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Law Apprenticeships Guide

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Welcome

The Law Apprenticeships Guide sponsored by Mayer Brown

Read the guide now

Key skills

The skills you need to be a successful legal apprentice

Meet an apprentice

Esther Farley is a third-year solicitor apprentice at Mayer Brown

Career paths

Law apprenticeship career path

Plan your journey

Welcome Key skills Meet an apprentice Career paths

What's a law apprenticeship?

A law apprenticeship combines paid work and training at a law firm with part-time study for professional qualifications. It is an alternative path to going to university that offers the same career destinations, but avoids the expensive fees.

Webinar | Legal apprenticeships: routes into the profession

In this webinar hear directly from recruiters, lawyers and current apprentices about what it means to enter the legal profession as an apprentice, the qualifications required to enrol on apprenticeships, information on the Solicitors Qualifying Exam, the different types of apprenticeships available, who can qualify as a solicitor via this route, and the benefits and challenges of qualifying this way.

Want to know more?

What are the different types of apprenticeships?

Intermediate, paralegal, solicitor apprenticeships: here are the career options

Legal apprenticeship skills checklist

Here's a checklist of the necessary skills to get off to a flying start

Legal apprenticeship vacancies

Discover legal apprenticeship positions available at various law firms and organisations

Apprenticeship or university?

I’m considering starting a legal apprenticeship, but are the career prospects the same as the full-time university route? What are the main differences between an apprenticeship and going to university?

The Beginner's Guide to a Career in Law

Everything you need to know about launching a career in law.

Legal apprenticeships: an alternative route to a legal career

For many, rises in university tuition fees have created a financial barrier to law, but legal apprenticeships can make legal careers more accessible to those with motivation and talent, as well as diversify legal training to match the increasing liberalisation of legal services, most clearly evidenced by the ongoing rise of alternative business structures.

Key questions

What skills and strengths do you need to be a good lawyer?

Who can become an apprentice?

Do I have to study A-level law to be an apprentice?

SQE revision app predicts users’ chances of success in SQE1 assessments

Nearly 90% of students that The University of Law’s Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) revision app classified as ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’ to pass SQE1 have passed the assessment.

Applications to Clyde & Co’s paralegal academy surpass expectations

Clyde & Co LLP’s paralegal academy received more than 1,000 applications, far surpassing the firm’s target of 300.

City firms mandate in-office work and introduce blackout Fridays

Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP has introduced a four-day in-office work policy, meaning lawyers in the firm’s London office are expected to come into the office at least four days a week.

Potential divorce reforms could impact London’s reputation as divorce capital

Earlier this year, a review was commissioned to revaluate 50-year-old legislation regarding how financial assets are split, with calls for less generous financial awards expected to be requested for financially weaker spouses.

Latest updates

What’s the difference between a solicitor and graduate apprenticeship?

Solicitor apprentices “leading the way” in SQE results, SRA reports

Professional apprenticeships: a new path into the legal profession

Meet the Apprentice

Esther Farley is a third-year solicitor apprentice at Mayer Brown

Olivia Partridge - What’s the difference between a solicitor and graduate apprenticeship?

Olivia Partridge

What do you know about entering the legal profession via an apprenticeship? While the concept of an apprenticeship isn’t new, there are a few misconceptions and some confusion that surround them. So, this article aims to demystify the apprenticeship route to qualifying as a solicitor.

Meet the Apprentice

Cyril Lekgetho is a first-year solicitor apprentice at Mayer Brown. He’s currently studying in the employment (global legal projects) department.

The Rookie Lawyer

What does a solicitor apprentice do?

In this article, we'll take a look at what solicitor apprenticeships entail, what they offer, and how they differ from other routes to qualifying.