RPC partners with The University of Law to launch apprenticeship programme

City-headquartered professional services firm RPC has announced that it will be launching an apprenticeship programme, starting in November 2018.

Partnering with The University of Law (ULaw) – one of the UK's leading providers of legal education and training – and apprenticeship specialists Damar Training, RPC will be recruiting up to four apprentice paralegals. The apprentices will be following the government-approved Level 3 apprenticeship standard as part of a programme which will take two years to complete. Subject to further assessment, consideration will then be given to them starting the Level 7 solicitor apprenticeship programme with a view to becoming fully-qualified lawyers in the future.

RPC Partner and Training Principal Simon Hart said: "We're very pleased to be getting this programme off the ground – it's an exciting new development in terms of the range of careers we offer here at RPC.

"An apprenticeship with RPC will give people fantastic career opportunities without some of the financial burdens that a more traditional route into a legal career would bring. We hope that will help attract a more diverse range of candidates to our junior talent programme at RPC.

"Our apprentices will gain the technical knowledge, practical experience and wider skills they need to build long-term successful careers with us."

The application window for the RPC apprenticeship programme is currently open. Candidates will be expected to follow a similar recruitment process to those looking for a training contract at RPC, including completion of an online application form, a verbal reasoning test, and an assessment day.

RPC's Managing Partner James Miller says: "As with our trainees, we want to attract highly motivated people who are keen to learn and progress their careers in a dynamic and supportive environment, whatever their background."

Jason O’Malley, Director of Apprenticeships at ULaw, said: “We’re excited to be expanding our training relationship with RPC to incorporate these new apprenticeships. The experience offered by the programme will help RPC train its solicitors and paralegals of the future in a practical context, preparing them for work in an increasingly competitive market.”

The RPC apprenticeship programme will initially be run out of the firm's office in Bristol, with a view to potentially extending it to London. RPC opened in Bristol in 2012, and now numbers almost 150 people in what is now its second largest office outside London.

RPC has been regularly recognised for the quality of its junior lawyer training programme, picking up accolades from the likes of AllAboutLaw, Lawcareers.net and Legal Cheek in recent years.