Paralgeal Apprentice Review

My day-to-day tasks involve making telephone calls to utility companies on behalf of our clients; calling the Court for enquires/ updates on client applications; scheduling receipts provided by client's families/ carers to review against their float account; creating excel spread sheets of expenditure and spending; finding insurance quotations and arranging insurance; creating file notes and attendance notes; attending client meetings and making notes; drafting covering letters to various organisations; creating billing notes, client reports.All the tasks involved with this job role cannot be condensed into one paragraph!

I have learned a huge amount of skills whilst developing my existing skills. For example, I have acquired various excel skills which allows me to create coherent spread sheets whilst using different formulas and techniques; drafting letters, emails, file/ attendance notes with a professional tone whilst using legal jargon; huge increase of confidence when making calls and attending client meetings.

Whilst the programme is very awarding and interesting, it is a demanding job role and you have to keep on track not only with actual work, but with the CILEx examinations as well. A lot of tasks can feel tedious and repetitive, but this should be expected with any job role. Whilst the programme takes a lot of hard work, the end result provides you with a paralegal qualification.

When I started the programme, I came straight from college and had no experience of the law industry, nor any experience from working full time. You will be thrown in the deep end and it is initially difficult to get a grip of procedures and processes in the office. It can be even more difficult when some of your colleagues can be forgetful of the fact that you have no prior knowledge, so it is important to expect this and ok to remind your colleagues that you have come straight from college/ sixth form. I would warn that CILEx is a very unorganised examination board, and that to expect a lack of communication from your LAT/ teachers; confusing study planners; confusing/ unfinished CILEx hub; a general lack of organisation across all aspects; lack of/ no feedback and marking of assignments. I do hope CILEx improves significantly as this has had a rather negative start on my programme and many others on this programme. For example, CILEx will take a prolonged amount of time to get back to any queries you have and I have often received late submission emails meant for other apprentices; late notification that law A-level/ BTEC students would have to sit an induction exam which they originally didn't have to do; the CILEx hub frequently crashing.

Irwin Mitchell are very supportive for your mental wellbeing and provide various support programmes for it's employees. I am lucky to work in a office full of kind and friendly colleagues, which I expect and hope to be a common theme in most of the offices. However, I do feel like there is a lack of training and support for new apprentices. It wasn't really explained who was who, and how to do basic processes when I initially started, and various other tasks. I know that IM are in the process of looking into this, and I expect and hope they will improve this for future apprentices as there are various things I have only just recently learned which could have easily been shown and explained when I initially started in September.

As explained, CILEx has various improvements it needs to make in regards to the support they provide to apprentices. My LAT is supposed to make calls to me on a regular 4-6 week basis and has not made one since I started the apprenticeship. In addition to this, they do not work frequently so it is not possible for any urgent requests to be answered immediately. However, I do not particularly mind this as I would rather work and study alone, so it would depend on how much support you would like.

I will complete my final examinations in June 2021, where I will receive my qualifications shortly after on the basis my exams are successful. The final examinations include one interview with two legal assessors and two open book examinations. It is motivating to know that once the apprenticeship is over, you have a qualification at the end of it, which I would consider helps me perform better in my job role.

There are various committees and extra-curricular activities at Irwin Mitchell, including the charity organisation, LGBT community, yoga classes, regular training sessions, etc.There is something different for most people and IM are amazing on showing their support for minority groups and diversity.

Yes

Whilst a hard-working job, it is rewarding and beneficial to know that you are supported and listened to. I would say that you must prepare yourself for sometimes a intense work flow at some points, which can be difficult, and at some points there will be a huge lack of tasks around the office, which can get rather tedious. If you have come straight from college or sixth form, do prepare yourself as it is nothing like what you're used to!

For this apprenticeship specifically, if you are successful in the telephone interviews, you will have several tasks to do in the actual interview. You will have a written examination to complete, which is mainly your opinion, so it is important to show you have literacy skills and can write coherently and get your point across, so I would recommend using PEEL paragraphs. You will also be asked to do a presentation in front of two interviewers, where it is essential to show confidence and passion- make sure this is practiced prior to the interview and that you feel comfortable about what you're talking about (it does not have to be law related!) You will finally be asked interview questions, where it would be useful to do some research on Irwin Mitchell to show you have a interest in the firm as a whole.