Legal 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 law apprenticeships 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.
Note: As part of the government's initiative to focus on funding apprenticeships for younger workers, from January 2026, funding for new Level 7 apprenticeships (including solicitor apprenticeships and graduate solicitor apprenticeships) will only be available to people who are 21 years old or under at the start of their apprenticeship. Those people who are 22 years old or older will not be eligible for Level 7 apprenticeship funding. This change will predominantly affect graduate solicitor apprenticeships, rather than school leaver apprenticeships, as many of those seeking graduate apprenticeships will be 22 years or older at the start of the apprenticeship. But: Level 7 apprenticeships will continue to be funded for all learners, of any age, who start their apprenticeship before January 2026, so if you will be affected by this change, look out for graduate solicitor apprenticeships starting before the end of 2025.
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
WHEN TO APPLY - many application rounds open in the Autumn but others may be available at different times of the year.
Where are solicitor apprenticeships available?
Many organisations and law firms offer solicitor apprenticeships, both non-graduate/school leaver ones suitable for people who just have A levels (school leavers or career changers) and graduate ones suitable for those with a degree. You can search for graduate or non-graduate solicitor apprenticeships on the government's apprenticeship website, by doing internet searches for solicitor or graduate solicitor apprenticeships in your area, look for ones in the City of London and other major cities via the City Century website or find ones offered by training providers that link up with employers.
