Solicitor Apprenticeship - Exeter
MICHELMORES LLP
Bristol, Exeter
Closes on Monday 23 February 2026
Posted on 15 December 2025
Contents
Summary
Qualify as a solicitor through our six-year Solicitor Apprenticeship at Michelmores. Earn while you learn, gain a law degree, complete the SQE, and rotate through multiple teams in a leading law firm. Develop practical skills, apply knowledge immediately, and build a strong foundation for a successful legal career.
- Wage
-
£23,000 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Starting salary is paid at the current Real Living Wage, with annual increases throughout the programme, rising to match trainee solicitor pay in the later stages.
- Training course
- Solicitor (level 7)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm.
35 hours a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
-
6 years
- Positions available
-
4
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
The structure of the programme:
Years 1- 2 :
First 6 months – Get to know the firm in a Business Services Team (like HR or Risk).
Next 18 months – Join a legal team, starting in admin and progressing to a Paralegal role.
Year 3 & 4:
Complete 2 x 1-year seats in different legal teams continuing as a Paralegal, but taking on more responsibility.
Years 5 & 6:
Follow the same structure as our Training Contract.
You will get to experience 4x 6-month seats and choose where you rotate.
By the end, you'll be a fully qualified solicitor.
Where you'll work
You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship is available in these locations:
- Michelmores LLP, 10 Victoria Street, Bristol, BS1 6BN
- Michelmores LLP, Woodwater House, Pynes Hill, Exeter, EX2 5WR
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW 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
Throughout your apprenticeship you will spend four days a week working closely with qualified lawyers and other professionals in a team and have one day to study at the University of Law.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade C/4)
- Maths (grade C/4)
A Level in:
- No Specific Subject (grade C/4)
- No Specific Subject (grade C/4)
- No Specific Subject (grade C/4)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
About this employer
Michelmores is a leading full-service UK law firm where people thrive on delivering complex and challenging work on high-profile assignments for quality clients.
Our expertise covers everything from corporate and commercial, to transactional real estate and development, from agriculture to construction, and from family law to complex private wealth work.
We cover a range of sectors, including technology and innovation, consumer brands, public sector and the sustainable economy. Our Firm fosters a collaborative and inclusive work culture that encourages innovation and creativity.
We are passionate about supporting and developing our Apprentices, Trainees and Graduates, offering continuous professional development to help you thrive in your career.
After this apprenticeship
Qualification as a newly qualified solicitor.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW LIMITED
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000005197.
Apply now
Closes on Monday 23 February 2026
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