Apprentice Paralegal Review
at Irwin Mitchell
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Legal/Law
Bristol
Review Submitted: January 2022
Overall Rating
3.6 /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!
3/5
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Overview of Role
4/5
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Skills Development
3.4/5
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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:
3/5
The most common daily tasks i complete include medical record reviews (GP, Hospital, Opticians, Dentist etc), DWP record reviews, Employment record reviews, internal comms, comms with clients via telephone/email, comms with institutions, booking accommodation/conferences and liaising with medico legal experts. I also conduct legal research, contact courts, make bundles and indexes for experts/counsel
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
I really enjoy my programme. The on the job side is different every day, and can be stressful at times but everyone in my team is lovely, and i know i can approach them for help/feedback (and often do!) I think the external company could use some improvement - there is a lack of communication, the tasks arent overly exciting and i don't know who i would approach if i ever didn't understand something!
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I studied the subject of Law at A level, but the on the job experience doesn't really encorporate that - though it is useful because i already knew some legal terminology! This learning comes in handy with our textbook learning off the job. I have only had a few previous part-time jobs so this is a great experience for working with colleagues of various levels of experience
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
I think my programme is quite well structured. The on the job training service within the firm sends me email alerts everytime a new training session is available for me to book, i feel well supported by my team, and they understand that my job is slightly different to that of my paralegal colleagues because of my 20% learning time
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
I receive an outstanding amount of support from my employer, in fact i was rather shocked by the way people made themselves so readily available, and made it known that i could approach them about anything - work or non work related. I have catch ups with my manager every 2 days, with my paralegal colleagues almost daily, we have team meetings once a month, and hub catch ups weekly
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
2/5
The support from my training provider is quite sparce. We receive textbooks and manuals etc at the start of each new big module, and tasks drop into my list once a week for the online learning. We rarely receive comms from the apprenticeship provider, and even when we do, our coach has limited knowledge as she deals with various groups!
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
2/5
Some of the legal knowledge i have gained in relation to CPD, SRA code of conduct and just general law has come in handy with my daily job. Others such as respect etc are common practice for me so aren't as useful. I enjoy the textbook learning, and one of my colleagues is only 1 year ahead of me on this journey (though not an apprentice) so we quite often discuss it together!
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
We have various charity organisations, and other groups such as IM Equal, IM Ascent etc that welcome various groups whether that be for social get togethers, charity fundraisers or anything else really! I would like to get involved with the volunteering side of the organisations within my firm, and will gladly accept any invitation that comes my way!
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Irwin Mitchell to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Working at Irwin Mitchell is everything i imagined and more. I firmly believe that that is mainly because of the area of law my team practice in, but also the fact that everyone was so welcoming. Working from home due to covid isn't ideal, but Irwin Mitchell has plenty of things in place to help us - offices are still open, we have teams and soft phones, training has been moved to online, and we are given an allowance to buy equipment
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Irwin Mitchell?
Just be yourself in your application. Review the firm's website first - note down a couple of stats to show a genuine interest in the firm, read the job description thoroughly before applying and make sure the area of law youre applying for is one you have a genuine interest in! As questions as they arise, and make sure you're well prepared and researched
