Solicitor Apprenticeship

You’ll gain valuable, real-life experience in the UK’s largest full-service law firm, enhancing your legal and commercial understanding and growing your confidence in a work environment. It’s the ideal opportunity to benefit from an exciting new world of work and study while avoiding the costs usually associated with earning a degree.

We’re looking for people who can adapt to this programme as well as the constant changes across the legal, social and political spheres. We need creative thinkers who can revolutionise the way we work and help Irwin Mitchell meet its future business needs. As well as strong academics and a genuine passion for the law, we’re looking for someone who embodies our values. That means making a positive difference to both society and the legal sector.

You’ll need excellent communication skills, a good eye for detail, the ability to follow instructions, and to enjoy working as part of a team. Due to the type of cases you’ll work on, you’ll also need to be empathetic and compassionate to help our clients through challenging personal circumstances.

Training:

Our training provider for this programme will deliver all your academic training throughout the apprenticeship and guide and help you through the training and assessments. You’ll spend most of your time getting hands-on involvement with real legal work, with dedicated time set aside each week for your studies.

You'll gain experience and qualify within the specific department you're assigned to when you start. For the duration of your programme, we'll do our best to offer you exposure within other teams.

We’ll tailor the programme to your individual needs and goals, and you’ll take on more responsibility as you progress. You’ll also have a dedicated supervisor for daily training and feedback, as well as a senior solicitor as your mentor. Your training will cover:

Year 1 - Common Law Method and Ethics, Public Law, and Law of Contract Year 2 - Law of Tort, Criminal Law, and Critical Approaches in Current Legal Issues Year 3 - Land Law, Real Estate, and Business Law 1 Year 4 - Equity and Trusts, Access to Justice and Legal Services, Criminal Litigation and Evidence, and Civil Dispute Resolution Year 5 - Business Law 2, Wills and Succession, and assessment preparation Year 6 – Assessment preparation

At the end of your apprenticeship, you’ll need to pass the SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority) centralised assessment, which comes in two parts:

Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQA) Part 1: Functioning Knowledge Tests Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQA) Part 2: Standardised Practical Legal Skills Assessments

Training Outcome:

You will be a qualified solicitor and work within your specific team you have trained in during your programme. 

Employer Description:

Irwin Mitchell is one of the UK’s largest full-service law firms, delivering expert legal and financial services to individuals and businesses. Founded in 1912, we operate from 24 offices nationwide and have supported over one million clients. Our services span personal injury, family law, business advisory, wealth management, and complex litigation, including cases before the Supreme Court. We combine deep sector expertise with a client-focused approach, offering tailored solutions and 24/7 support. Committed to responsibility and innovation, we invest in people, technology, and communities, ensuring exceptional outcomes and long-term relationships built on trust and care

Working Hours :
Monday to Friday - 35 hours per week (typically between 9am to 5pm).

Skills:
Communication skills,IT skills,Attention to detail,Organisation skills,Customer care skills,Problem solving skills,Administrative skills,Analytical skills,Logical,Team working,Creative,Initiative,Non judgemental