A NORTH-EAST apprentice solicitor has been appointed as a regional ambassador by a national apprentice network.

Womble Bond Dickinson solicitors apprentice, Sahana Grimaldi, was recently appointed as ambassador for the Young Apprentice Ambassador Network following the completion of an online application and a training session in Carlisle.

The company recruited Sahana to join its projects and procurement team in Newcastle following her enrolment in the firm’s apprenticeship scheme in September, 2018. The programme is run by the North-East Solicitor Apprenticeship, a consortium of law firms in the region, in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives and Northumbria University.

As an ambassador, Sahana’s role will be to provide informative talks based on personal experiences and inspire young people to start apprenticeships. Her role will see her attend school events and give talks to students and parents, as well as speaking to MPs and apprenticeship award presenting. Sahana said: “I would like to thank the Young Apprentice Ambassador Network for appointing me as an ambassador. It was fantastic to meet apprentices from many different organisations at the training day. I look forward to starting my journey and hope to inspire and encourage young people to take an apprenticeship route into the legal sector.”

Kevin Robertson, head of Womble Bond Dickinson’s Newcastle office, added: “I would like to congratulate Sahana for this fantastic appointment and it is great to see our young apprentices taking part in national events to encourage young individuals to join them by considering alternative routes into the legal profession. The company’s apprenticeship scheme recently won the Newcomer Large Employer award at the National Apprenticeship Awards.