seek their opinions on bringing ‘solicitor’ apprenticeships to Wales, to match the Level 7 qualification on offer in England.
The survey, launched by The Law Society Wales office in collaboration with University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s (UWTSD), will make up the first comprehensive research piece which looks into the views of both students and the legal sector on educational pathways.
Jonathan Davies, Head of Wales for The Law Society, said:
“Feedback from our member-led paper Reimagining Justice in Wales 2030 explicitly told us that recruitment and retention was an issue in Welsh law firms.
“In fact, we found several cases of firms moving their offices just across the border and Welsh students moving to England, in order to access the Level 7 Legal apprenticeship funding offered to English students.”
Bronwen Williams, Academic Director at University of Wales Trinity Saint David, added:
“Both anecdotally, and through the uptake numbers in England, we know that the demand for a Level 7 legal apprenticeship is there.
”However, this survey data will provide a comprehensive idea on the views from students starting to think about their career, right up to the firm owners who are eager to invest in new talent.”
Share your views
Open until 29th January 2025, the survey seeks to capture the opinions of school and college students, university law students, paralegals, newly qualified solicitors and firm owners.
The survey can be accessed here in English and Welsh until 29 January 2025.
More on the Reimagining Justice in Wales 2030 report findings can be found here.
