Law firms and conveyancing practices are investing more in training their staff as new statistics show that there has been an 50% increase in firms paying for staff to go through conveyancing and probate qualifications.
six in ten learners currently undertaking the CLC qualifications through Law Training Centre are being sponsored by their firm, up from 4 in 10 in 2019. The numbers represent a “shift in employers’ attitudes” according to Director of Strategy at Law Training Centre Dino Dullabh. Dullabh added:
“From employers we speak to, we know that for property and probate (private client) lawyers, the CLC pathway is a highly regarded route with the added bonus of it being the lowest cost, fastest and flexible route to qualify.
It currently costs under £5,000 for a person with no prior learning. The cost is lower again for those with recognised prior learning like law degrees or other legal qualifications and can in some instances be less than £1,000 due to exemptions.”
Like other routes to authorised person status, the CLC route to qualification requires practical work experience but one of the benefits to CLC qualification is that they “can accumulated flexibly”. Learners must complete a minimum of 1,200 hours supervised qualifying work experience which, according to the CLC website, can be obtained through “supervised work either in full or part time employment completed over a period of 24 months within the past 36 months under supervision of a qualifying Authorised Person in the employment of a Qualifying Employer.”
Dullabh said that this compares “favourably” with other routes to authorisation that require at least two years or more. Law Training Centre (LTC) has supported over 2,000 conveyancing and Probate professionals since it started delivery in 2017. Over 700 law firms have funded learners through LTC from across the legal services spectrum. Dullabh, added:
“There tends to be this perception that top firms favour Russell Group and LPC type graduates but that is definitely shifting. We now deal with 25% of The Lawyer Top 200 law firms with our learners drawn from top 100 and Legal 500 firms to family run boutique firms.”
We continue to remove barriers and support efforts to diversify entrants to the legal services market through the range of courses, learning opportunities and funding options offered by LTC.”
