Lawyer (Solicitor) Apprentice

Summary

Halton Borough Council are seeking a Lawyer Apprentice to join our Legal team, where they will have the opportunity to train and qualify as a Solicitor. Our Legal Services Directorate ensures that Halton Borough Council and its interests are protected by providing legal, corporate, and constitutional advice, and support at all levels.

Wage

£34,288.50 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course

Solicitor (level 7)

Hours

Monday - Thursday, 9.00am – 5.30pm and Friday, 9:00am – 5.00pm. There is some flexibility on this subject to the needs of the team.

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 7 July 2025

Duration

2 years 11 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

Legal Services provides a full range of services to HBC, advising on both contentious business, such as Children’s and Adults Social Care, Anti-Social Behaviour, prosecutions, licensing, contractual disputes, debt recovery, and non-contentious business, including planning, asset management work, and acquisitions.

Our solicitor apprentice will provide legal advice and legal services in respect of all the Councils functions in the most cost effective and efficient way to secure Best Value for the Authority.

The solicitor apprentice will be supervised by the Head of Legal Services -Corporate and Governance, while training under the Principal Lawyers, gaining experience in all areas of Legal Services.

More specific responsibilities include:

Undertaking the Council’s legal work relating to all practices areas once sufficient training has been provided including Children’s and Adults Social Care, Anti-Social Behaviour, prosecutions, licensing, contractual disputes, debt recovery, and non-contentious business, including planning, asset management work, and acquisitions
Providing comprehensive legal advice
Undertaking legal research
Drafting legal documents and correspondence
Contributing to the development of the service
Making routine court applications and attend court, conducting your own advocacy
Supporting the induction, supervision and learning of others as required

Where you'll work

Municipal Building
Kingsway
Widnes
Cheshire
WA8 7QF

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

DAMAR LIMITED

Your training course

Solicitor (level 7)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Obtain relevant facts by effective questioning and active listening.
Find, analyse, and assess documents to extract relevant information including recognising when additional information is needed , interpreting and evaluating information obtained, recording and presenting information accurately and clearly.
Recognise when legal research is needed and use appropriate methods and resources including identifying, finding and assessing the relevance of sources of law, interpreting, evaluating and applying research results, recording and presenting findings of research accurately and clearly.
Develop strategies and solutions including an understanding of a client’s commercial and personal circumstances, their needs, objectives, priorities and constraints.
Provide advice which is informed by appropriate and factual legal analysis and identifying the consequences of different options.
Draft documents from scratch and use precedents which address all legal and factual issues, complying with all formalities and using clear, accurate and succinct language.
Undertake effective spoken and written advocacy in court and outside of formal court hearings including: effective preparation by identifying and mastering relevant facts and legal principles, organize facts to support an argument or position, present a reasoned argument in a clear, logical, succinct persuasive way, make appropriate references to legal authority, comply with formalities, deal with witnesses appropriately, respond effectively to questions or opposing arguments, identify strengths and weaknesses from different parties’ perspectives.
Negotiate solutions to clients’ issues including: identify all parties’ interests, objectives and limits, developing and formulating best options for meeting parties’ objectives, presenting options for compromises persuasively, responding to options presented by the other side, developing compromises between options or parties.
Plan and manage legal cases and transactions including applying relevant processes and procedures to progress matters effectively, assessing, communicating and managing risk, bringing a transaction or case to a conclusion.
Obtain relevant facts by effective questioning and active listening.
Find, analyse, and assess documents to extract relevant information including recognising when additional information is needed , interpreting and evaluating information obtained, recording and presenting information accurately and clearly.
Recognise when legal research is needed and use appropriate methods and resources including identifying, finding and assessing the relevance of sources of law, interpreting, evaluating and applying research results, recording and presenting findings of research accurately and clearly.
Develop strategies and solutions including an understanding of a client’s commercial and personal circumstances, their needs, objectives, priorities and constraints.
Provide advice which is informed by appropriate and factual legal analysis and identifying the consequences of different options.
Draft documents from scratch and use precedents which address all legal and factual issues, complying with all formalities and using clear, accurate and succinct language.
Undertake effective spoken and written advocacy in court and outside of formal court hearings including: effective preparation by identifying and mastering relevant facts and legal principles, organize facts to support an argument or position, present a reasoned argument in a clear, logical, succinct persuasive way, make appropriate references to legal authority, comply with formalities, deal with witnesses appropriately, respond effectively to questions or opposing arguments, identify strengths and weaknesses from different parties’ perspectives.
Negotiate solutions to clients’ issues including: identify all parties’ interests, objectives and limits, developing and formulating best options for meeting parties’ objectives, presenting options for compromises persuasively, responding to options presented by the other side, developing compromises between options or parties.
Plan and manage legal cases and transactions including applying relevant processes and procedures to progress matters effectively, assessing, communicating and managing risk, bringing a transaction or case to a conclusion.

Your training plan

You will spend an average of between 8 and 9 hours on your apprenticeship studies each week
This will be during your normal contracted hours, at times that you will agree with your line manager
Your learning will be delivered online, along with group workshops, strategy sessions, and 1:1 coaching sessions

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

Degree in:

Any Subject (grade N/A)
Law (grade N/A)

Other in:

CILEX (grade Pass)
Paralegal (grade Pass)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Prioritise workload
Manage competing demands
Commercial awareness
Passion for local government
Can-do attitude

Other requirements

The apprentice may be required to attend meetings outside ordinary working times. Any additional hours worked can be taken as time in lieu.

About this company

Halton Borough Council is the local authority responsible for the borough of Halton, a unitary authority in Cheshire, England. All our colleagues at Halton have made a positive commitment to delivering great outcomes for our communities. Whoever joins us will share that passion for outstanding service, and strongly align with the values which define our workplace culture; Working Together – building fantastic relationships with colleagues and customers. Continuous Improvement – Keeping great service delivery at the heart of everything we do. Personal Growth – Learning, growing and developing ourselves. Accountability – doing what we say we are going to do. Inspiring Leadership – positive roles models and leading by example.

Company benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement, starting at 34 days per year(inc. bank holidays), free car parking at HBC sites, flexible/hybrid working arrangements available, investment in your personal development & membership to salary-linked pension scheme.

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

As you approach the end of your apprenticeship, you will receive guidance and support from our dedicated Apprenticeship Officer in applying for opportunities within Halton Borough Council
We are eager to ensure that any apprentice that joins us as an apprentice, is given every chance to secure permanent, long-term employment with us

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

Halton Borough Council

Liz Wilson-Lagan

Liz.Wilson-Lagan@halton.gov.uk

0151 511 6535

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000321792.

Apply now

Closes in 13 days (Tuesday 3 June 2025)

When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.

Company’s application instructions

Please apply this opportunity via the Halton Borough Council Careers website. Here you will find additional information relating to entry requirements, person specification and the job profile.

Cookies on Find an apprenticeship

Contents