JR Levins Opens the Door to Legal Careers with Record Number of Apprentices and Trainees

JR Levins is celebrating a record number of apprentices and trainees, with 15% of team members now on formal development pathways as the firm continues to invest in local talent and challenge traditional perceptions of who can build a career in law.

The firm now has nine members of staff either completing an apprenticeship or a training contract, representing 15% of its workforce. The milestone comes during a strong period of growth for JR Levins following the 2024 merger of Levins and Jones Robertson, with the firm focused on building an accessible, locally rooted legal service and creating opportunities close to home.

For JR Levins, this is about more than workforce development. It is about challenging the idea that a career in law is only open to people who follow a traditional university path.

That can be seen in the journeys of team members including Rebecca, Demi, Bobby and Lucy, whose different experiences show there is no single route into the legal sector.

Rebecca, 29, joined JR Levins in May 2025 as a wills and probate assistant after previous roles in general office administration and sales support. Alongside work, she had already been studying for a law degree with the Open University. She is now undertaking a CILEX apprenticeship to become a Chartered Legal Executive.

For Rebecca, the apprenticeship route offers the chance to learn in a practical, hands-on way while building knowledge through real day-to-day experience. It has given her a route into law that fits both how she learns and the realities of everyday life.

Lucy’s path has been different again. She joined JR Levins as a receptionist in 2022, completed her Level 3 paralegal apprenticeship and is now working as a criminal paralegal. She has since begun further apprenticeship training to become a Chartered Legal Executive Litigator and Advocate.

Demi, 18, first came to JR Levins on work experience in February 2025 while studying business, criminology and media. She enjoyed the hands-on experience so much that she began working casually with the firm, balancing that alongside a job at a trampoline park while her education was being disrupted. She later joined full-time as a receptionist in September 2025 and is now completing a Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship.

Her story reflects something many young people still feel – that university is the only serious route into a legal career. By stepping into a busy law firm and learning through practical experience, Demi discovered a different path.

Bobby, 21, is also completing a Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship after studying Level 2 and 3 Sport BTEC at Everton Football College. His sporting background also gave him opportunities to play football overseas, including in New York, Dallas and Chile. For him, the apprenticeship route offered a way into the legal world without needing a university background.

Tracy Morgan, Managing Partner at JR Levins, said: “We are incredibly proud to be investing in local people and helping open up careers in law to those who may not see the traditional university route as the right option for them.

“As a high street firm, we endeavour to ensure we are part of the communities we support. That means creating opportunities locally, backing potential and showing young people that talent, commitment and attitude matter just as much as background.

“These stories show that there is no one way into the legal profession. People can start in reception, administration, client support or legal assistant roles and build rewarding, long-term careers from there.”

She added: “It is also important to recognise that the legal sector offers far more opportunities than many people realise. Alongside legal training routes, there are valuable careers in business support, finance, HR, IT, cyber security, marketing and operations. A modern law firm needs all of those skills to succeed.”

JR Levins has offices in Huyton, Wirral, Runcorn, Widnes and Birkenhead, and remains focused on delivering clear, dependable legal support within the communities it knows best.

For local young people considering their future, the message is clear. A career in law does not have to begin with a university lecture hall. It can begin in the workplace, in the local community, and with an employer willing to invest in talent.

Looking to start your legal career? Head to our Vacancies page or follow us on LinkedIn for updates on upcoming employment opportunities.