Following the recent launch of the Higher Apprenticeship in Legal Services in Wales, Skills for Justice is delighted to announce that it will be joined by Welsh firm JNP Legal as part of this project.
The Welsh firm, with offices located in Merthyr Tydfil and Nelson, worked closely with Skills for Justice in the development of the Higher Apprenticeship in Legal Services. They have now identified two potential candidates within the firm who they plan to put forward for a place on the scheme.
Claire Gwilt and Amanda Jones, both secretaries, have been with JNP Legal for over five years and currently work within the Personal Injury department. Rebecca Rees, solictor at JNP Legal, was keen for Claire and Amanda to become involved in the project as a reward for their hard work and commitment during their time at the firm:
“Despite lacking the traditional academic qualifications for legal work, these candidates have demonstrated a consistent standard of hard work, as well as a real interest in the subject. They each have a desire to advance to a paralegal type role within the firm in future years.”
Rebecca has been delighted with the way in which both employees have worked since joining the firm, and the potential they have shown for progressing to fee earning roles. Claire joined JNP Legal immediately after leaving college and has since progressed from a junior typist position to her current role. Amanda started work at the firm as a secretary, has shown strong customer care and problem solving skills during her time with the firm. Giving dedicated employees the opportunity to gain a formal qualification in recognition of their effort and achievements is important to JNP Legal, as Rebecca explains:
“The training of administrative staff who we identify as having the potential to perform fee earning roles has been particularly important to us and having the opportunity to formalise this training by way of a Higher Apprenticeship is very timely particularly in light of the challenging times the legal sector is facing.”