6-Year Solicitor Apprentice

Summary

Join Legal Services as a Solicitor Apprentice and combine hands-on legal work with university study over six years. You’ll support cases, draft documents, carry out research and gain experience across different areas of law while working towards an LLB, the Solicitors Qualifying Examination and qualification as a solicitor.

Wage

£27,008 a year

Apprentices are paid the London Living Wage which is reviewed annually.

Training course

Solicitor (level 7)

Hours

Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm. Some evening or weekend work may be required.

35 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 1 December 2026

Duration

6 years

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

Specific Accountabilities of the Role

• As you progress through the apprenticeship the duties will vary in line with knowledge and experience.
• Under supervision assist fee earners with caseloads.
• Under supervision prepare, negotiate, draft and agree legal documentation and forms and such documentation as associated with the legal process.
• Liaise with Counsel and external Solicitors under supervision where appropriate.
• Undertake legal and factual research, prepare briefing materials on particular cases and monitor new legislation.
• Preparation of bundles for court, tribunal and other hearings as required.
• Produce financial related reports from any legal case management system as required.
• Create and maintain Legal Practice files and records both electronically and manually.
• Gain experience in basic legal principles, practice and managing a personal caseload (under supervision) in both contentious and non-contentious areas of law including civil and criminal litigation, property, planning and regeneration, contracts and procurement, governance, safeguarding and partnership, and employment law.
• Manage your time, effort and resources effectively so that you develop good working practices to enable you to plan and organise your work to achieve personal and team objectives.
• Ensure that telephone and electronic messages are dealt with in an effective and responsible manner and, where possible deal with enquiries or pass to the appropriate officer/Division.
• Diarise and file correspondence and case files as and when requested.
• Understand all roles of a legal office, including providing support to admin tasks such as post etc.
• Be committed to the entire programme of your studies and work placement.
• For years 4-6 of the apprenticeship the duties will be similar to those of a Trainee Solicitor (updated JD will be provided at this time).
• Complete administration tasks for the legal service including post, sealing etc.

Where you'll work

Town Hall
1 Town Square
Barking
IG11 7LU

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

BPP UNIVERSITY LIMITED

Training course

Solicitor (level 7)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Obtain relevant facts by effective questioning and active listening.
• Find, analyse, and assess documents to extract relevant information including recognising when additional information is needed , interpreting and evaluating information obtained, recording and presenting information accurately and clearly.
• Recognise when legal research is needed and use appropriate methods and resources including identifying, finding and assessing the relevance of sources of law, interpreting, evaluating and applying research results, recording and presenting findings of research accurately and clearly.
• Develop strategies and solutions including an understanding of a client’s commercial and personal circumstances, their needs, objectives, priorities and constraints.
• Provide advice which is informed by appropriate and factual legal analysis and identifying the consequences of different options.
• Draft documents from scratch and use precedents which address all legal and factual issues, complying with all formalities and using clear, accurate and succinct language.
• Undertake effective spoken and written advocacy in court and outside of formal court hearings including: effective preparation by identifying and mastering relevant facts and legal principles, organize facts to support an argument or position, present a reasoned argument in a clear, logical, succinct persuasive way, make appropriate references to legal authority, comply with formalities, deal with witnesses appropriately, respond effectively to questions or opposing arguments, identify strengths and weaknesses from different parties’ perspectives.
• Negotiate solutions to clients’ issues including: identify all parties’ interests, objectives and limits, developing and formulating best options for meeting parties’ objectives, presenting options for compromises persuasively, responding to options presented by the other side, developing compromises between options or parties.
• Plan and manage legal cases and transactions including applying relevant processes and procedures to progress matters effectively, assessing, communicating and managing risk, bringing a transaction or case to a conclusion.
• Obtain relevant facts by effective questioning and active listening.
• Find, analyse, and assess documents to extract relevant information including recognising when additional information is needed , interpreting and evaluating information obtained, recording and presenting information accurately and clearly.
• Recognise when legal research is needed and use appropriate methods and resources including identifying, finding and assessing the relevance of sources of law, interpreting, evaluating and applying research results, recording and presenting findings of research accurately and clearly.
• Develop strategies and solutions including an understanding of a client’s commercial and personal circumstances, their needs, objectives, priorities and constraints.
• Provide advice which is informed by appropriate and factual legal analysis and identifying the consequences of different options.
• Draft documents from scratch and use precedents which address all legal and factual issues, complying with all formalities and using clear, accurate and succinct language.
• Undertake effective spoken and written advocacy in court and outside of formal court hearings including: effective preparation by identifying and mastering relevant facts and legal principles, organize facts to support an argument or position, present a reasoned argument in a clear, logical, succinct persuasive way, make appropriate references to legal authority, comply with formalities, deal with witnesses appropriately, respond effectively to questions or opposing arguments, identify strengths and weaknesses from different parties’ perspectives.
• Negotiate solutions to clients’ issues including: identify all parties’ interests, objectives and limits, developing and formulating best options for meeting parties’ objectives, presenting options for compromises persuasively, responding to options presented by the other side, developing compromises between options or parties.
• Plan and manage legal cases and transactions including applying relevant processes and procedures to progress matters effectively, assessing, communicating and managing risk, bringing a transaction or case to a conclusion.

Training schedule

The apprentice will spend four days each week gaining supervised, work-based legal experience with Barking and Dagenham Council and one day undertaking off-the-job training with BPP University. Training will include live teaching, guided study, coaching, skills workshops and assessments, delivered online and/or through day release as agreed in the final training plan. Any required travel and venue details will be confirmed before enrolment.

More training information

The six-year apprenticeship will be delivered by BPP, an established legal training provider. The programme combines structured academic study with supported workplace development and regular progress reviews. It leads to an LLB (Hons) in Law and Legal Practice, followed by the Solicitors Qualifying Examination as the end-point assessment. Successful apprentices may then apply for admission as a solicitor, subject to meeting all regulatory requirements.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade A - C / 4 - 9)
• Mathematics (grade A - C / 4 - 9)

A Level in:

Three Subjects (grade BBB (120 UCAS Points))

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Problem solving skills
• Presentation skills
• Administrative skills
• Analytical skills
• Logical
• Team working
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience

Other requirements

Applicants must be able to commit to the full six-year Solicitor Apprenticeship, balancing workplace responsibilities with regular academic study. As the programme includes Level 7 apprenticeship training, appointment is subject to meeting the age-based public funding eligibility rules in force at the start of the apprenticeship. Eligibility will be confirmed before enrolment.