BCLP introduces new benefits for trainee hires and vacation scheme students

With the impact of the rising cost of living and inflation the hope is that by removing some financial obstacles for those wishing to enter the profession, and ensuring that our recruitment criteria is fair regardless of applicants’ backgrounds, those wishing to pursue a career in law will feel encouraged to do so.

The three changes we’re making from September 2022 are:

• The removal of academic weighting: from September 2022, we will be removing academic performance, as a gateway standard, from our screening and recruitment processes in the UK for trainee and related opportunities. Research conducted by a number of reliable organisations suggest that education is not the most reliable predictor of job performance in the workplace and many of our peer firms and wider professional services organisations have also opted to drop academic criteria from their process. Academic achievement details will still be requested and reviewed, however, a candidate would not be rejected solely based on not meeting minimum academic criteria. Intellectual rigour remains an important criterion though, and to ensure we maintain and improve upon the quality of our future hires we have created a robust suite of online tests which includes critical reasoning, verbal reasoning and strength-based assessment;
• Increase in future trainee maintenance grant in line with London living wage levels: our current maintenance grant in London for future trainees studying the PGDL or LPC is £10,000. To align with the London living wage, we have agreed to increase our total maintenance to £20,400 inclusive of a £3,400 loan. For those studying in the regions or virtually, the total maintenance increases to £18,400 (from £8,000) inclusive of a £3,400 loan.  The loan will be forgiven unless the trainee decides to leave BCLP voluntarily upon qualifying.  This is for all future trainees, effective from September 2022;
• Summer Vacation Scheme pay: in June 2022 we increased our pay to students from £450 per week to £750 per week to more closely align with trainee salaries. This increase will support accommodation and travel costs, plus any additional costs incurred due to taking part in our vacation scheme.

Segun Osuntokun, UK Managing Partner said: “Leading one of the largest offices within BCLP it is personally so important to me to ensure that anyone, regardless of background, but who has a passion for the law is offered the opportunity to pursue their dream and ambitions and reach their full potential.”

Added Partner Tim Smith:  “These additional financial benefits, together with the removal of academic weighting as a minimum standard for an application to progress, will hopefully encourage those who felt they faced an uphill battle to secure a training contract, or even consider a legal career, to feel that it’s now within reach.”