Trowers & Hamlins has unveiled plans to set aside a minimum of two training contracts for its own paralegals from 2016-17 onwards.

It is unusual to ring-fence places for training contracts. None of the top ten UK firms by revenue reserve training contracts for their paralegals.

Most UK firms, including the top ten, consider applications from both internal and external paralegals for all their training contracts.

paul-robinson2trowersAs long as Trower's paralegals meet its criteria – which include passing their probation, meeting the firm's academic requirements, and gaining the support of their section head – they will be automatically shortlisted for the later stages of the training contract recruitment process.

Paul Robinson (pictured), director of HR at Trowers, said the firm recognised that paralegals were "on a variety of career pathways".

He added: "Rather than losing talented people who have spent time with us and demonstrated their value, we want to give them the opportunity to pursue a training contract, if they wish, and we have developed this framework to ensure they have a clear path."

The firm's selected paralegals will start their training contracts from September 2016.

The move comes as Trowers increases its trainee cohort from 20 to 23 for 2016-17 following a surge in paralegal recruitment. Since 2012, the firm's total paralegal numbers have also grown from a handful to 50 based throughout the UK.