Law degree with work based training

National law firm Irwin Mitchell and Northumbria University Law School have joined forces to pilot a groundbreaking training scheme for future lawyers.

Potential graduates can now combine a full five year Master of Law degree with additional work based training and learning, made possible by the SRA initiative.

Professor Philip Plowden, dean of Northumbria’s Law School, said: ‘The MLaw (Solicitor) degree is the first law degree of its kind. It will see students starting as undergraduates and graduating with the education and training requirements which will make them eligible to join the roll of solicitors.’

Plowden said the key to the new degree was the university’s award-winning Student Law Office programme, whereby students experience ‘law for real’ under the supervision of practising academics, coupled with its close relationship with existing training providers.

Clare Gilligan, head of education and training at the SRA, said: ‘The new MLaw (Solicitor) degree option is an innovative and interesting variation of the work-based learning pilot. Over the coming months, we will observe students’ progress with interest and monitor the feedback we receive from the candidates themselves, the provider and the employer.’

Angela Kirtley, clinical negligence associate at Irwin Mitchell’s north-east office, said: ‘It will mean that, for the first time, students will complete part of their training to be a solicitor while based at university and continue their academic studies while on placement. We believe this holistic approach will prove to be of enormous benefit to the profession in the future.’