Shoosmiths announces pay rise and London expansion for solicitor apprentices

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Shoosmiths has unveiled a pay rise for its solicitor apprentices and plans to recruit apprentices in London for the first time, marking a significant expansion of its alternative qualification pathways.

The major UK law firm, which currently runs solicitor apprenticeship programmes in Birmingham and Leeds, will open the scheme to its London office from September 2026. The first City cohort will start on a £27,000 salary, rising annually to £47,000 by the programme’s sixth and final year.

Alongside the London launch, Shoosmiths has introduced salary increases for solicitor apprentices across its regional offices. From 1 April 2026, first-year pay will rise from £22,000 to £24,000, while sixth-year salaries will increase from £35,000 to £37,000. Mid-programme pay bands have also been uplifted, with fifth‑year apprentices seeing salaries increase to £35,000, up from £33,000.

The firm will recruit four solicitor apprentices for its next intake in September 2026 – two based in Birmingham and two in London.

Senior emerging talent manager at Shoosmiths, Samantha Hope, said: “The expansion of [the] solicitor apprentice pathway demonstrates our ongoing commitment to growing and strengthening alternative routes to qualification, and to recognising the solicitor apprenticeship as a high-quality and valuable pathway for our industry.”

Hope added: “This growth complements our established rotational trainee solicitor route and our internally supported SQE programme, NQ Plus. Together, these pathways give Shoosmiths a strong, multi-route approach to developing future solicitors and building a sustainable pipeline of talent. Overall, this expansion reflects Shoosmiths’ continued focus on investing in people, widening access to the profession, and ensuring we have the skills and capability required to support the future of law.”

The move comes after a strong financial year for the firm, with:

• a 30% rise in profit per equity partner;
• a 16% increase in net profit to £76.6 million; and
• revenue growth of 5% to £217.2 million.

Elsewhere, the firm recently unlocked an additional £1 million bonus pot for staff after hitting its annual target for Microsoft Copilot prompts four months ahead of schedule.