Pinsent Masons launches paralegal focused trainee programme partnership with LexisNexis

The partnership will enable paralegals at LexisNexis, a legal intelligence provider, to access practical, supervised legal training as part of the SQE while paralegals at Pinsent Masons’ can be seconded to LexisNexis to hone their research and knowledge skills.

The initiative follows the launch of the firm’s Paralegal Centre of Excellence in 2021 – a team of more than 120 paralegals with experience across a range of disciplines, sectors and jurisdictions. The centre of excellence supports an alternative career path for professional paralegals and enables those who wish to become a lawyer gain the experience required to become a trainee.

Head of Managed Legal Services Delivery at Pinsent Masons, Richard Coffey, said: “Enabling everyone to thrive in their career and pursue their chosen career path is a vital aspect of the Paralegal Centre of Excellence. This partnership with LexisNexis provides another option and route to a legal career for those who wish to become a qualified solicitor.

“We are proud of the progress we have made in advancing legal services and taking a fresh approach to client delivery as well as the way in which we support and engage with our people and their careers. This is an exciting next step for us and our paralegals.”

As part of the programme LexisNexis has developed a unique qualification process which will see candidates undertake part-time study for both SQE1 and SQE2 with global legal education provider BARBRI, with qualifying work experience being obtained through secondments to Pinsent Masons.

Head of LexisPSL Hub, Josh Giddens, said: “LexisNexis are already known for its leading legal intelligence content and best practice guidance across more than 36 practice areas. We employ hundreds of legal experts to create our content and now are able to offer aspiring solicitors the opportunity to really understand the black letter of the law and how to put it into practice via the SQE route and our unique qualification process. The legal market is rapidly evolving and, as a leading LegalTech supplier, it is really exciting for LexisNexis to work with Pinsent Masons and BARBRI in offering new, innovative routes to qualification.”