Legal apprenticeships: HMRC and Carillion expand programmes with new hires

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Carillion Advice Service (CAS) have both separately announced the expansion of their legal apprenticeship programmes, as legal apprenticeships continue to take off among law firms and companies’ in-house legal teams.

HMRC has been running its legal apprenticeship programme in partnership with CILEx Law School since 2014 and is now hiring 19 new legal apprentices in a significant expansion of the programme. Starting in September 2016, the apprentices will complete either the Intermediate Apprenticeship in Legal Administration or CILEx Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in Legal Services. Nine of the apprentices will be based in London, with the remaining 10 spread across HMRC’s Manchester, Nottingham, Leeds, Bristol, Cardiff and Birmingham offices.

Meanwhile, CAS is hiring four more legal apprentices to join its Newcastle team, again starting in September 2016. The company won the award for best in-house legal department innovation at the Legal Week Innovation Awards 2016 in May.

Daren Timson-Hunt, deputy director of the legal operations directorate at HMRC, said: “This is an exciting time to join… as we build up and continuously improve our merged legal services. These roles offer excellent professional and personal development opportunities. We look forward to expanding our successful programme and continuing our positive relationship with CILEx Law School."

Richard Tappm Carillion’s director of legal services, commented: ''These apprentices will become an integral part of our team and make a valuable contribution to our legal services offering. Working with our selected partners, CILEx Law School, we are in no doubt that our programme will provide an excellent foundation for a legal career with us, successfully supporting our sustainability aims and the growth of our business.”