Law firm joins national movement

Shropshire law firm FBC Manby Bowdler has become the latest member of an industry-led initiative focussed on driving momentum into the recruitment of apprentices, graduates and sponsored students.

It has signed up to The 5% Club, a movement of more than 300 employers providing ‘earn and learn’ opportunities to develop the skills and talents people need to become more employable and create meaningful careers.

Companies joining The 5% Club commit to raising the number of apprentices, sponsored students and graduates on formal programmes to five per cent of their total workforce within five years. Members are also asked to publicly report their progress in their Annual Report.

Existing members range from SMEs to FTSEs and cover a number of diverse industries, from engineering through to the legal sector.

FBC Manby Bowdler currently has eight apprentices including trainee lawyers, three members of staff following graduate programmes and one sponsored student.

HR director Sarah Bond said: “Our apprentices and trainees are the next generation of talent for us and we are committed to offering opportunity to individuals who might not have thought of law as a career choice for them. Our team already includes around five per cent of apprentices and trainees but we are committed to creating further opportunities this year.”

The 5% Club was initiated by Leo Quinn CEO of Balfour Beatty in 2013.

Lady Cobham, director general of The 5% Club, said: “We’re delighted to welcome FBC Manby Bowdler into our membership. The 5% Club provides a fantastic network of HR professionals, sharing and learning from each other. All our members share an ethos of creating a skilled workforce through ‘earn and learn’ development programmes, helping people develop meaningful career paths.”

FBC Manby Bowdler has offices in Wolverhampton, Willenhall, Edgbaston, Shrewsbury, Telford, Bridgnorth, Church Stretton and Redditch, and employs more than 200 staff. It regularly features in the Legal 500 and Chambers guides to the best practices in the country. 

Pictured: HR director, Sarah Bond