Solicitor apprenticeship (non-graduate) - Jan 2026 - Kingsley Napley

The deadline to apply is 18th August 2025

We are really excited to announce that we are recruiting for another Solicitor Apprentice at Kingsley Napley! We will be looking for one individual to join the firm and commence our six year programme from January 2026.

We recognise that there are different pathways to suit different people, and university is not necessarily for everyone. The apprenticeship offers a different pathway where you can enter the legal world and start earning a salary from day one. You will gain real-world and real-life experience within a leading law firm, and with some of the best lawyers in the country, and we will support you every step of the way to help build and develop your skills with hands-on experience and practical training.

The Kingsley Napley (KN) solicitor apprenticeship is a level 7 solicitor apprenticeship programme, at the end of which you will become a qualified solicitor. This will take six years in total. You will work 4 days a week in the office with 1 day a week studying towards your legal qualifications, and KN will cover all costs for training and tuition.

KN has consistently been voted the top London firm law firm to work for by Best Companies for a number of years, and we are very proud of our inclusive, supportive and friendly culture. You will receive dedicated support and guidance throughout your entire apprenticeship (and beyond once you have qualified as a solicitor) – as we want to help you, in every way, to succeed. You will be assigned a qualified supervisor to assign you tasks and meet regularly, and you will be assigned a buddy, another Solicitor Apprentice, who will help you settle into life at KN.

The apprenticeship programme will give you the opportunity to start as an entry level administrative assistant – learning the ropes and getting used to a legal/ office environment and working alongside other administrators and paralegals. You will sit within a variety of different practice areas to give you the breadth of experience and valuable insight needed to successfully qualify as a solicitor. This role is one based on continuous learning and development and you will need to show a commitment to your own personal development and learning throughout.

During the first four years you will rotate between different practice areas and as well as our newly created, and very exciting, innovation and legal operations teams. During the final part of your apprenticeship, you will join the trainee solicitor intake, and train for six months in four different practice areas. You will be able to submit the practice areas you would like to gain experience in, and we will do our best to accommodate these.

Your starting salary will be £24,000 and will increase every year as you move through the programme. You will also receive an annual allowance of £3,000 to support you with the cost of accommodation. Various benefits are available to you such as private medical cover and an annual wellness subsidy. You will earn a trainee solicitor salary in your final two years (this is currently £40,000, but subject to change) and a newly qualified solicitor once you qualify. All of your tuition and course fees will be funded by KN.

Study Details

You will study and qualify through the SQE route alongside learning the regulatory framework required to become a qualified solicitor.

Our Training provider is the University of Law. You will undertake study towards the two assessments and will sit SQE1 and SQE2 in your final year of study. From year 5 onwards, you will also prepare a work-based portfolio of evidence. The University of Law work with a blended learning model which means that you may be required to study online for some elements of the qualification but will be closely supervised by a subject tutor. You will also be provided with a dedicated skills coach who will review your progress every 12 weeks through 1-to-1 tutorials and progress reviews.

Enrolment onto the apprenticeship scheme is in January 2026 at University of Law’s London Moorgate campus. The first week will be an induction on the week commencing the 12th January 2025.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible to apply for the Solicitor Apprentice role, you must have completed GCSEs and A Levels (or equivalent) and you must meet the minimum entry requirement.

• 3 A Levels at Grade C or above, or equivalent
• Maths and English GCSEs or equivalent, at Grade C/4 or above

Applicants who have a degree should apply for our trainee contract scheme.

Unfortunately, we are not able to offer sponsorship for this position as apprentices must have the right to permanently live and work in the UK.

You do not need to have any work experience whatsoever, and you do not need to know anyone in the legal world. We are looking for committed and hardworking individuals who want to be part of a team, learn from others and kick-start their career at Kingsley Napley.

Click apply to find out more