Apprentice Paralegal Review
at Irwin Mitchell
Level 2 Apprenticeship
Legal/Law
Manchester
Review Submitted: April 2022
Overall Rating
3.2 /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!
3/5
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Overview of Role
4/5
-
Skills Development
3.6/5
-
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
My role involves speaking with clients over the phone or emails and being their first point of contact. I speak to them over the phone to book an initial meeting/ consultation with a solicitor and email them with updates or to answer any queries they may have. I also sit in on meetings and take notes which I then produce documents for after, such as risk assessments, letters of engagements etc. to be uploaded to the file or sent to the client. I also liaise with the court/ counsel or complete documents for court and carry out research for the fee earner.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
I enjoy my programme as I am challenged everyday and I am always learning new things and jargon which I have never experienced/ come across before. I think it is harder to get to know my team members as everything is virtual and people don't go into the office as much so this makes it tough to make connections, however everyone is in the same boat and understands it is harder to start a brand new job under these circumstances so they are really accommodating.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I have developed my telephone skills and I am still working on them gaining confidence to speak with clients or other organisations over the phone. For example I frequently have to ring court to chase a case or call for counsel availability I have also learnt good letter writing skills and how to communicate with clients/ people over email to sound professional and clear.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
The programme is well structured within my team as we have a family hub for junior members of the family law team for apprentices, trainees and paralegals where jobs are passed through for us to pick up- helping us get a wider range of work. The induction when I first started was very good and informative and set the job off on the right foot. With regards to my apprenticeship day, I have two half days which I think is good to have in order to focus on my studies.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
My manager is very helpful and supportive. She has set up three check-in teams calls a week for me her and the other apprentice in the team to make sure we are okay, have any questions or if we need any more work. The hub is also very supportive and you can always ask questions/ for help there.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
We have check-ins with our tutor Jen who is helpful and I can email to ask for help/ clarification. She also provides us with feedback on our module evidence logs for us to work on and improve. We also have apprenticeship sessions with the other apprenices in the firm and the apprentice manager to raise any issues.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
I think my qualification has so far given me a basic understanding for my role. However we aren't very far into the course and currently learning about the basics of the law system such as court systems etc. I think when I learn about my specific area of law it will be more helpful and I will refer back to my apprentice work more.
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
I play for my office netball team on a Tuesday evening which is really good! The league also takes place in Manchester where we play against other workplaces/ businesses. I really enjoy playing netball and have always played it outside of work so to form connections through playing netball is really positive!
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Irwin Mitchell to a friend?
Yes
Why?
I think it is a positive environment to work with lots of different oppurtunities. The teams are all really friendly and you are given oppurtunities such as apprenticeships where you don't need to have a degree or certain qualification, you may be able to earn it as you work here!
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Irwin Mitchell?
With your application, make sure you know about the company and their history as it looks good to refer back to because you know about the company and shows you have a real interest and really want to work there. Also, if you're asked to make a presentation for your interview, make it on something you are genuinely interested about so they can learn about your personality.
