How did I get here?  It was just after my A Levels.  I was 17 and started as an office junior in a local law firm.  It was an amazing job; they were rather an old-fashioned firm, and I was the youngest by far, but they really looked after me.  I was able to bring my IT skills to the firm, but found I had to learn the process of conveyancing to set up their IT system. 

I was interested in it and so I signed up for the Chartered Legal Executive qualification (CiLEX) at Bournemouth & Poole College, two nights a week plus distance learning.  The Level 3 to become a Paralegal took two years and then I did the Level 6 (degree equivalent) over the next two years. Looking back, I would say that the support and course content was very different then.  We didn’t do client care as a topic, for example, and it wasn’t an Apprenticeship so I paid most of the fees myself, although my firm did help.  Since then, I’ve also done my Graduate Diploma in Law (LPC).

As my own business has grown, I’ve wanted to recruit staff and so started exploring the Apprenticeship route.  That’s how I met Jamie.  He was then 18 and had done his A Levels.  He found a job in a local supermarket when his Dad spotted the job advert I had posted on Facebook.  I had originally thought he would do an Apprenticeship in Business but he was interested in Law, so we explored the options for that.  I was pleased to find that CiLEX is now written into both the Paralegal (Level 3) and Chartered Legal Executive (Level 6) Apprenticeships, so we have followed that route.

Jamie has day-release time to study; the teaching and one-to-ones are largely online so he will often be in the office anyway, which works really well for us both.  The qualification has broadened his horizons massively; he’s made of lots of contacts and talks to people nationally, and he goes to London to do his exams.  The Apprenticeship is assessed through a mix of exams and portfolio work. This really helps with his course and is great for his personal development too; I’ve noticed a change in his confidence and how much more confident he is now in speaking to clients.  I have to say that it’s not an easy option, or an easy subject, but the right candidate can excel.

Although Jamie is focusing on conveyancing now, his full qualification will cover everything, including client care skills, regulation issues, law, practice, confidentiality, data protection and more.  It’s interesting to reflect that other staff I have trained often don’t seem to have had the breadth of learning Jamie is getting so it’s been a big help to me. The questions he asks me now are really good; 18 months ago, he was asking quite basic things but I can see how technical his understanding has already become.  And we both get plenty of support from the training provider, which is reassuring.

Working in the law is an interesting career. Traditionally, you always had to do degree, which could be very expensive, and then you had to find a training contract for two years as trainee before you could qualify.  It makes me really happy to see that the legal profession has opened up; I feel we risk losing potentially good people who can’t afford it or don’t want the debt if we don’t.  Historically, there was a huge shortage of skills and diversity.  I think back to how hard it was for me to get an opportunity, and how some still look down their noses at those who have qualified through the vocational route, so, personally think it’s a good thing – and that things will keep improving.  It will give more people the opportunity to start at a younger age, rather than waiting to get a law degree first; previously people were probably 24 years old and starting in the profession without any experience of what it was actually like.

One thing I have learnt over my career is that you can never know everything. I still get cases where I’ll say, “I’ve never seen that before!”, but you learn from experience and precedent.  Land law and conveyancing is one of the hardest subjects; people often find they get ‘landed’ in that department rather than choosing it!  But I enjoy it and you often get interesting things pop up.  We tend to operate on a 3-month cycle which is the typical time it takes to manage a transaction, so we have a fairly high turnover of clients as jobs complete. Criminal law tends to be the ‘glamorous’ branch because you can compare it to things you’ve seen on TV or in films!  However, there is not much money in criminal law; not many firms practice it and it’s often unsociable hours.  Most people like going to court so will choose Family law or something that involved disputes to get their teeth into.

What would my advice be to anyone thinking about a career in the law? Try to speak to people already working in the profession. Do some work experience to get a taste of whether it’s really for you. You do need to be inquisitive and have drive; don’t go in half-heartedly as you do need to dedicate yourself to it. You have to be able to communicate; your clients need to someone they can talk to, so we need lawyers who are down to earth and from all walks of life. The legal profession is often perceived as quite prestigious but I’m from a working-class background so don’t let that be a barrier.

To contact Lucy, please visit her website, www.eco-law.co.uk