Paralegal Apprentice Review
at DWF
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Legal/Law
Manchester
Review Submitted: April 2023
Overall Rating
3.7 /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
5/5
-
Skills Development
3/5
-
Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
5/5
I come into work, have a look at my emails and then crack on with work that I have been sent. This can be claims, calls to court, applications to court, emails and Teams meetings. I start at 9am and finish at 5:30pm. I have a study day every Tuesday for the entirety of the day where I do uni work and have a lecture.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
I enjoy the work side of my programme, however BPP can often be difficult. You are often left to your own devices and do not get much support. The university side is very difficult and quite time consuming, but if I stick to a routine and keep on top of my work, it seems to be okay.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
I have only been with the company for 6 months and when I first started, I did not even know how to do an email on Outlook. I know I am working on a variety of work for Financial litigation and have learned how to draft all sorts of things and communicate with people of all levels.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
I like how my week is spread out as every Tuesday, I have a study day which is the same every week which keeps my routine structured. I also have set office days so I know when I need to commute into town. My employers are very organised, the only downfall to my apprenticeship is BPP being so unorganised and unhelpful.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
3/5
I receive some support from my employer. If I need the time to do some extra studying, or when I have an exam, they are very lenient in that aspect. If I need any help with the work I am doing, there is always someone to help, no matter what level they are. However, I would like more support from Team Leads and a better joining experience that is more structured with more in-depth training as we start with absolutely no experience.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
1/5
I receive little support from BPP and I guarantee everyone else on the course is the same. We have had a lot of people in our cohort quit the course due to the lack of support from BPP. They are very unorganised and not supportive whatsoever. I am hoping this will improve.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
2/5
It depends what area of law we are studying. For example at the moment, we are doing contract law and within Financial Litigation, the understanding of contracts makes it much better to understand. This work is self-directed learning so I am often teaching myself. It is just reading through the PowerPoints and completing some tasks.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
5/5
There is so much to do at DWF. There are loads of social events within my team which helps for team bonding. There are loads of sporting events such as Pilates, football, and marathons. They also set up Thirsty Thursday where DWF provide free drinks for everyone to come and have a social networking at the end of every month which is great to meet new people.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend DWF to a friend?
Yes
Why?
They are a greatly diverse firm that offer loads of opportunities whether that be secondments, social events, projects to work on with other people. They are incredibly supportive and you can go to absolutely anyone for help or if you have any issues that need to be raised. Everyone at the company is so friendly and passionate about work.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to DWF?
Make sure you research the firm and get an understanding of what work they do. Look into what aspects of the firm are good and how DWF is better than any other company or law firm. Be yourself and be honest about what kind of person you are. If you like the sound of the firm, it is more likely that they will like you.
