Paralegal Apprentice Review
at DWF
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Legal/Law
Manchester
Review Submitted: March 2021
Overall Rating
4.2 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
4/5
-
Overview of Role
4/5
-
Skills Development
3.8/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
My role can be really varied from day-to-day, which is great! Most of my days are spent reviewing legal documents, compiling document bundles and drafting letters and emails. I also work part time on a large high profile document review case which is really great experience for me.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I really enjoy my programme. I have a dedicated study day every Monday which allows me to really focus on my studies. I also work in a really diverse friendly work place and have met a lot of new people.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I have learnt a lot of new skills during my apprenticeship. One of the main things is practicing good time management which prevents work loads becoming overwhelming! As well as the obvious legal skills I have also learnt a lot of people skills , communication is key.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
I think DWF structure the apprenticeship really well. With BPP you have to be prepared to do a lot independently because it’s easy to miss information and dates.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
I have an apprenticeship manager who is available to talk to whenever needed. We have quarterly catch ups to monitor progress and they are well informed about our progress both in the work place and BPP.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
There are individuals you can email whenever if you need support on anything. I do find that we get sent a lot of information in bulk, which is not necessarily individual focused - so this can be quite unhelpful. Other than that everyone is very supportive.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
The modules that we study with BPP are really helpful towards to jobs I carry out within the work place. We also got to choose which modules we would like to study, so we could focus this on what would benefit us the most in the work place .
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
Yes. There has been less of this over the course of my two years due to the pandemic, but I did get the chance to attended a charity afternoon prior to remote working. We often have team calls and catch ups which is good.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend DWF to a friend?
Yes
Why?
I have really enjoyed my time at DWF so far. I work in a really friendly environment and have a lot of support around me. There are a lot of opportunities to progress. I think DWF is a really good place to start your legal career.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to DWF?
I would say, do your research on the company and it’s objectives. Be confident and be yourself. Think about what prior experience or skills you may have that will benefit the role you are applying for, and be passionate about what you want to do!
