Deal covers firm’s apprentices too
National law firm TLT has picked BPP Law School to help prepare its future trainees to sit the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE).
The training tie-up will see rookies complete SQE1 prep and a “bespoke essentials for practice course” before embarking on their qualifying work experience (QWE) with the firm.
Trainees will go on to complete prep for SQE2 alongside their on-the-job training to “capitalise on the SRA’s prescribed view that the second exam should be sat once practical skills have been learned and understood,” the firm said.
Elsewhere, trainees on TLT’s graduate solicitor apprenticeship track will spend four days in the office and one studying with BPP, while their counterparts on the legal solicitor apprenticeship pathway will complete a six-year degree apprenticeship, again with BPP, which also includes the SQE exams and QWE. All three pathways lead to qualification as a solicitor.
The Legal Cheek Firms Most List shows TLT recruits around 47 trainees each year and chalked-up an A* for training in our latest Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey.
Commenting on the tie-up, BPP’s head of business development Liz Ritter said:
“We are delighted that TLT have placed their trust and confidence in BPP to support the delivery of their SQE strategy. This is a time of great change for those entering the legal profession and we are pleased to partner with TLT, who share the same ethos and values as we do to ensure the future success of their early talent under these new pathways to qualification.”
News of the deal comes just a week after The University of Law entered into a similar arrangement with The Bank of England. It also has partnerships in place with the likes of Clifford Chance, Taylor Wessing, White & Case and Muckle.
Meanwhile, BPP has arrangements with Osborne Clarke, Dentons, Walker Morris and the City ‘consortium’ — an influential group made up of Freshfields, Herbert Smith Freehills, Hogan Lovells, Norton Rose Fulbright, Linklaters and Slaughter and May.
Another major player in the SQE training market, BARBRI, has partnered with Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (alongside BPP), Baker McKenzie and Reed Smith, while The College of Legal Practice is supporting Accutrainee, Flex Legal and Welsh commercial law firm Acuity Law.