Solicitor Apprenticeship (school leaver) - September 2025 - Herbert Smith Freehills

23 February 2025 – Applications close

At Herbert Smith Freehills, we're committed to nurturing talent and ambition. Our Solicitor Apprenticeship programme offers a unique opportunity for those keen to further a career in law.

The six-year programme, based in our London office, is designed to provide world-class training and ongoing development, all whilst earning a competitive salary. It provides the opportunity to gain qualifications, including a law degree and the Solicitor's Qualifying Examination (SQE), as well as benefit from hands-on experience in a leading international law firm, without having to follow the traditional university pathway.

We're passionate about opening the door to a career in commercial law for talented individuals regardless of background. If you're ready to realise your full potential in a supportive, innovative and ambitious environment, our Solicitor Apprenticeship programme could be the perfect fit for you.

How does the programme work?

As a Solicitor Apprentice, you'll join our leading team and start your journey in the legal field. During the six-year programme, you'll spend time working on real work for real clients. You'll rotate through our different Practice Groups and expert teams, enabling you to gain valuable experience and develop a well-rounded understanding of the legal landscape.

Your journey with us is designed to be a rich and rewarding experience, offering a unique opportunity to gain a broad range of experience by rotating through eight different seats over six years. 

In your first four years, you will rotate through four, 12-month seats, each offering a breadth of knowledge and unique perspective on our diverse practice areas. Initially, your work will resemble that of a junior paralegal, involving legal administrative tasks, document review and other similar level responsibilities. However, as you delve deeper into each seat, you'll find your skills and knowledge growing, your responsibilities expanding, and your confidence in your legal abilities strengthening.

As you progress into your fifth and sixth years, you'll become a Senior Solicitor Apprentice and join our Trainee Associate Programme rotations. You will experience four different 6-month seats, providing you with a more in-depth understanding of our various practice areas. You'll also have the chance to engage in a client secondment, providing unique insights into our clients' businesses, whilst also helping you to broaden your professional network, and enhance your legal expertise from a different perspective. This structured progression ensures a comprehensive exposure to the dynamic world of law, helping to prepare you for a successful legal career with us.

Throughout your apprenticeship, you'll be exposed to a diverse range of tasks that will give you a comprehensive understanding of the legal profession. This includes conducting legal and client research, critical skills that will help you understand the intricacies of cases and the specific needs of our clients. 

You'll also have the opportunity to attend meetings, where you'll take notes and gain first-hand insights into the cases you're working on. Summarising court judgments will be another part of your role, allowing you to distil complex legal information into clear, concise summaries. Reviewing documents will also be a regular task, helping you develop a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of legal documentation. 

This apprenticeship programme is more than just a learning experience - it's a launch pad for your legal career. You will be immersed in the practical aspects of the Law, which will equip you with the skills, knowledge and experience needed to thrive in your legal career.

As you progress through the programme, you'll find yourself delving deeper into intricate legal concepts and principles. Your ability to analyse, interpret, and apply legal concepts will grow, enabling you to tackle more challenging tasks with confidence and proficiency.

Your knowledge will continue to develop through a combination of academic studies and on-the-job learning. This blend of theory and practical experience ensures a well-rounded understanding of the legal landscape, preparing you for the dynamic and demanding nature of legal work.

By the end of your first year, you'll find yourself ready to take on the responsibilities of a first seat trainee. This is a significant milestone in your legal journey, marking your transition from learning about the law to actively participating in real-world legal work. 

At Herbert Smith Freehills, we champion a balanced learning approach. As part of this, you'll dedicate one day each week focusing on your studies with BPP University. This day will be filled with engaging lessons and workshops, designed to equip you with the theoretical knowledge and critical thinking skills needed to excel in your degree.

But your learning doesn't stop there. For the rest of the week, you'll be right here with us in our London office, immersing yourself in the practical aspects of the legal profession. During this time you will get to apply the concepts you've learned, gain hands-on experience, and develop the essential skills needed to thrive in the legal world. You'll work on real cases, interact with expert lawyers, and witness the law in action.

It's a holistic approach that not only equips you with a solid theoretical foundation but also gives you hands-on experience of the real-world challenges and rewards of the legal profession.

£28,000 starting salary

Hard work deserves good pay. That’s why you’ll earn a competitive salary, which will increase as you progress on the programme.

£3,000 sign-on bonusAs an apprentice, you'll receive a one-off payment of £3,000 once you accept our offer, to help with starting out costs.

Qualifications

At the end of the six-year programme, you will have gained an LLB Hons (Law and Legal Practice) and qualification as a Solicitor in England & Wales (SQE route). We will fund your tuition fees and you will also earn a competitive salary whilst undertaking your training.

During the first four years, you will work towards your LLB and focus on the foundational principles of law, whilst developing your professional skills. In the final two years you will develop your knowledge of different areas of legal practice alongside professional skills while preparing to sit the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). Once you've completed the apprenticeship, you'll be able to apply for Newly Qualified Associate positions at the firm.

Academic requirements

We're looking for candidates who are on track to achieve a minimum of AAB at A-Level or equivalent UCAS points, along with 7 GCSEs at grade 6 or above, including Maths and English. However, we understand that everyone's journey is unique. We review each application individually and consider mitigating circumstances and contextual data which may have impacted your grades.

Right to work

To become an apprentice, you must be 16 or over, and a UK citizen/someone who has right of residency in the UK.

Inclusive recruitment

We all benefit from a more inclusive Herbert Smith Freehills: different backgrounds and perspectives make us more innovative and collaborative in a diverse, global world. We're committed to making our recruitment process as inclusive and accessible as possible. If you'd like to discuss adjustments or have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our Early Careers team. Take a look at our video to see how we can best support you through the process.

Click apply to find out more.