Solicitor Apprentice

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals and over 600 staff based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: Real Estate, Corporate Services, Dispute Resolution and Private Client.

The team you will join

The Birketts Real Estate Team is one of the best regarded and largest dedicated real estate teams within any firm outside of London, with over 200 lawyers across the firm as a whole. Our property lawyers are particularly experienced in dealing with development and investment, planning, secured lending and landlord and tenant matters. We are increasingly advising high value, high profile transactions and clients.

The Residential Real Estate Team comprises 60+ members operating out of each office but working together as one team.

The work you will be doing

You will work in a supported learning environment to develop the skills and knowledge required for a Solicitor Apprentice. Please note that this role will commence September 2026, in line with the start of the course. We will assist you to complete a Level 7 Solicitor qualification and progress in your future career.

Professional Skills

• Undertake a development programme leading to a Level 7 Solicitor qualification as part of an apprenticeship;
• Actively participate in your own development plan under the supervision of your line manager and the training provider;
• To respond to internal and external telephone enquiries politely and professionally and take accurate telephone messages (name/number/company), passing them on to the relevant fee earners etc. immediately;
• To work under supervision to manage a case load of legal files, to answer client queries and respond to correspondence in a timely fashion, as well as advising client departments and attending court/tribunal as required;
• To immediately clarify instructions from fee earners and the client should they be unclear or if deadlines are not made explicit;

• To provide full support to fee earners in the full range of activities that are performed and to carry out any other duties as reasonably requested;
• To liaise with fee earners, clients, agents, intermediaries and solicitors to progress transactions;
• Constructively take part in meetings, supervision, seminars and other events designed to improve communication and assist with your own development and that of your role;
• Undertake other duties compatible with your learning and development as required including attending site visits when necessary;
• To attend relevant training courses in line with the Law Society’s recommendation for Continued Professional Development. To participate in training seminars for client departments, including preparation and presentation;

Administrative skills

• To work under supervision to learn office/administration skills including filing, photocopying, data entry, ICT programmes/systems;
• Assist in maintaining compliant and accurate file management and office systems and develop and maintain a good level of understanding of firm policy and process.

General Approach

• Interest and motivation to work within legal services;
• Show initiative when responding to queries and actively try to seek solutions to problems;
• To support your fee earners when clients are demanding the work product to be delivered including be willing and able to work in other office locations when required;
• To support and build working relationships with your own fee earners as well as other members of the wider firm;
• To effectively liaise with staff from other departments and external contacts as required.
• Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

What we are looking for

• 5 GCSEs, including mathematics & English - grade C / level 4 or above (or equivalent level qualifications)
• 3 A Levels* at minimum grade C or above (or equivalent level 3 qualification)* Applicants who are currently undertaking their A levels or an equivalent level qualification are welcome to apply, but please note any offer will be subject to you achieving the course entry requirements.
• The ability to meet the entry requirements of the level 7 Solicitor course attached to this apprenticeship and to attend and undertake the studying and coursework required to complete the course.

Hybrid working

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. This role attracts a split of 20% working days for study and 4 days working as a requirement to be in the office whilst you are developing in the role.

We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile, and part-time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application.

Benefits

As a Birketts colleague, you will be eligible to receive a wide range of benefits:

• 25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays
• Long Service holiday award - 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
• Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)
• Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme
• Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
• Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
• Paid CSR Day
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Subsidised gym membership
• Electric car scheme
• Dress for your Day Policy

You can find out more on our website:

Inclusivity and Culture

At Birketts, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth.

Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI)

At Birketts, we recognise the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal profession and recruitment. We welcome innovation and understand that candidates may use AI tools to support their job applications. However, we expect all applicants to use AI responsibly and ethically.

Our expectations regarding AI use in applications

• Your application should reflect your own voice, experiences, and insights. AI may assist in structuring or refining your responses, but it must not replace your personal input.
• Do not use AI to misrepresent your qualifications, experiences, or skills. Any form of exaggeration or fabrication may result in rejection from the process.
• If you have used AI tools to assist with your application, be prepared to discuss how and why you used them during the interview process.
• Do not submit content generated by AI tools that may include personal or sensitive data not intended for public disclosure.
• AI-generated content should be reviewed and edited by you to ensure accuracy, relevance, and alignment with the role and our firm’s values.

We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment practices. The use of AI should enhance, not compromise, your application. We encourage candidates to demonstrate critical thinking, commercial awareness, and a genuine interest in our firm.

If you have any questions about our expectations or the use of AI in your application, please contact our Talent Acquisition Team via ***email_hidden***