The partnership, run in conjunction with the Sutton Trust and supported by several of the city’s law firms, aims to help Year 11 and 12 students wanting to enter the legal sector by sharing expertise and resources to deliver the ‘Pathways to Law’ scheme, an initiative designed to attract fresh talent to the sector.
The scheme targets students from state schools who will be the first in their family to attend university, and whose parents are in non-professional occupations. As part of the scheme eligible students will also be offered careers advice, guidance on university applications and mentoring at school and university. The scheme will also introduce them to contacts in the legal world, which will help lead to invaluable work experience and placements with law firms and barristers' chambers.
Nigel Savage, Chief Executive of the College of Law, said: “The College is an educational charity and through the ‘Pathways to Law’ scheme, we will be working with the University of Bristol to provide opportunities for young people to work in the legal sector. We are now calling on schools and law firms from the region to work with us on the scheme.”
Professor David Clarke, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University, said: “We are delighted to be working with the College of Law to support the Sutton Trust scheme. It is important that more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are given the chance to enter the legal profession.
“The University’s Law School is one of the most successful in the UK with an international reputation for teaching and research. We hope that by sharing these resources the students will reap the benefits of this scheme.”
David Sedgwick, Chief Executive at law firm Clarke Willmott, said: “As a firm, we have excellent links with The College of Law and therefore we are pleased to support the new Bristol centre, which will nurture and encourage talent in the region. I am also passionate about providing opportunities for young people from all walks of life to enter the profession and am therefore very keen to work alongside the College on the ‘Pathways to Law’ scheme and I hope that many other firms in the region will follow suit.”
The partnership was announced at an event earlier this week to celebrate the new South West College of Law centre that is due to open in Bristol’s Temple Quarter in September 2010. The partnership includes the College of Law, the UK’s provider of professional legal education and training, the University of Bristol and the Sutton Trust. It is further supported by leading law firms such as Clarke Willmott, Bond Pearce, Osborne Clarke, Bevan Brittan LLP, Beachcroft LLP, Veale Wasbrough and Lyons Davidson.