Derby-based law firm, Sort Legal, has been ranked 24th in the Top 50 SME Apprenticeship Employer 2023 awards.

With its head office in Derby and a second location in Cardiff, Sort Legal has recently invested heavily in Apprentices to help with its longer term growth plans.

First compiled in 2020, the annual employer rankings have been developed by the Department of Education, in partnership with High Fliers Research, who independently assess and rank the nation’s top apprenticeship employers.

The Top Apprenticeship SME Employer category assesses employers who have up to 249 employees, including;

• The number of apprentices who started an apprenticeship in the last 12 months, at all levels from 2 to 7
• The diversity of the apprentices who began new apprenticeships in the past year
• How many apprentices successfully achieved an apprenticeship in the last 12 months, completing all the requirements and passing the End-Point Assessment (EPA).

Sort Legal said that the conveyancing industry has experienced a decline in recruitment worsened by the Covid pandemic. This led to a large number of people leave the industry, which drove Sort Legal to explore the apprenticeship route.

Kevin Tunnicliffe (pictured), Sort Legal’s CEO, said: “I am delighted to hear Sort Legal have been awarded 24 in the Top 50 SME Apprenticeship Employers of 2023. This is a huge accolade and one we are proud of. At Sort Legal, we are keen to develop, train and provide our employees with not only a role, but a career to be proud of. This award celebrates the effort everyone has put into our recruitment strategy so far.”