Maples Group Welcomes First Trainees to New Trainee Solicitor Programme in Jersey

Maples and Calder, the Maples Group's law firm, is delighted to welcome its first trainees Emily Garton and Jacob Shenkin, both from Jersey, to its newly created Jersey Trainee Solicitor Programme. The carefully developed programme launched in 2022 is open to all university graduates pursuing a career in law, and entails completion of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination ("SQE") preparation courses and exams.

The Trainee Solicitor Programme is a very exciting addition to the Jersey practice, and was launched in response to continued success and growth on island. In addition to covering the full cost of the requisite courses and exams, trainees receive a competitive salary and an incomparable opportunity to gain experience in other jurisdictions through a six-month secondment to the firm's London or Dublin office - a unique benefit of training with an international law firm. With 16 offices worldwide, graduates will gain broad experience working with various teams and practice groups across the Maples Group's global network on both domestic and cross-border transactions from Jersey.

The trainees will complete just over two years' of hands-on legal training, drawing upon the Group's wide global reach, alongside their SQE examinations, which will enable them to qualify at the end of the Programme as Solicitors in England and Wales. The Programme also offers the perfect stepping stone from the Jersey Bursary Scheme, which the firm offers to successful students from Jersey who are keen to gain legal work-experience. Bursary Students receive a financial contribution towards their university studies, which is paid to them in quarterly instalments.

Nick Evans, Head of Office in Jersey, added, "We are delighted to welcome the first intake of legal trainees to our Jersey practice and I am confident they will excel in our Trainee Solicitor Programme, gaining experience working with our international clients and colleagues across our global network. Our graduates are offered a carefully developed training programme comparable to a traditional training contract run by City law firms, but with a lifestyle and work-life balance that is unique to Jersey." 

He added, "I am incredibly excited by the opportunities we have to continue our remarkable growth and to deepen our foundations in Jersey and, vitally, invest in the long-term development of aspiring lawyers in the jurisdiction. The Maples Group is committed to growing our presence in Jersey and we look forward to offering even more opportunities to graduates here in the coming years."  

Applications for the 2025 intake of trainees will open on 2 January 2024. The Maples Group will be visiting university Law Fairs at Durham, Southampton and Manchester universities throughout October and November this year and would very much like to speak to students interested in completing legal training in Jersey. 

To learn more about the firm's Jersey Trainee Programme, visit Jersey Trainee Solicitor Programme (maples.com) or contact the team at Trainees@Maples.com.