Meet the apprentice
Laura Birks
Kennedys
Laura Birks, 22, is a legal apprentice at law firm Kennedys. She is currently completing the solicitor apprenticeship.
How did you find out about the legal apprenticeship route?
I never really intended to go to university, partly due to the costs involved. When I left school I joined a law firm which happened to be opposite Kennedys. I was considering doing some kind of apprenticeship, but always thought how great it would be if I could do an apprenticeship in law, as I was really enjoying working in the profession. I was in luck, as Kennedys was an early adopter of legal apprenticeships and I duly applied. I joined the firm as an apprentice in 2014 and have since progressed onto the solicitor apprenticeship along with my fellow apprentices.
What appealed to you about doing a law apprenticeship?
The chance to learn ‘on the job’. As an apprentice, I often learn about something one day and then actually apply it in the office the next, in contrast to university students who must study for a number of years before they can apply their skills. I’ve been working since I was 15 and an apprenticeship appealed to me more than going to university – I didn’t like the thought of not having money and getting into debt. Six years is a big commitment, but no more so than the university route. A three-year degree, then a postgraduate course, then a two-year training contract also adds up to six years, the same as an apprenticeship – and that is if everything falls straight into place straightaway. I was a little concerned that I would miss out on the social aspect of university, but the social side of the firm is great.
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