Bird & Bird launches new solicitor apprenticeship programme at London office

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Bird & Bird joins the likes of Mayer Brown International LLP, TLT LLP, DWF Group Plc, Kennedys and more by introducing a solicitor apprenticeship programme.

The programme will run exclusively from Bird & Bird’s London office and is aimed at sixth formers who’ve completed A levels, or equivalent, but don’t want to attend university.

The firm’s six-year programme will commence in September 2023 and boasts a starting salary of £25,000. Students will “learn on the job” as part of a small cohort, while studying for one day a week with The University of Law.

Bird & Bird’s apprentices will be assigned a mentor and a buddy on their first day who will be on hand to offer support and guidance to help the apprentices “thrive” at the firm.

By the end of the programme, apprentices will:

• have completed an LLB law degree and undertaken the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) 1 and SQE2 exams, with all tuition fees and course materials covered by Bird & Bird;
• have completed a client secondment; and
• be qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales.

The head of Bird & Bird’s London office, Phil Sherrell, commented: “We’re delighted to announce our new apprenticeship programme in London, starting this September. The programme will offer an alternative route into the legal world for future solicitors as well as our business services teams and is one of the many initiatives we are implementing to ensure that we enhance the chances of a diverse range of people being successful, which is a key business priority for us. I look forward to meeting our first cohort of apprentices this autumn!”

Candidates can apply if they’re currently in year 13 or have recently left school.

To see this apprenticeship vacancy and more, check out the apprenticeship vacancies page on LawCareers.Net.