Apprentice solicitor Sarah-Jane Legge has qualified after completing a six-year scheme with Ashtons Legal, one of the first firms nationally to adopt the 'Trailblazer Apprenticeship'.

Sarah-Jane Legge Headshot

Sarah-Jane Legge

Legge, who joined Ashtons Legal as a legal assistant in 2014, started her apprenticeship in 2016. During her training, Legge received first-class honours in her law degree and was in the top 20% of the UK pass rates for her SQE1 and 2 exams.

She has gained legal experience in French legal services, family law, lifetime planning and dispute resolution.

Now qualified, Legge is part of the firm's French legal team, assisting clients looking to buy or sell properties in France.

She specialises in providing inheritance tax and legal advice, breaking down the complex and conflicting French and UK laws and subsequent tax implications.

Legge commented: 'I have thoroughly enjoyed the solicitor apprenticeship – gaining vital skills whilst working and studying at the same time. I am grateful to Ashtons Legal and all my colleagues for their support and would wholeheartedly recommend the solicitor apprenticeship to anyone who wants to work in law'.

Ashtons’ CEO James Tarling added: 'I am hugely proud of Sarah-Jane and congratulate her on her dedication and achievement. The Solicitor Apprenticeship route is an exciting new way to qualify as a solicitor which we are proud to have supported from the outset. It forms part of Ashtons’ strategy of training and developing our employees and supporting the long-term plans of our staff. I am delighted for Sarah-Jane and wish her well in her future career with the firm'.

Ashtons currently has 12 staff training to become solicitors – nine through the traditional training contract route and three who are part-way through their own solicitor apprenticeships.

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