Employer Development Review Service

The person you need may already work for you

We help law firms identify who could progress, which qualification route fits the role, how much time it would take in study and supervision, and the financial commitment required.

Start with a free 30–45 minute Employer Development Review appointment to receive a short written plan to help you decide your next steps. Begin the process by completing the short enquiry form. When completing the form individual employee details will not be required at this stage.

Employer Development Review form

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Supporting learners across 800+ law firms

Online study, flexible start

Ongoing learner support

Employer progress updates

Supports professional development across routes including CLC, CILEX, SQE and short courses

Over 4,500 learners from the UK and across the globe have trained with Law Training Centre

Developing existing employees can create progression pathways and reduce reliance on external recruitment.

Our academic team includes legal professionals and academic specialists who understand the requirements of the legal sector.

Four situations we see most often

Firms often approach us with questions about staff development and progression rather than a specific training need. If any of these situations sound familiar, our review can help.

A staffing or succession gap: a department is growing, or an experienced fee earner is retiring. Could someone in your team qualify and take on greater responsibility?
Someone ready to progress: a colleague already contributes to casework and is ready for more responsibility. Consider which qualifications and, where appropriate, practice rights could help them take the next step in their career?
Retention and recruitment pressure: recruiting qualified specialists can be costly and time-consuming. Could developing an existing employee be a better solution?
Sponsored learners already studying: are your employees progressing as expected, and are they following the most appropriate qualification route?

How the review works

The review starts with a conversation rather than a lengthy assessment form. We send you questions in advance and use the discussion to create a short written plan.

Tell us what is prompting the conversation: complete a short enquiry form to outline your situation. No employee details are needed at this stage.
We send you the questions in advance: to help you prepare for the review, we will ask you to consider three things.
1. Your firm’s needs – are you addressing a skills gap, supporting career progression, planning for succession or improving staff retention?
2. Employee development – who could benefit from further training, and what would you like them to achieve in the next two to three years?
3. Practice rights and supervision –which areas of work require specific practice rights, and who currently supervises them?

You do not need to have all the answers. These questions are simply a starting point for the conversation.
A 30 to 45 minute review call: led by Dino Dullabh, Co-Founder of Law Training Centre.
A written plan sent within five working days: Your Employer Development Plan will provide a specific proposal where the appropriate route is clear. Where further consideration is required, our plan will outline the available options, qualification routes and next steps.

Every recommendation is reviewed by our academic team before it is shared with you.

Dino helps law firm leaders develop the people they want to retain. He helps firms compare CLC, CILEX and SQE routes by starting with the individual, the role and the practice rights the firm needs.

Dino Dullabh,

Co-founder and Director of Strategy

Connect with Dino on Linkedin

What your development plan covers

Recommendations on how to develop your firms team

Recommended qualification routes and alternatives for each candidate

Assessment of existing qualifications, experience and potential exemptions

Regulator requirements for licensing, work experience and professional authorisation following course completion

A realistic timetable for study and qualifying experience

A clear breakdown of costs: We will provide details of our course fees, any applicable VAT, payment options and additional assessment or regulator fees. If any costs are estimated or have not yet been confirmed, we will make this clear.

Employer responsibilities, including supervision and study time

Clear next steps, whether you are ready to proceed or need more time

Your development plan provides a clear, one-page summary of our recommendations and any alternative options, helping you decide on the best way forward.

The review and plan are free, with no obligation to enrol. If you choose to proceed, we will provide pre-populated enrolment forms to simplify the next steps.

How your employees can progress

Explore how employees in different roles can develop their skills, gain Legal Practice Qualification’s and progress within your firm through a range of training pathways.

Legal support staff and aspiring legal professionals

This pathway is ideal for legal support staff with the potential to progress into paralegal roles and, eventually, more specialised fee-earning positions.

Qualification pathway: Start with a NALP paralegal qualification, or begin a CLC or Law Training Centre Professional Legal Qualification pathway where the intended role is clear.

Timeframe: 36 to 60 months as a staged development plan.

Study time and time to authorisation are different. Previous qualifications, relevant experience, assessment dates and regulator requirements all affect the plan.

Someone with relevant qualifications and experience may have only a few months of study left. A colleague at the start of their career may need a plan spanning several years. We work out the route and pace with the firm.

Experience and authorisation

Study and qualifying work experience can take place alongside each other, but each has its own requirements.

CLC: 1,200 hours of supervised experience over at least 24 months.
SQE: Two years of full-time equivalent qualifying work experience.
CILEX Regulation: 2,300 hours of qualifying experience for Chartered Legal Executive status, with additional experience required for litigation practice rights.

We assess each candidate’s existing qualifications and experience to help identify the most suitable pathway.

Completing a course does not automatically grant professional authorisation or practice rights. Each regulator has its own requirements, which we explain before enrolment.

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What you can expect from us and how you support your employee during their studies

Supporting an employee’s professional development works best when we work together. Here is what you can expect from us and what your role entails as a sponsor.

What you can expect from us

A named employer contactOne person who knows your firm and your learners, for anything between reviews.
Help with enrolmentPre-populated enrolment forms, and the exemption check done before anyone starts. 97% of completed assessments confirm at least one exemption, and there is no charge for the check.
Study that fits around the roleOur courses are delivered online, so your employee can usually study around their work rather than taking a regular day out. Start dates, assessment windows and live session times differ by route; your Employer Development Plan sets out what applies.
Direct tutor supportQuestions go to the tutors, with a response in no more than 48 hours.
Progress reporting on requestOur academic team works with your firm to agree what to report, how to report it and how often, so the updates fit your needs.
Invoiced to the firmWe invoice firms directly. Where a firm is sponsoring several learners, we can discuss staged payments for the overall arrangement.

How you can support your employee

SupervisionWhere a route requires qualifying experience, the firm provides a supervisor and signs off the experience. Guidance will be provided for each individual qualifying route.
Realistic study time planCreate a study time plan that works around your firms work commitments and the learners work life balance.
A decision on the training termsCreate a training agreement to cover all eventualities, including if a learner leaves your firm before qualifying.
Time off for assessmentsSome routes have fixed assessment dates. Guidance will be given for these assessment dates, and they are published and updated on our website.

Supporting an employee with the cost of their qualification shows that you value them and want to help them develop their career. It can also encourage them to stay with your firm and grow professionally.

Hear from our employer partners

“With Law Training Centre, they’ve got someone on hand to help them. When I did mine 20 years ago, it was a bit different – there was nobody on hand to sit and talk to.”

Richard Durrant,

Former Head of Residential Conveyancing, Boys & Maughan

“It is so refreshing to have direct, tailor-made course conent, where two-way dialogue ensures the best outcomes for learners and staff.”

Kevin Rogers,

Partner at Wilson Browne Solicitors

“We have found that the courses with Law Training Centre are the most accessible route to becoming a notary. Online learning is a perfect solution for our trainees as it provides that flexibility that is crucial when they are working at the same time as studying.”

Sophie Milburn,

Senior Partner and Scrivener Notary at Saville and Co. Scrivener Notaries

Already supporting learners with Law Training Centre?

If your firm already sponsors learners with us, our Employer Development Review provides an opportunity to assess their progress, review existing qualification pathways and identify other employees who could benefit from professional development.

You will also have a dedicated contact for ongoing support and receive quarterly employer updates covering changes to qualifications, regulations and funding opportunities.

The online resources, with tutorials and support at my fingertips, were invaluable. As a learner who needs to visualise something to understand it, I benefitted from the lecture slides and videos in particular.

Tasha Peeters, Completed her final CILEX Level 6 unit with Law Training Centre, drawing on her experience in family law.

As I already had a position in a firm and was earning a salary, CILEx was my preferred way forward. For me, it is important to be able to earn a salary and study at the same time.

Anthony Roy, Completed CILEX Level 3 and Level 6 studies while working at Furley Page.

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Frequently asked questions

Does the review cost anything?

Do we need to have chosen a course first?

Who should join the call?

Can we develop more than one person at once?

Do employees need a degree to gain a legal qualification?

Not necessarily. Entry requirements vary depending on the qualification pathway and each employee’s existing qualifications and experience.

Our Employer Development Review helps identify the most suitable route for each individual, including opportunities to progress from support roles towards professional qualification without a university degree.

What does sponsoring someone cost?

Sponsorship costs depend on the route, entry point and any recognised exemptions. Your proposal separates our fees from external charges and sets out payment terms. Once the route and any exemptions have been checked, your Development Plan provides an itemised quote for each person, including applicable VAT, external and regulator fees and payment terms. We invoice the firm directly and can discuss staged payments where you are sponsoring several learners.

What happens if an employee leaves during their training?

We recommend agreeing on sponsorship terms before enrolment, including which costs your firm will cover and any repayment arrangements if an employee leaves. Our Employer Sponsored Training Terms explain how the training place is managed, while any repayment agreements between your firm and the employee should be covered by your own employment policies.

In some circumstances, an employer-funded training place can be transferred to another employee, subject to eligibility, time limits, course usage and our approval. The original learner’s work cannot be transferred, and the course access period will not restart.

Full details are available in our Employer Sponsored Training Terms.

Is the Employer Development Review only available to law firms?