Unlocking legal talent

In an era of budget constraints, skills shortages, and increasing demand for legal services, local authority legal teams and law firms face mounting pressure to deliver more with less. Meanwhile, the legal profession continues to grapple with long-standing barriers to entry that limit social mobility and diversity. Apprenticeships - particularly the solicitor apprenticeship - offer a powerful solution to these challenges, creating pathways that benefit employers, individuals, and the communities they serve.

However, the Department for Education recently announced significant changes to funding for level 7 apprenticeships, including the solicitor apprenticeship, that will alter the accessibility of this pathway.

As of 1 January, 2026, funding will only be preserved for new solicitor apprentices aged 21 or under at enrolment (or under 25s who are care leavers or have an Education, Health and Care Plan). For older solicitor apprentices, government support - including via the Apprenticeship Levy - will end entirely.

For council legal teams and private firms, this creates a critically important window of opportunity. Organisations that wish to develop solicitors through the apprenticeship route must act decisively and quickly to secure funding for apprentices aged 22 and over.

The legal apprenticeship landscape

Apprenticeships have transformed dramatically in recent years. No longer limited to entry-level positions or traditional trades, today's legal apprenticeships provide comprehensive pathways to qualification at all levels, including qualification as a solicitor.

The shift from apprenticeship frameworks to apprenticeships standards revolutionised apprenticeships, moving them from assessment tools to robust development programmes that build genuine knowledge, skills, and behaviours applied directly in the workplace. Groups of employers, working with sector bodies such as the Solicitors Regulation Authority, have built the new qualifications, aligning them with (for example) the requirements of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE).

For local councils and law firms, this presents an opportunity to develop talent in a way that aligns with organisational and strategic objectives.

The legal career pathway through apprenticeships

The legal apprenticeship pathway offers a structured progression route from entry-level to full qualification, allowing organisations to develop talent at every stage of the legal career ladder, with apprentices starting at the level that aligns best with their role and experience:

Business Administration Apprenticeship

The level 3 business administration apprenticeship provides an excellent entry point for those interested in legal careers. When placed within legal teams, these apprentices develop core administrative skills while gaining valuable exposure to legal processes and terminology. For council legal departments, these apprentices can support the management of case files, handle correspondence, and assist legal professionals while building a strong foundation for further progression.

This 15-month programme equips apprentices with transferable skills in areas including project management, communication, document production, and information handling. In addition, Damar’s unique legal pathway for business admin introduces apprentices to the legal sector through three additional modules undertaken alongside the apprenticeship.

Paralegal Apprenticeship

The level 3 paralegal apprenticeship represents the first specifically legal qualification on the pathway. Over 21 months, apprentices develop knowledge of legal principles, procedures, and practices while building practical skills in legal research, drafting, and client communication.

For council legal teams, paralegal apprentices can handle routine legal matters, conduct research, draft straightforward documents, and provide valuable support to qualified solicitors. By the end of the programme, they have developed specific legal expertise that directly contributes to the team's capacity and capability.

Damar’s paralegal apprenticeship also includes O Shaped content and resources, which aims to develop more well-rounded, people-centre and commercially-minded legal professionals.

The paralegal apprenticeship serves as either a valuable standalone qualification or a stepping stone to the solicitor apprenticeship.

Solicitor Apprenticeship

The level 7 solicitor apprenticeship combines workplace learning with rigorous academic study, leading to full qualification as a solicitor. Over 18 months to three years (for those progressing from the paralegal apprenticeship or with other relevant prior learning and experience), apprentices develop comprehensive legal knowledge and professional skills while contributing productively to their organisations.

At Damar, the solicitor apprenticeship combines 40+ years’ experience in apprenticeships with BARBRI’s proven learning materials and technology to offer the first solicitor apprenticeship that is built ‘from the ground up’ for the solicitors’ qualifying exam (SQE). The integration of best-in-class learning technology means that programmes can be delivered efficiently, with apprentices able to concentrate on their knowledge gaps and free up more time to contextualise learning at work and put new skills into practice.

For council legal teams and private firms, solicitor apprenticeships represent a long-term investment in talent development. Unlike traditional training contracts, the apprenticeship model allows employers to shape development over a longer period, ensuring apprentices develop expertise precisely aligned with organisational needs.

Why Council Legal Teams Should Embrace Apprenticeships

Financial pragmatism in challenging times

All local authorities pay the Apprenticeship Levy - a 0.5% tax on payroll for organisations with an annual wage bill exceeding £3 million. This creates a dedicated funding pot that can only be used for apprenticeship training. For council legal departments, this represents pre-allocated funding that will otherwise go unused.

In the current economic climate, with councils facing significant financial pressures, using the Apprenticeship Levy represents sound financial management. Rather than viewing it as an additional expense, it becomes an additional resource that can be maximised.

Committing to skills and growth

The government’s target for public sector organisations to consistently have 2.3% of their workforce engaged in apprenticeship training was removed in 2022. Nonetheless, apprenticeship programmes demonstrate alignment with the government’s skills and growth agenda and commitment to workforce development.

More than just a box-ticking exercise, apprenticeships showcase a council's dedication to developing talent and investing in the local community. It can enhance reputation and serve as evidence of good governance in external assessments and inspections.

Building a sustainable talent pipeline

Council legal teams often struggle to recruit experienced solicitors. Competition with private practice, where salaries are typically higher, can make traditional recruitment challenging.

The legal apprenticeship pathway offers a solution by allowing councils to "grow their own" talent at multiple levels. Business administration apprentices can develop into paralegals, and paralegals can progress to become solicitors. This creates a sustainable talent pipeline that reduces recruitment costs and improves retention.

Damar Training already works with nearly 50 councils across England, delivering apprenticeships in business administration, paralegal and solicitor. This demonstrates how the apprenticeship route can help address the geographical imbalance in legal talent distribution, ensuring councils outside major cities can access the legal expertise they need.

Supporting social mobility

The legal profession has long faced criticism for its lack of diversity and social mobility. Recent research by Damar Training reveals the transformative impact of solicitor apprenticeships in this area:

While 66% of lawyers come from professional backgrounds, only 43% of Damar solicitor apprentices do - much closer to the general population figure of 37%. Similarly, 94% of Damar’s solicitor apprentices attended state schools, compared to 75% of lawyers overall. Perhaps most strikingly, 35% of Damar solicitor apprentices received free school meals, significantly higher than the national average of 25%.

For council legal teams and their private sector partners, embracing apprenticeships represents an opportunity to lead by example in promoting social mobility. By opening doors to talented individuals from all backgrounds, they can create legal teams that better reflect the communities they serve.

How private firms working with councils can benefit

Law firms that work closely with local authorities can also reap significant benefits from apprenticeships. Many smaller and medium-sized regional firms struggle to compete with larger city practices for graduate talent. The legal apprenticeship pathway offers an alternative talent pipeline that can be particularly valuable for firms outside major metropolitan centers.

For firms that are not Levy payers (those with an annual payroll under £3 million), the government funds 95-100% of apprenticeship training costs. This makes apprenticeships an extremely cost-effective way to develop talent, particularly compared to traditional qualification routes.

The partnership between Damar Training and BARBRI has created an innovative solicitor apprenticeship programme specifically designed to meet the needs of a wide range of legal service providers, including smaller firms that work with local authorities. Their data shows that 61% of employers using their solicitor apprenticeship are SMEs, mostly outside London and the South-East - bucking the national trend of SMEs moving away from apprenticeships.

Case study: Success in action

The City of Wolverhamption Council have been working with Damar Training to support their apprenticeship provision for several years.

David Humpage, Apprenticeship & Impact Placement Co-ordinator at the council, said: “Being one of the largest employers within Wolverhampton, the council recognises the benefits that new apprentices bring to the organisation. Many of our apprentices progress into higher level apprenticeships or permanent roles.

“Our Damar legal apprentices have consistently demonstrated a strong understanding of the importance of accuracy in legal documents and correspondence, and a remarkable ability to anticipate the needs of the team and department. They have taken on complex tasks with confidence and have shown great skill in organising and managing large volumes of information.”

Conclusion: A strategic imperative

For council legal teams and the private firms they work with, the legal apprenticeship pathway represents not just a training option but a strategic imperative. In a challenging recruitment market, with budget pressures mounting and skills needs evolving, apprenticeships offer a sustainable solution for developing legal talent at every level - from administrative support to qualified solicitors.

By embracing the full spectrum of legal apprenticeships, employers can create a genuine career ladder that nurtures talent from entry-level to qualification. This approach addresses skills gaps, improves diversity, meets public sector targets, and maximises the value of Apprenticeship Levy contributions. Most importantly, it opens doors to talented individuals who might otherwise be excluded from the profession, creating legal teams that better reflect and understand the communities they serve.

As we look to the future of legal services in both public and private sectors, apprenticeships will play an increasingly vital role in ensuring organisations have the skills they need to thrive. Those who embrace this opportunity now will be best positioned to build sustainable, diverse, and highly skilled legal teams for the challenges ahead.

Jonathan Bourne is Managing Director of Damar Training.