Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are a dynamic way for school leavers or graduates to enter the legal profession and qualify as solicitors with a mixture of practical experience in the workplace with a formal degree and postgraduate study.
How do apprenticeships fit into the existing routes to qualification?
The apprenticeship scheme is open to school leavers as a pathway into the legal profession. It combines practical experience in the workplace with a formal degree and postgraduate study. A graduate solicitor apprenticeship is another pathway to qualify for graduates by completing the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE1 and SQE2). This means that you can join a firm with a degree or approved equivalent.
You’ll go to work and receive a full-time salary and get valuable, real-life experience in your chosen field while you earn a degree at the same time.
What is the apprentice journey to becoming a solicitor?
There is a school leaver apprenticeship which is typically six years post-A-level, however, you can become an apprentice with prior learning.
For example, a LLB graduate can have accredited prior learning to reduce the apprenticeship length. This will depend on both the employer and the training provider.
What does it involve?
As an apprentice, you'll spend about a quarter of your working week studying and the rest of it working in a law firm. For example, many firms give their apprentices one day a week to do coursework. It will last from five to six years, but any previous legal training you’ve done might reduce this time.
The standards expected of apprentice solicitors are the same as those expected of all solicitors
You can find more information on the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) website and the government’s apprenticeship website.
LawQWE has officially launched
COMING SOON
Our bespoke tools in the Candidate Hub will help you along your career journey
Whether you want to understand more about yourself and where your aptitudes lie, or you are looking for a dynamic way to collate your QWE, we have the right tools to help you along your way. Have a look in our Candidate Hub for details of all our upcoming tools.