The founder of new legal franchise brand Dynamo Legal is set to compete for a £250,000 investment in his business as one the contestants on the new series of the The Apprentice.

Alex Mills is among 16 candidates competing to secure a business partnership with Lord Sugar in the new series of the BBC show, which kicks off next week. He intends to use the cash injection to target 245 law firms across England and Wales and pool their marketing spend to create a collective brand.

Mills (pictured) launched Dynamo Legal earlier this year, in conjunction with insurance company Composite Legal Expenses, acting as a group digital marketing brand to attract consumers seeking advice across eight areas of law: criminal, family, property, motoring, personal injury, employment, commercial and wills & wealth.

Law firms wishing to sign up will pay a three, six or 12-month subscription and choose which of the eight practice areas they would like to offer via Dynamo, with the intention being that they will be referred work via Dynamo's marketing efforts and insurance business.

Dynamo is currently recruiting 20 firms in south Wales and 30 in the southwest of England for a one-month trial starting later this month. The trial cost is £720 for one of the eight practice areas or £1,200 for two.

Dynamo spokesperson Dom Roberts said the enterprise differs from comparable post-Legal Services Act businesses such as QualitySolicitors, which also acts as a group branding operation for smaller high street firms.

Roberts said: "We don't ask firms to rebrand their practice, they keep their own identity, plus there are no long-term commitments or upfront free – it's much more flexible."

The first episode of the new series of The Apprentice will air on BBC One next Tuesday (7 May), and will see contestants split into teams and compete to sell the contents of a shipping container.