Solicitor Apprenticeship

WATSON FARLEY & WILLIAMS LLP

London (EC2A 2HB)

Closes on Friday 20 February 2026

Posted on 18 November 2025

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Summary

The programme lasts six years, during which time you will be working across different teams, whilst studying with BPP. You will earn a competitive salary and we will also cover your tuition fees. At the end of the programme, you will obtain a law degree and the SQE, giving you the same qualifications as our trainee solicitors.

• Wage:

  £26,000 a year

  Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  A £500 sign on bonus and yearly salary reviews.

• Training course: Solicitor (level 7)
• Hours: Monday- Friday 9:30am -5:30pm

  35 hours a week

• Start date:

  Wednesday 9 September 2026

• Duration:

  6 years

• Positions available:

  2

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

Role overview

The Solicitor Apprenticeship is a 6-year programme. During the first 12-months apprentices will rotate between the Compliance and Knowledge teams. Thereafter, they will rotate across various legal fee earning teams in London and have an opportunity to spend a period of time seconded to an overseas office.

This role involves assisting the compliance team, knowledge team, fee earners and support staff at all levels of the business. The role will involve a wide variety of tasks throughout the programme - including reviewing documentation, collating, drafting, research tasks and liaising with lawyers, staff and clients worldwide.

Key Activities (during the first 12-months)

Compliance team:

• Updating information in the finance system (CMS)
• Liaising with fee earners to ensure that outstanding information is requested from clients and/or third parties
• Maintaining registers including process agency matters, gifts and hospitality, data protection, PEPs and Enhanced risk matters.
• Dealing with ad hoc queries, including requests for reopening files and background/company checks
• Administrative tasks involved with office opening/closing
• Ad hoc research tasks
• Information barrier maintenance
• Assisting on Compliance projects
• Annual employee screening
   

Knowledge team:

• Compiling the daily Law Reports email alerts
• Monitoring a portfolio of current awareness alerts
• Undertaking basic legal and business research
• Updating records in our Information & Research platform
• Assisting in any projects, product trials that arise
• Other administrative tasks as required for the I&R team and Knowledge Lawyers

Where you'll work

15 Appold Street
London
EC2A 2HB

Training

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

Training provider

BPP UNIVERSITY LIMITED

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.

Training schedule

You will be working across a range of teams, whilst studying one-day a week with BPP University Law School.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• 5 Other GCSE Subjects (grade 5)
• English Language (grade 6)
• Mathematics (grade 5)

A Level in:

• Any A Level Subject (grade A)
• Any A Level Subject (grade B)
• Any A Level Subject (grade B)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Problem solving skills
• Analytical skills
• Team working
• Initiative

Other requirements

DBS Background check (to include a social media check)

About this employer

Watson Farley & Williams is an international law firm advising on complex disputes and transactions through local knowledge and an integrated international network. We have a strong sector focus, combining our technical excellence with deep industry knowledge across Energy, Transport and associated Infrastructure. The firm has achieved rapid expansion and year-on-year growth owed almost entirely to a focused strategy, strong leadership and the quality of its people. The next stage in the firm’s growth plan is to achieve full-service strength within core sectors across the global platform. We strive for excellence in all that we do and view investment in our people as key to achieving our business goals and values, which rest on developing deep and long-lasting relationships externally and internally through respect, sharing, communication and integrity. Our global practice is integrated across our offices in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and North America delivering consistently high levels of service across borders and locally through a deep understanding of local business customs and culture. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace to attract and retain the most talented people from all backgrounds and cultures. We believe in celebrating difference and that people from any background can rise to the top, ensuring opportunities to develop and progress are available for all from day one.

https://earlycareers.wfw.com/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

25 days’ holiday plus public and bank holidays; holiday buy scheme; annual interest-free season ticket loan; eye test/glasses; private medical insurance; dental insurance; travel insurance; £250 contribution towards a sports club membership;

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

The apprentice would be a qualified Solicitor once they complete the Level 7 apprenticeship. 

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

BPP UNIVERSITY LIMITED

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000001009.

Apply now

Closes on Friday 20 February 2026

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