By Jason Sinclair, Trainee Solicitor, Muckle LLP on social mobility and a career in law
For many people, a career in law is something they’ve known about from an early age. For Jason Sinclair, now a trainee solicitor at Muckle, it wasn’t even on his radar.
Originally from Bristol, Jason was the first person in his family to go to university. Growing up, he says, a legal career wasn’t something that was talked about at school or at home.
“I didn’t really know that being a solicitor was an option,” says Jason. “It wasn’t a career that was visible to me when I was younger.”
That changed when he started studying A-level Law at college.
Pathways to law
“I chose law because it sounded interesting,” he explains. “I enjoyed it straight away, and my tutor noticed that I seemed to have a natural aptitude for it.”
His tutor encouraged him to apply for Pathways to Law, a social mobility programme run by the Sutton Trust that supports highachieving students from underrepresented backgrounds who are interested in studying law.
The experience led to an offer from the University of Bristol. Jason also secured a place through the Access to Leeds scheme, a widening participation programme designed to support students from underrepresented backgrounds into higher education and ultimately, he chose to study law at the University of Leeds.
“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”
Looking back, Jason says one of the biggest challenges wasn’t the law itself.
“The academic side of law was never the issue. What was harder was understanding everything around it.”
“People from more connected backgrounds often had more knowledge about how the profession worked. They knew about work experience, placements, networking and applications. I had to figure a lot of that out myself. But social mobility schemes like Pathways to Law helped with that.”
Why a career in law?
Jason is now in the second seat of his training contract at Muckle, working in our Sports, Education and Charities team, having previously completed a seat in Corporate.
What attracted him to law was the balance between working with people and solving problems.
“I’ve always liked that mix. At school, I enjoyed drama because I’m quite outgoing, but I also liked computer science because it’s logical and analytical.”
“Law combines those things. You need to be confident speaking to clients and building relationships, but you also need to be detailfocused and enjoy problem-solving.”
Working at Muckle
Muckle stood out for more than just its reputation.
“When I was applying for placements and training opportunities, it was important to me that a firm had a genuine commitment to social mobility.”
“I spoke openly about my background during the application process, and it was really well received at Muckle. The firm’s values aligned with my own, and it was encouraging to see that reflected in practice.”
Why is social mobility important?
Today, Jason regularly attends school careers fairs and outreach events, helping raise awareness of law as a career option.
“People need to be visible. Young people need to see people like themselves working in these professions.”
“If nobody around you works in law, it’s much harder to imagine yourself doing it.”
The North East Solicitor Apprenticeship Scheme
At Muckle, improving access to the legal profession forms an important part of our wider social mobility strategy. We are a founding member of the North East Solicitor Apprenticeship Scheme (NESA), which was created to provide an alternative route into law and widen access to the profession for talented young people from all backgrounds.
The solicitor apprenticeship route allows individuals to qualify as solicitors while earning a salary and gaining practical experience, helping to remove some of the financial barriers traditionally associated with legal careers.
We also run an employability programme called Inspiring Careers. The programme, delivered in partnership with Mortal Fools, is a unique opportunity designed specifically for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds (aged 14 – 16).
Although solicitor apprenticeships were not available when Jason was making decisions about his future, he believes he would have seriously considered the route.
“It gives people another way into the profession and helps remove barriers that might otherwise put them off pursuing law.”
For him, social mobility is about ensuring talent and ambition are not limited by background.
“There are brilliant people everywhere. The key is making sure they know these opportunities exist and helping them access them.”
“If someone from a similar background to mine reads this and thinks a career in law could be for them, then that’s a positive step.”
Find out more about the opportunities at Muckle on our website www.muckle-llp.com