Solicitor Apprentice

Summary

Kick-start your legal career with Howdens, a FTSE 100 company, on our 6-year Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship. Gain hands-on experience across diverse legal areas while studying for an LLB (Hons) at BPP. Based in Northamptonshire, you'll learn on the job, support real projects, and work towards qualifying as a solicitor.

Wage

£23,000 a year

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Training course

Solicitor (level 7)

Hours

Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 11 August 2025

Duration

6 years

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

Providing clear, legally accurate advice across multiple areas of the business
Learning to draft and negotiate a variety of commercial contracts (e.g. marketing, operations, supply chain, property, IT)
Managing and maintaining the commercial contracts database, engaging with internal stakeholders
Supporting the management of the company’s intellectual property and brand-related legal matters
Collaborating with and supporting other legal team members on large-scale business projects
Assisting with data protection matters, especially within commercial contracts and AI contexts
Conducting legal research and deliver timely, practical advice on ad hoc issues

Where you'll work

Raunds 2
100 Scalley Way, Raunds
Wellingborough
NN9 6RJ

Training

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

College or training organisation

BPP PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION 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

The Apprenticeship will be delivered by BPP, with application and enrolment taking place in August. Apprenticeship Training will commence on 15th September 2025 .

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 9-4)
Maths (grade 9-4)

Desirable qualifications

A Level in:

3 Subjects (grade AAB)

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
Problem solving skills
Initiative
Tenacity
Curious
Relationship Building

About this company

Howdens Joinery, the UK's leading trade kitchen supplier, offers a diverse range of products in kitchens, joinery, and hardware. With 900+ depots across the UK and Europe, we are the top choice for over 460,000 trade professionals. In 2024 our sales reached circa 2.3bn, and our ambitious growth plans are fuelled by our strong, entrepreneurial spirit and dynamic work environment. We are proud to be voted one of the top 10 best big companies to work for.

http://www.howdens.com (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Fantastic pension scheme (company contribution of up to 12%). 25 days holiday + bank holidays with the option to buy additional days. Subsidised onsite restaurant. Exceptional reward and recognition events.

After this apprenticeship

You'll join a dynamic and highly impactful legal team that supports a wide range of legal disciplines across the business. From contract law and corporate transactions to marketing, data protection, intellectual property, and emerging areas like AI, you'll gain exposure to a broad spectrum of legal work. Throughout your apprenticeship, you’ll have the opportunity to learn, contribute, and take ownership of real projects – supporting internal clients and making a tangible impact. You’ll play a key role in providing practical legal advice that enables business success while helping to manage legal and financial risk.

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