Solicitor Apprentice
SHAKESPEARE MARTINEAU LLP
Birmingham (B4 6AA)
Closes in 30 days (Sunday 15 March 2026)
Posted on 11 February 2026
Contents
Summary
This is your chance to kick-start a legal career with hands-on experience from day one. You’ll be part of a supportive, ambitious team where you can learn from experienced lawyers, build your confidence, and develop the skills you need to qualify as a Solicitor- all while earning a salary and avoiding university debt.
- Wage
-
£22,000 a year
- Training course
- Solicitor (level 7)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday- with Wednesday off-the-job learning
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 24 August 2026
- Duration
-
5 years 11 months
- 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
As a Solicitor Apprentice, you’ll play an active role in our legal teams by:
- Supporting casework– helping prepare files, draft documents, carry out legal research, and manage case materials
- Experiencing client work first-hand– attending meetings and hearings, taking notes, and learning how lawyers build strong client relationships
- Balancing study and practice– applying what you learn academically to live matters, with support from supervisors and mentors
- Collaborating across departments– working with colleagues on projects, initiatives, and client work
- Developing your professional toolkit– improving communication, organisation, legal technology skills, and problem solving
Where you'll work
No 1 Colmore Square
Birmingham
B4 6AA
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
Over six years, you’ll progress through a structured pathway including:
- Level 4 Paralegal Qualification
- LLB Law Degree
- Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE)
- Qualification as a Solicitor in England & Wales
Requirements
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
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
Other requirements
Due to the nature of the work undertaken, confirmation of employment will be subject to a variety of checks which will be carried out once an offer of employment is accepted. Details of the checks can be found here.
About this employer
On paper we’re a full-service law firm, providing legal services to businesses, organisations, government departments, families and people throughout life and in business. But we offer so much more than that. Expertise, commerciality and relationships are at the very heart of what we do. We employ more than 900 people, each specialist in their field, lawyers and business support working together. But what makes us tick, what drives us and why should you work with us? Our purpose is clear and our ambitions are unlimited: we want to unlock potential in our people and clients, inspiring confidence, growth and development. We provide creative solutions and advice that helps you fulfil your commercial and personal goals. What is vitally important to us though is that we build lasting relationships, championing our clients and providing the best possible business and personal advice.
https://www.shma.co.uk/careers/early-careers/ (opens in new tab)
After this apprenticeship
- The intention is our Solicitor Apprenitices will have careers as Qualified Solicitors
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW LIMITED
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000014743.
Apply now
Closes in 30 days (Sunday 15 March 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.