When did you start your PhD and when do you hope to finish?
I started my PhD in the department of Education at the University of Oxford in October 2019. I had originally planned to study part time and continue in my role as head of a law school for a university, but being awarded funding from Edge and the ESRC allowed me to study full time, which has been fantastic. I am hoping to complete my PhD in late 2022. I have been really encouraged by the level of interest in my work and by the number of people who have asked me when they can read my results.
Could you briefly give an overview of your PhD research?
Solicitor apprenticeships were introduced in 2015, with the first cohorts qualifying in 2022. They were intended to address barriers to entry including ‘social exclusivity’. My study, which uses surveys and semi-structured interviews, looks at what effect, if any, solicitor apprenticeships are actually having on social inclusion in the legal profession. I have interviewed representatives from employers, education providers, regulators and the apprentices themselves so that I can build a detailed picture and provide useful insights into the profession’s experience with apprenticeships.
Why did you decide to study for a PhD?
I qualified as a solicitor in 1997, having previously worked as a legal secretary to pay for my education. I entered a great profession which is serious about improving diversity and inclusion. After four years in practice, I moved to teaching future lawyers in 2001, including legal apprentices from 2016. I firmly believe that the profession benefits from being socially diverse and as the first in my family to qualify as a solicitor, I wanted to be part of the drive to improve access. I hope to produce a thesis that will be of interest to the profession, practically as well as academically, and which can help inform the way that apprenticeships fit into the profession in the future.
Why is your topic of research important and how does it link to the wider education system?
While I benefited enormously from going to university and feel very grateful to have had that opportunity, everyone is different. Apprenticeships have the potential to provide a direct route into qualification as a solicitor to people for whom university is not the right option. My research is important because it examines how apprenticeships are affecting access and improving inclusion, including whether the route is regarded as genuinely equivalent to graduate entry.
How does your research link to Edge’s wider work/priorities?
The Edge Foundation’s priorities are to provide young people with access to skills and knowledge to enable them to flourish. My work involves examining the real-world experience, skills and knowledge that solicitor apprentices gain from their apprenticeships. The research involves discussing their experiences and those of stakeholders in the profession who play a role in those experiences. This enables me to provide a rich picture of the solicitor apprenticeship’s role in furthering those priorities and improving social inclusion.
