National law firm Bond Dickinson’s commitment to legal apprenticeships has earned it a third major award.
The firm, which has a large office in Bristol, won the Newcomer Large Employer of the Year title at the recent National Apprenticeship Awards.
Organised by the National Apprenticeship Service, the awards showcase the very best apprenticeship employers and apprentices in the UK and recognise excellence in businesses that grow their own talent through apprenticeships schemes.
Bond Dickinson was among the first law firms to make legal apprenticeships available, with its first apprentices joining in 2014.
The firm currently has 11 apprentices, seven working as legal apprentices and four employed in the its support services teams.
Following its success, the scheme – which the firm runs in partnership with CILEx Law School - will be rolled out across other business functions and locations.
Last October Bond Dickinson was named Employer of the Year Award at the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives Awards and Best Large Newcomer of the Year 2016 at the South West Regional Apprenticeship Awards.
The firm’s Bristol-based head of recruitment, Sam Lee, said: “We took on apprentices because it was the right thing to do; for social mobility, improved staff retention and for the future of our business.
“There’s a real buzz in the office around the scheme as people increasingly see the benefits they can bring. Recruiting apprentices as paralegals allows us to attract smart, enthusiastic and engaged people into law – people that never previously would have thought a career in law was for them, or even possible.
“Apprenticeships also provide great development opportunities for our existing staff, giving more junior staff in the business the chance to supervise and mentor people – opportunities that they previously may not have had.
“Being recognised by the National Apprenticeship Service is tremendous for the firm. It is a tribute to the value apprentices bring to our business and to the work that has been put in by the whole firm to make our programme a real success story.”
National Apprenticeship Service director Sue Husband added: “The National Apprenticeship Awards have highlighted once again the magnificent range of apprenticeships on offer – with leading employers in exciting industries – and the skills that apprentices gain when taking on these roles.”
Bond Dickinson is also named in the prestigious Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer list compiled annually by the National Apprenticeship Service, which recognises excellence in businesses that employ apprentices.
The firm employs more than 1,200 people across its seven offices, including 250 in Bristol.
Pictured: Some of Bond Dickinson’s apprentices
