Timmy Kennedy, who completed A-levels at Lurgan College, is one of only three trainees to be accepted for the scheme, which is now in its second year and is delivered in partnership with The University of Law (ULaw).

Whilst working at Mayer Brown, Timmy will undertake a six-year legal apprenticeship consisting of a four-year part-time LLB, followed by the Legal Practice Course (LPC) and the Professional Skills Course (PSC) to be completed in two years. In year three of the programme work will start to count towards the training contract as “a period of recognised training”, which will continue until the PSC is completed.

During the first year of his legal apprenticeship, Timmy will be paid £18,000 and will complete six month rotations in both the Business Intake and Information Centre departments. Following this, he will spend three years working across a number of legal departments. The programme has been designed to provide an alternative route to a career as a solicitor for people from a diverse range of backgrounds and is particularly attractive to those put off by the cost of full-time study.

Mayer Brown is still the only law firm in the City of London to offer an “Articled Apprenticeship” leading to direct qualification as a solicitor.

Global chief HR officer at Mayer Brown, Annette Sheridan, said: “The legal apprenticeship programme has given us an opportunity to invest in the long term future of a wider talent pool and provide relevant on-the-job training that will serve our apprentices throughout their legal careers. I am delighted to welcome another apprentice to the firm and I look forward to following his progress over the coming years.”

Applications for Mayer Brown’s next legal apprenticeship intake open in January 2017.

Meanwhile, international law firm Kennedys, which we reported recently is expanding its Dublin operation, is to launch a similar earn-as-you-learn six-year-long apprenticeship scheme with places for six school leavers.

The firm has revealed it will provide six school leavers with the opportunity to qualify as a solicitor within the firm during a six-year-long apprenticeship.

Apprentices, who will start on a salary of £18,500 in London and £15,750 in the regions — must have at least eight GCSEs and three A-levels all at A* to B to be eligible for the programme. Apprentices will be based at Kennedys’ London, Chelmsford, Cambridge, Birmingham, Manchester and Sheffield offices.

The scheme will be run in conjunction with the BPP Law School, apprentices will complete an LLB in legal practice while gaining hands-on experience at Kennedys.

The firm has also confirmed it will offer a further 16 two-year-long paralegal apprenticeships.