Lauryn Hellewell, from Darlington and part of the first cohort to study at Northumbria University through the North East Solicitor Apprenticeship (NESA) scheme, has now qualified as a solicitor.
After six years of study and on-the-job training, Lauryn has qualified into the banking and restructuring team at North East law firm Muckle LLP.
After completing her A levels, Lauryn knew she wanted to become a solicitor but wasn’t convinced that the traditional route of university was for her.
Instead, she applied for and was accepted onto the NESA programme, which combines traditional study with on-the-job training over six years. She joined Muckle LLP in 2018 at the age of just 18 years old.
Rising star Lauryn graduated with a first-class degree in LLB (Hons) Legal Practice before going on to complete her Solicitor Qualifying Examinations 1 and 2.
Her outstanding contribution, talent and dedication have been recognised over the last few years. Lauryn was shortlisted for the North East Chamber of Commerce’s Inspiring Females award and Young Apprentice of the Year Award at the Insider North East Young Professionals Awards.
For over a year, Lauryn was seconded on a part time basis with one of Muckle’s Teesside-based clients, excelling in her role and gaining further valuable experience working alongside its in-house legal team.
Muckle LLP’s banking and restructuring team is ranked Tier 1 in Legal 500 and works with a range of clients across the region, UK and internationally. As part of her apprenticeship, Lauryn has also gained experience in firm’s real estate, corporate, and sports, education and charities teams.
She said: “I’m very proud to qualify as a solicitor after six years. The reason I applied for the apprenticeship was that I felt like full-time university wasn’t the right choice for me, I wanted to gain real-life experience from day one. If I hadn’t discovered the apprenticeship route, I might not have chosen to pursue law, so it’s an incredibly important opportunity for those like me, who prefer to learn by combining studying and on-the-job training.”
“By visiting schools and colleges, I’ve been able to pass on my experience to school leavers and college students and have hopefully helped inspire the next generation of legal talent.”
“I’ve worked on real-life matters since day one, learned on the job and gained invaluable experience, learning from some of the best lawyers in the region. I’ve also had so much support from my colleagues throughout the whole apprenticeship and I can’t thank them enough for everything they have helped me achieve.”
Louise Duffy, Partner and Head of Banking and Restructuring, said: “Lauryn has impressive skills which are always noticed and praised by our clients. Since starting her apprenticeship back in 2018, she has become an asset to the team and the firm.”
“She has worked so hard and I’d like to congratulate her on her qualification as a solicitor. It’s great to see the first Muckle apprentices qualifying as solicitors and inspiring the next generation of talent. I have no doubt that Lauryn will continue to excel in the future.”