Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship - 2025 - Hempsons

Please note: The closing date for applications is midnight, 31st January 2025.

Hempsons is offering an exciting opportunity for aspiring solicitors to join us in 2025 on our Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship.

Our graduate solicitor apprenticeship will support you through the new pathway to qualification as a solicitor by completion of the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE1 and SQE2). You will study with our partner, BPP University, the cost of which is entirely funded by Hempsons.

If you have completed your law degree (LLB), or have a non-law degree and have completed the graduate diploma in law (GDL), you are able to apply.

About Hempsons

With over 250 staff and lawyers working across our five offices nationwide, Hempsons is a leading law firm for the health and social care, charity and social enterprise sectors. We help clients overcome a constantly evolving list of challenges. Examples of ground breaking projects we are working on with clients are:​

• enabling new technology providers to establish products in the health market;

• advising on the development of new care models for the NHS;

• helping GPs to expand primary care provision by setting up GP federations and super-practices;

• helping charities and social enterprises to initiate new organisational structures and ways of working.​

Our aim is to provide outstanding legal services that deliver the best possible client outcomes whilst nurturing a culture that makes us a “great place to work”.

What is the Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship?

Our graduate solicitor apprenticeship is a fast-track route to becoming a qualified solicitor. We know that university is not for everyone and if you want a more vocational way of learning then this could be the option for you.

The programme will support you through this new pathway to qualification by completion of the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE1 and SQE2) whilst gaining two years qualifying work experience (without the debt).

What do we offer?​

We already have a small cohort of Graduate Solicitor Apprentices and we are looking to grow this again in 2025, making law as a career more accessible.

The apprenticeship is a 30-month programme. You will work four days a week and have one day a week to study at BPP. To be eligible for this route you must have already completed your Law Degree or if you have a non-law degree then you must have completed the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). 

Whilst training with Hempsons, you will play an active part of the firm, learning from all members of the team in which you are working in and become familiar with their different working methods, working on live and challenging matters, attending in-house training, assisting at client seminars and generally acting as a full and effective member of the team.

You'll complete four seats, although on occasion you may remain in a seat for longer than expected, as is required from time to time, however our trainee rotation has been designed to ensure you gain maximum exposure to Hempsons full-service offering. Over the course of your training you will develop an understanding of how Hempsons blends experience, skill and commitment with effective management and staff development systems, which allow us to deliver an impressive level of service to our clients. You may also have the opportunity to spend time with one of our clients on Secondment. 

Upon successful completion of your studies and subject to your performance on the programme, we hope we are able to offer you a newly qualified solicitor role in one of our teams.

Seats will allow you to gain the knowledge and understanding of the work carried out by our specialist teams, including;

• Healthcare litigation
• Healthcare advisory
• Regulatory & crime*
• Employment
• Commercial real estate
• Corporate  & commercial*

* dependant upon location

We are offering our graduate solicitor apprenticeship training programme in the following offices:

• London
• Manchester
• Harrogate
• Newcastle
• Southampton

Requirements:

• Excellent academic record
• Ideally achieved a 2:1 in a Law Degree or a non-Law Degree with a Graduate Diploma in Law

Please remember the availability of opportunities can vary between offices and is dependant on the needs of the business, please ensure you state office you wish to be based at on your application.

How to apply:​

Online application form – this will cover details such as your academics, personal information and your location preferences. We are also interested to know at this point, why you have chosen Hempsons and what you know about us and why you want to train with us. 

MS Teams Interview – We will have questions that measure how suited you are to a career with us at Hempsons including questions to find out how you would respond in various situations. 

Virtual Group Assessment - you will have the opportunity to meet other applicants at this stage. This will test your ability to work in a team followed by two individual written assessments. 

Final Interview - you will meet with a Partner and member of our HR team at one of our offices. You will be asked to discuss a specific topic, provided to you in advance. 

Hempsons is an equal opportunities employer.

Hempsons is committed to providing equal opportunities for all and to encouraging diversity through recruitment. Applications are welcome from all sections of the community and decisions to progress will be made with reference to entirely objective criteria only.

Why join Hempsons?

We’ve come a long way since starting out in London in 1890. We maintain 5 offices across the country; London, Manchester, Harrogate, Newcastle and Southampton.

Our lawyers and staff enjoy a strong culture of commitment to our clients and to understanding them, their needs, objectives and business environments. We have collaborative, cross-office working relationships with our colleagues the length and breadth of the country.

We offer competitive salaries starting from £24,000 (Regional) and £30,400 (London) plus our benefits package which includes:

• 25 days annual leave plus 1 discretionary day on Christmas Eve
• Study leave allowance
• 5.2% Employer pension contribution
• Private medical health cover
• Group income protection
• Death in service benefit
• Interest free season ticket loan
• Employee assistance programme
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Employee referral bonus scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Sports and social events