Legal Apprenticeships

Legal apprenticeships are having a bit of a moment. If you want to avoid the cost of university and pursue a legal career, then an apprenticeship in law might be just the ticket.

Legal apprenticeships are having a bit of a moment. If you want to avoid the cost of university and pursue a legal career, then an apprenticeship in law might be just the ticket.
Legal apprenticeships are a great option for school leavers wanting to access law careers without taking the traditional university route.
If you’re looking at applying for a solicitor apprenticeship position, a key factor you may be considering is how you could get paid . Here we will explore what to expect, and some background on what exactly we mean by a ‘solicitor apprentice’.
Law firms often require specifically skilled secretarial staff to help them operate, which means that there are opportunities for school leavers to do apprenticeships in these roles.
A legal executive apprenticeship is a training and work programme during which school leavers qualify as a legal executive without having to pay university tuition fees. In fact, apprentices are paid a good, full-time salary for the duration of their programme.
A paralegal apprenticeship is a work and training programme, usually lasting around two years. It is an Advanced Apprenticeship – a Level 3 qualification – which means it is the equivalent to A-levels. Apprentices on these programmes provide legal support whilst working under supervision, and will be paid a full-time salary while they do it.
A solicitor apprenticeship is a training and work programme during which school leavers qualify as solicitors, without having to pay university tuition fees. In fact, apprentices are paid a good, full-time salary for the duration of their programme.
There are many types of apprenticeship to be found in a law firm, not just the paralegal, legal executive and solicitor apprenticeship programmes.
Traditionally, one of the main reasons people might have avoided legal apprenticeships was that there was no direct route to becoming a solicitor. With the introduction of solicitor apprenticeships, this completely changed. These Degree Apprenticeships – Level 7 qualification – now offer a direct route into the solicitor field, in accordance with SRA regulations.
Traditionally, one of the main reasons people might have avoided legal apprenticeships was that there was no direct route to becoming a solicitor. With the introduction of solicitor apprenticeships, this completely changed.