National Apprenticeship Week: Hear from our Paralegal Apprentices

As a firm, we are proud to offer both Paralegal and Solicitor Apprenticeships. Apprenticeships are an excellent way to gain a qualification as they allow you to have hands on experience, spending 80% of your time working in the office in a particular sector and the other 20% studying.

Lucy Wrixon and Jack Rainsley are currently completing their Paralegal Apprenticeship with our Wills, Probate, and Estate Planning department, which they both began in November 2024. They are due to complete their apprenticeship in May 2026 and will achieve a Level 3 Paralegal Qualification.

As part of National Apprenticeship Week, we have interviewed Lucy and Jack to hear about their experiences as apprentices and their journey so far. They share valuable insights into their roles, the skills they have developed, and the benefits of choosing an apprenticeship path.

What interested you to pursue a career in law?

Lucy: When I joined Parker Bullen in 2022, I started as a Receptionist/Administrator in our Andover office. It wasn’t until I started working at Parker Bullen and learning about the different aspects of law that I became interested in this sector. As I progressed, in 2023 I moved into the Wills, Probate, and Estate Planning team.  Being involved in a variety of files developed my knowledge and interest, which led to me pursuing the next step in my career by beginning my apprenticeship.

Jack: The initial interest in law stemmed from my aunty who has a career in law. When I was applying for colleges, my main focus was to attend a college with a reputable law course. Throughout college, law stood out as the subject that I enjoyed the most and led me to doing further research into different areas of law that were not covered in my college course.

What motivated you to pursue a Paralegal Apprenticeship?

Lucy: By pursuing the apprenticeship route, I was able to remain in the Wills, Probate, and Estate Planning team that I am currently a part of and this enabled me to continue in the area of law that appealed to me and that I already had knowledge of. Also, by completing the apprenticeship, I am able to study alongside fulfilling my role within the business. Therefore, I am able to learn on the job and experience real life situations that will allow me to further my skills and understanding.

Jack: While at college, I opted to go down the route of doing an applied law class, which enabled me to learn case law and apply it to case scenarios. When considering my options after college, an apprenticeship stood out to me the most, as it followed the same principles as my college course and I felt it was more essential to have experience working in law to better my studies.

What interests or skills do you hope to gain throughout your apprenticeship?

Lucy: Throughout my apprenticeship, I want to continue to learn about Wills, Administration of Estates and Trusts. I want to widen my knowledge so that I am able to assist clients to the best of my ability. By becoming increasingly involved in a number of matters, I hope to also develop my communication skills with clients to enable me to concisely and coherently explain the legal rules and processes surrounding their matter.

Jack: The knowledge and understanding of various different areas of law as well as enhancing my ability to support my colleagues in matters are just a few skills I hope to gain from this apprenticeship. Also, this apprenticeship will allow me to learn the key steps when setting up new matters and taking the matter through every stage until completion with guidance from my supervisors.

What do you think are the benefits of a legal apprenticeship for someone who wants to begin their career in law?

Lucy: I think the main benefit of the apprenticeship is the ‘on the job learning’. This means I can learn and develop by carrying out my day to day tasks and taking on more complex tasks as I progress. By doing this, I am able to experience real life situations, which allows me to assist my colleagues and our clients, whilst also furthering my own career.

Jack: When first thinking about a career in law it can be daunting as to know where to start and what area to specialise in. An apprenticeship allows you to have a greater understanding of the different areas of law whilst gaining experience and progressing your career.

How do you think an apprenticeship is benefiting you compared to other forms of training available?

Lucy: I think an apprenticeship is more beneficial for me than other forms of training as it allows me to learn in a practical setting rather than constant studying, revision and exams.

Jack: Other forms of training would not cover each area in as much detail and aid from professionals to ensure that you understand the relevant case law and how to apply it.

How do you think this apprenticeship is preparing you for a successful career in law?

Lucy: The apprenticeship is preparing me for a successful career as it is more than just learning the law. This apprenticeship programme covers personal development topics, competence modules and focuses on the elements of the O-Shaped Lawyer. Therefore, it is providing me with a diverse range of knowledge and skills that will enable me to become a well-rounded Paralegal and to have a successful career.

Jack: This apprenticeship is preparing me for a successful career in law as it allows me to gain the relevant experience necessary as well as a deeper understanding of the law and working in the law. By the time I finish my apprenticeship I would have gained over one and a half years of experience working in a reputable law firm, learning from real case examples where I can apply my knowledge from my studies.

Why did you choose Parker Bullen to complete your apprenticeship?

Lucy: As I was already employed at Parker Bullen, I was aware of the progression opportunities and I knew when deciding to take the next step in my career by undertaking the Paralegal Apprenticeship, I had the full support of my colleagues, both within my team and across the firm. 

Jack: I chose Parker Bullen for my apprenticeship due to the high street aspect of the firm as well as the brilliant reviews from clients that made it an appealing and promising firm to work at.

Find out more about our apprenticeship schemes at Parker Bullen

You can find out more by following the links on our website about our apprenticeship schemes, when applications open and about Life at Parker Bullen. If you have any questions please email debbie.sansome@parkerbullen.com.