Solicitor Apprenticeship

IRWIN MITCHELL LLP

Birmingham, Reading

Closes in 23 days (Tuesday 17 February 2026)

Posted on 22 January 2026

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Summary

Our Solicitor Apprenticeship lets you train to become a solicitor and get valuable experience while earning a salary. You’ll be fully qualified after five to six years with a real head start on a legal career. During the apprenticeship, you’ll get a mix of practical, work-based learning and formal academic study. 

• Wage:

  £24,479 a year

  Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  Salaries are reviewed each July.

• Training course: Solicitor (level 7)
• Hours: Monday to Friday - 35 hours per week (typically between 9am to 5pm).

  35 hours a week

• Start date:

  Monday 7 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

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.

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:

• 9th Floor, The Colmore Building, 20 Colmore Circus Queensway, Colemore Row, Birmingham, B4 6AH
• Davidson House, The Forbury, Reading, RG1 3EU

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

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

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

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

A Level in:

• Any (grade B Minimum)
• Any (grade B Minimum)
• Any (grade B Minimum)

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
• Administrative skills
• Analytical skills
• Logical
• Team working
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non judgemental

Other requirements

This opportunity is open to individuals who do not have a degree. 

About this employer

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

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

Company benefits

Irwin Mitchell offers benefits supporting health, wellbeing, and lifestyle. Colleagues enjoy pension/bonus schemes, flexible holiday buying, volunteering days, cycle-to-work, discounted gym membership and legal fee reductions. 

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

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

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

BPP UNIVERSITY LIMITED

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000010132.

Apply now

Closes in 23 days (Tuesday 17 February 2026)

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