On Wednesday 15th October, Rogers & Norton Solicitors officially launched its 2025 – 2026 Law Academy, marking the programme’s fifth and largest year to date. The opening evening took place at a brand new venue – Norwich City Football Club – with a record 40 sixth form students from eight Norfolk schools and colleges taking part.
Originally launched in 2019 with just 12 students at the firm’s offices, the Law Academy was created to give young people a hands-on, practical insight into the legal profession that goes beyond a typical week of ad hoc work experience.
Louis Hilldrup-Boorman, Marketing Manager at Rogers & Norton, said “The Academy is a unique, in-house initiative that offers sixth form students structured work experience across a range of legal disciplines. No other local firm offers a programme like it. The Academy is designed to be inclusive and insightful, giving young people practical exposure to legal careers, regardless of background. It sits at the heart of our business and reflects what we stand for: community-focused, forward-thinking and committed to making a difference.”
What began as a small internal programme has since grown into one of the firm’s flagship educational initiatives, offering structured, meaningful engagement with real lawyers and real case studies.
After years of steady growth, the Academy has now outgrown the firm’s offices, prompting the move to Norwich City Football Club – a professional, high-profile venue that reflects both the scale and ambition of the programme.
This year’s participating sixth forms include City College Norwich, City of Norwich School, Notre Dame High School, Thorpe Sixth Form, Wymondham College, Attleborough Sixth Form, Norwich School and Sprowston Academy.
The launch
The launch event was introduced by Louis Hilldrup-Boorman, Marketing Manager at Rogers & Norton, who welcomed students and outlined the Academy’s objectives – including providing a genuine insight into law, exposure to different practice areas and opportunities to develop key skills such as teamwork, problem solving and communication.
Louis introduced a strong line-up of speakers:
•Ginny Colman, Director and Head of Family Law at Rogers & Norton, who officially opened this year’s programme and highlighted the importance of early, practical
exposure to the realities of legal work and the importance of extra-curricular activities in UCAS applications.
•Fiona Anthony, Associate Professor in Law and Co-Director of Employability at the University of East Anglia, who shared practical guidance on university applications and what law schools look for in prospective students.
•James Hill, Head of Legal and Governance at Norwich City Football Club, who offered insight into the unique legal challenges involved in running a professional sports club – from contracts and compliance to governance and risk.
The first workshop was delivered by Chloe Tooley, Associate and Corporate & Commercial Solicitor at Rogers & Norton, who led an engaging and interactive session introducing students to the world of corporate and commercial law through real-life case studies and practical examples.
The programme
The Law Academy runs across seven monthly sessions, each exploring a different area of law through practical, case-based workshops. Each session is designed to be interactive and engaging, helping students understand how the law operates in practice and encouraging them to apply their learning through group activities and discussions. The programme will conclude with a dedicated session on careers in law, designed to demystify entry routes into the profession and equip students with practical tips on how to start building a successful legal career.
Looking ahead
Rogers & Norton is proud to have grown this initiative from a single-room seminar to a major educational partnership across Norfolk. Hosting the Academy at Norwich City Football Club reflects how far it has come – and how committed the firm remains to opening up access to the legal profession.
The firm is passionate about giving young people a meaningful introduction to law, helping them build confidence, make connections and see the many rewarding career paths within the legal sector, whilst also highlighting other key roles within a law firm such as marketing, business development, accounting and business management. To find out more about the Rogers & Norton Law Academy or to get involved, please contact Marketing Manager Louis Hilldrup-Boorman at lhb@rogers-norton.co.uk.
