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Solicitor apprenticeships

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Solicitor apprenticeships - where to start

You can get into this job through

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role


    • University

    In order to qualify, you could: 

    • do a law degree, then complete the postgraduate Legal Practice Course
    • do a non-law degree followed by the Common Professional Examination or Graduate Diploma in Law 
    To get into some universities you'll need to pass the Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT). You'll usually need 3 A-Levels or equivalent. You'll need a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course.

    Apprenticeship
    You could do a solicitor degree apprenticeship to qualify as a solicitor. This route usually takes around 5 years and you'll need your employer's support to do it. To do this apprenticeship, you'll need 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths and 3 A-Levels or equivalent. 

    Work
    You could start with a legal firm and do on-the-job training like the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) Level 6 Professional Diploma in Higher Law and Practice. You would then complete a period of further training to qualify as a solicitor. Competition for training contracts is tough so you need to show that you have consistently good grades as you progress through your education. 

    Getting work experience in different types of settings can help you to stand out and show your commitment. There are work experience schemes to encourage people from black and minority ethnic communities, women and people with disabilities into the legal profession.



    Solicitor apprenticeships - what it takes

    Skills and knowledge

    You'll need: 

    • legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations 
    • excellent verbal communication skills 
    • to work with different people 
    • active listening skills
    • analytical thinking skills for working on complex cases
    • knowledge of English language for explaining legal matters to non-experts 
    • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
    • excellent written communication skills 
    • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure 
    • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
    Restrictions and Requirements
    You'll need to pass enhanced background checks

    Solicitor apprenticeships - what you'll do

    Day-to-day tasks

    In this role you could: 

    • advise and represent clients in court 
    • instruct barristers or advocates to act for clients 
    • draft confidential letters, contracts and legal documents 
    • research legal records and case law 
    • attend meetings and negotiations 
    • manage finances and prepare papers for court
    • use plain English to explain complex legal matters to clients 
    • keep up to date with changes in the law
    Working environment
    You could work in an office, in a court, in a prison or at a police station.

    Career path and progression - Solicitor apprenticeships

    With experience, you could become a partner in a private practice firm of solicitors. As a commercial solicitor, you could manage an in-house legal department. You could use your legal training in the armed forces. 

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    Considering an Apprenticeship?

    There are lots of benefits to apprenticeships, here are our top 5:

    • Paid Training
      Not only will your organisation (or the Government) pay for all of your training, but you’ll be paid to do it. That means you could actually get paid to get your degree and have no debt!
    • Range of career opportunities
      There are over 625 different apprenticeships to choose from, in a range of industries. Whether you’re interested in law, marketing, construction or engineering, you’ll find something up your street!
    • Earn & learn
      As an apprentice, the minimum you’ll earn is £6.20 an hour, but we’ve seen apprentices earn a starting salary of up to £30,000 a year! You could also get other employee benefits like gym memberships, paid holiday and sick pay.
    • Great career prospects
      Employers think apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications. In fact, many large employers train their graduates and apprentices together!
    • Learn on the job
      There’s only so much you can learn when you just do a qualification. As an apprentice, you’ll also get to learn on the job - whether that’s designing amazing graphics, chopping vegetables or building engines!

    Start searching for Apprenticeships Near You

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