Kennedys is launching an apprenticeship scheme for school leavers in a bid to provide legal career opportunities for students without a degree.

The scheme, which will go live in September, will offer students the chance to join the firm as a legal administrator on a starting salary of between £14,000 and £18,000 depending on location.

The scheme involves an initial one-year apprenticeship programme geared around administration and office duties for lawyers at the firm, with candidates then required to sit the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) legal environment paper.

After the one-year apprenticeship candidates will be invited to apply for the second phase of the scheme – the two-year advanced apprenticeship.
The programme will see employees assist lawyers with cases, carry out legal research and work with clients.

Applicants will need to have at least eight GCSEs at A* to B grade and will be expected to gain at least three A-levels between A* to B grade.

Following the three-year apprenticeship candidates will then be eligible to apply for a position as a litigation executive at Kennedys, which will involve similar responsibilities to those included in the two-year scheme.

The firm is offering the apprenticeship places at its Chelmsford, London, Maidstone, Manchester and Sheffield offices.

The news comes after DWF launched a paralegal academy to offer school-leavers an alternative route into the legal profession in September last year.

The scheme has also been set up in partnership with ILEX, with the academy offering a six-year, £7,000 training programme for apprenticesas an alternative to the traditional university route into law.