Member Article

Winns opens the door for aspiring legal professionals

Local law firm Winn Solicitors has recently added three new apprentices to its workforce, becoming a platform for hopeful legal professionals and encouraging growth within the legal sector.

The Newcastle-based company, who employs over 250 people, has introduced an apprenticeship programme through Learning Links and offers other accredited qualifications as an alternative to the traditional university route.

Colette Adair, HR officer at Winn Solicitors said: “Over the years we have watched a number of our trainees rise through the ranks to senior positions, but this is the first time we have gone down the apprenticeship path. We have introduced the programme to encourage growth in the legal sector and help to bridge the gap between business and education.

“With the introduction of increased university fees potentially steering people away from higher education, we want to give local school leavers the opportunity to follow their legal career without necessarily having to go down the traditional route.”

“I certainly think that people’s opinions of apprenticeships have come full circle and once again individuals are recognising them as a solid stepping stone in to a viable career and companies understand the positive impact that apprentices can have on their business.”

Winns promotes from within wherever possible and is committed to the training and development of their employees.

Rachel Allen joined the company back in 2006 in an administrative role and is now a costs lawyer and manager of the costs team. This is a testament to the importance of North East businesses investing in young people and a prime example of how much can be achieved through on the job training.

Current apprentice Abbie from Sunderland said: “I thought Winn Solicitors would be a great starting point for my career after leaving school. I’ve always been interested in law, so working for a solicitor really appealed to me. I hope that this will be a foot in the door to a career in the legal sector – I’d love to work my way up on the legal side of the business.”

“So far, my favourite part of working at the firm has been visiting court – we go every week to deliver post – it’s really interesting to see how the legal system works.”

Seventeen year old Sophie Redhead from Fenham, who is also currently enrolled on the programme, said: “I wanted to find a job that I would enjoy and would give me some long term prospects, and an apprenticeship at Winns is just perfect. I take responsibility for electronically documenting everything that comes in and goes out of the post room, organising and ensuring it is allocated to the correct solicitor. As a result of this, my IT skills have improved significantly.

“I’ve also learnt to communicate with a wide range of people as I liaise daily with all the legal teams who are all really friendly and approachable.

“As part of my apprenticeship, I am studying for a NVQ in Business Administration and surprisingly I am loving the study element just as much as the day to day work – and I never thought studying was for me.”

The apprenticeships run for 12 months, after which the company hopes to promote employees into other parts of the business and help those who want to pursue a legal career to achieve this.

As well as a team of talented legal professionals, Winns is also made up of a variety of other departments: Accounts, IT, Marketing, Customer Service, HR and more, and they are keen to help their employees progress into these areas too.

To find out more about apprenticeship opportunities at Winn Solicitors contact 0191 276 1000, or visit www.winnshr.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Winn Solicitors Ltd .