Amie, our Law Degree Apprentice has celebrated her ‘1 year work anniversary’ with us at Lacey Solicitors. We asked Amie to give us some insight into the first year of her legal career, and what makes her pathway unique.
What is a Law Degree Apprenticeship in Northern Ireland?
An LLB Degree Apprenticeship is a work-based training programme that provides an alternative route to getting a Law Degree from university, where Apprentices complete their course alongside paid permanent employment.
Degree Apprenticeships involve integrated learning – I gain practical experience in Lacey Solicitors that inform my learning at university. Similarly I apply what I study at University to my work within Lacey Solicitors.
Why I Chose a Law Degree Apprenticeship over Traditional LLB course?
I tried the traditional law degree. In my first year studying Law I was a full time student working in retail at the weekends. This has given me a unique perspective of being able to compare a degree apprenticeship and a traditional LLB.
After completing work experience in summer 2024, I decided that I needed more hands-on experience. I wanted to work in the field I was interested in straight away rather than learn about it for a number of years before ever experiencing it. When I saw the advertisement for the degree apprenticeship with Lacey Solicitors, I decided I would go for it. It was the best decision!
I am liaising day to day with other firms in NI in a wide variety of cases. As a degree apprentice, I have started my legal career at the age of 20. At 20 years old I have attended court across NI, assisted in drafting court documents, built a network of solicitors, barristers and experts. I have begun working on my client care skills, something that I quickly learned was paramount for working a law firm and a skill that I never would have learned full time at University.
I am also able to see aspects of my course playing out in real time and applying what I’m learning in university at work. It is making me a better student and my hope is that it makes me a better solicitor.
Learning on the Job vs in the Classroom
I find that I am learning a lot more on the job compared to university. While, of course, what I am learning in university is invaluable to my career progression, in work I am being trained to become a solicitor in a practical, day-to-day way.
To read about ‘tort’ and understand the four elements of Negligence is one thing.
To listen and take instructions from a new client who has suffered life changing injuries as a result of negligence is something that the books do not explain.
I much prefer this to attending university alone, as it has given me reassurance that this is the career I want to pursue; and I’m getting a head start!
Challenges and Rewards of My First Year as a Law Degree Apprentice.
It has been a big challenge adjusting to working full time and balancing a 9-5 with my studies. I quickly learned that life in a law firm is very fast paced and you must be able to learn quickly and apply your knowledge to a variety of cases. It can be overwhelming – as young people we often think we can do everything alone and figure things out without support. This isn’t true – without the support of my colleagues, the Partners in the firm and my mentors, I would have become snowed under very quickly!
Lacey Solicitors made it clear to me that I would always be busy and that they needed me to be open and honest about the workload. I quickly found that they were right. It became clear to me that it was so important to voice how you are feeling and keep an eye on the workload. Finding a happy medium between performing well or ‘impressing’ your employer and enjoying your job and working within your limits in incredibly important. Communication is key!
Burnout is a term that is drilled into us and the Partners will regularly check in with me to see how I am coping. I am busy at all times but where the Partners want me to be is a ‘healthy stress.’ That is, a level of busy where I have a lot on yes, but am feeling motivated, productive, performing well, achieving goals and targets etc. To avoid an unhealthy stress or burnout, I go on lots of long walks with my dog. Lacey Solicitors has also afforded me a great routine, which has allowed me to de-stress in the evenings by reading, scrapbooking and spending time with family and friends.
The most rewarding part for me has been seeing how far I have come and the progress I have made. As a I reflect on the past year, I can see how far I have come. I started as a timid 20-year-old, scared to make phone calls and unsure of what ‘special damages’ were. Now, I can confidently tackle a growing case load, anticipate what would be expected of me, anticipate what the Partners might respond and draft those responses for their approval. When I started, I was reactive and listening to strategy. Now I am proactive and am able to independently contribute. I can spot a problem and rather than present problems to the Partners, present them with how I solved the problem or how I would like to and seek their feedback.
Now that I have been here for one year, I have managed to see the lifecycle of some matters. I am happy to report that I have overcome my phone phobia!
As a first-generation university student, it has been a real honour to start my career and be able to spoil my very hard working (and very proud) parents.
Sharing My Experience of a Law Degree Apprenticeship with Future Apprentices
As a representative of my degree, I have had the pleasure of speaking at this year’s induction events for the incoming Law Degree Apprenticeship class at Ulster University. On 17th September 2025, I was part of the induction afternoon, answering questions from students and employers about what they can expect from this unique experience.
I also got to be a part of an apprenticeship panel at the University wide induction evening on 10th September 2025.
I was able to connect with our new cohort of students and even met some new apprentices who decided to take the opportunity after hearing about my experience! It has been a privilege to pass on what ‘wisdom’ I have obtained as I continue to make strides in this new and exciting area of my legal career.
To learn more about the Law Degree Apprentice route, visit University of Ulster’s Website.
