UK law firm DAS Law, based in Bristol, has launched a new graduate academy that comprises a fully funded three-year apprenticeship scheme for law graduates and post graduates. The academy, which begins in September, is aimed at students wishing to pursue a career in the law without the uncertainties of securing a formal training contract. On completion of the course, graduates will become qualified Chartered Legal Executives with the opportunity to join one of DAS Law’s core legal departments - Litigation, Employment, Legal Advice or Personal Injury (PI).

Government funding

The academy will utilise funding from the Government’s Apprenticeship scheme and supersedes DAS Law’s previous Graduate Academy which was launched in 2016 and comprised a two-year course focussing solely on PI. DAS Law’s Graduate Academy focuses on learning and development through practical experience.  Graduates will be given early responsibility and will work towards taking on their own cases and clients within the first year, under the supervision of senior team members. Alongside learning about the law and how to apply it, the academy also covers all of the additional skills that graduates will need to build a successful legal career, including a focus on communication, drafting, negotiation, legal research, advocacy and client care.

Huge gap in market

DAS Law is a comparatively new firm, formed in 2013 and employing over 200 people. The firm provides a spectrum of legal advice and support, and is part of the DAS UK Group, a provider of legal expenses insurance, which in turn is part of the ERGO Group, one of Europe’s largest insurance groups that has Munich Re, one of the world’s largest reinsurers, behind it. Will Ellerton, Head of Litigation and Dispute Management at DAS Law, said ‘I am very excited about our Graduate Academy.  There is a huge gap in the market for talented law graduates who wish to pursue a structured training course outside the usual solicitor training contract.  This scheme is aimed squarely at them and makes use of the government’s apprenticeship levy which is an excellent but under-used scheme within the legal industry.