City Consortium chooses BPP for SQE trainees
City Consortium chooses BPP University Law School for SQE trainees
The City Consortium, a group of leading City law firms, has appointed BPP University Law School to deliver a suite of market-leading and innovative programmes which will both prepare their future trainees for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) and for the future practice of law.
BPP will work with the firms - Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith Freehills, Hogan Lovells, Linklaters, Norton Rose Fulbright and Slaughter and May – to deliver a foundation course for their non-law graduates (a tailored version of our PGDL), SQE 1 and 2 preparation programmes, and a bespoke programme, extending far beyond the basic requirements of the SQE and developing a wide range of additional knowledge, skills and behaviours relevant for a City trainee.
The appointment validates BPP’s approach to the design of their dynamic future programmes, including the decision to invest significantly in new and innovative education technology to support face-to-face teaching delivered by expert tutors from practice.
BPP’s unique teaching, learning and assessment strategy for their future programmes takes a truly integrated approach to the development of knowledge, skills and behaviours, ensuring the practical application and long-term retention of extensive knowledge, and enabling graduates to become highly skilled professionals equipped with the behaviours needed for successful careers in the legal sector.
A spokesperson on behalf of the City Consortium
"Investing in the development of our talent is key to enable our future lawyers to meet client needs in a rapidly changing business environment. We look forward to working in partnership with BPP as we embrace the opportunities presented by the revised regulatory regime to develop innovative training programmes."
The SQE marks the most profound change in the education and training of entry level graduate talent in nearly 30 years. It has presented us with an unparalleled, once in a generation, opportunity to innovate and shape training for the better.
We are thrilled that, following a rigorous and far-reaching tender process, BPP has been selected as the City Consortium’s sole provider for their future graduate programmes. Their detailed enquiries enabled us to showcase at every stage our unique and innovative approach to training the lawyers of the future and the exciting plans that we have for working closely with them as their trusted provider.
The City Consortium made it clear throughout that preparing graduates for their forward-thinking practices requires developing not only a thorough knowledge of the foundational principles of law and practice but also a very broad range of business, innovation and people skills and behaviours. Within that, passing the SQE is of course vital, but is only one aspect of that training and will not adequately prepare future lawyers for work in their firms. We are delighted that our response to their brief has been so warmly welcomed by them and look forward to working with them on this pioneering project.
The City Consortium is made up of many of the world’s leading law firms. Our appointment is recognition of our efforts to provide rigorous and commercially sound education and training for graduates. It is a huge endorsement for the quality of BPP’s vision and planning for the future, the quality of our people and the sound investments we have made to support the learning of 21st century lawyers."
Andrew Chadwick, Dean of BPP Law School
