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"It's such a rarity for people to be able to afford these fees, the exam fees alone mean it wouldn't be feasible for me to pay them myself."
"It's such a rarity for people to be able to afford these fees, the exam fees alone mean it wouldn't be feasible for me to pay them myself."
So says aspiring solicitor Tom Gregory, who is taking the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) in addition to his duties as a senior paralegal at Barings Law. Already holding a Legal Practice Course certificate and a Masters in Law, Tom bypassed the Postgraduate SQE1 and is embroiled in the Level 2 course that tests every aspect of his key skills and legal knowledge.
The course culminates in a staggering 16 exams, four oral (including advocacy and interview disciplines) and 12 written, that will scrutinise his research abilities, case analysis, interview skills, drafting and negotiation competencies and more. Completing the course, and those 16 tests, doesn't come cheap. In fact, there'd be precious little change from £5,000 for the SQE2 that Tom is working towards passing.
However, Tom's fees are being paid for due to his sponsorship by Barings Law. As one of the firm's outstanding prospects with plenty of qualifying work experience under his belt, he was one of a few colleagues selected for sponsorship. While there is no set time for completing the SQE2, he expects to finish that in the next few months and, if he does so, should receive his results in August.
"Robert (Whitehead, chairman) decided I would be sponsored as he felt I'd be a good candidate. It's in my best interests and he's obviously very keen on career development at Barings," said Tom. "As well as the sponsorship that covers all the associated fees, I have 10 days' paid study leave, to use as I see fit, which is a massive help.
"Paying for it myself just wouldn't have been an option, I'd say that, for the vast majority of paralegals starting out on their career, they just don't have the money to pay for it themselves.
"I definitely see my future at Barings Law. In theory I could complete the course, pass the exams and go straight into a position as a solicitor. I'm keen to learn as much as I can from the solicitors already here. I have ambitions to start my own campaign from scratch and, eventually in the longer term, specialise in commercial litigation.
"I'm really grateful to Barings Law for the help in allowing me to take the SQE2, it's something I'd never have been able to do on my own."
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“I have had the opportunity to work across multiple departments, contributing to both pre-litigation and litigation matters in a variety of legal areas. This experience has given me a strong understanding of legal processes and how to adapt effectively to different types of cases.
“A key aspect of the culture here is the collaborative nature, enabling us to share our knowledge, adopt each other’s approaches and develop solutions by drawing on the collective experiences of the team.
“It is a highly supportive environment in which we are able to learn from each other and develop our skills with expert guidance and encouragement from our managers.”
Farzana Rahman, Paralegal
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At Barings Law, community involvement is at the heart of our identity. We have actively engaged in supporting causes close to the hearts of our colleagues – mental health, our local community, and doing our bit for the environment.
Through annual fundraising events, we join forces to support causes such as Children In Need, giving aid after natural disasters, and mental well-being programs. Our commitment extends to practical contributions, such as providing donations of food and clothing to Barnabus, a Manchester-based charity supporting the homeless.
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We are not currently recruiting for any positions within Barings Law. However, if you would like to get in touch with a view to being considered for any future vacancies, please send your CV with a brief covering letter to naz.gajparia@baringslaw.com.
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