Solicitor Apprenticeship 2025

Our Solicitor Apprenticeship lasts for six years, at the end of which you will be a qualified solicitor with an LLM in Legal Practice from the University of Law (ULaw).

You will combine four days per week of on-the-job learning at our office with one day per week of study at ULaw.

We want you to get a thorough grounding in professional life, so you’ll experience working in a variety of our legal departments and business teams. The first year will establish a grounding in professional life with our Finance, Risk & Compliance, Practice Management and Business Development teams. Years two, three and four will be one- year placements in different legal departments. In the final two years you will join our trainee cohort and rotate around further departments every six months.

From day one, you’ll be immersed in our supportive and inclusive culture, encouraged to get involved in the life of the firm and to make your mark.

When you start your apprenticeship with us, you’ll be part of a very small cohort with exposure to teams and departments across the firm. Opportunities to have real responsibility and contribute to work in a meaningful way will abound. You’ll experience all of the unique qualities of a career at Bates Wells from the moment you join us, and you’ll have the chance to make a positive impact on us and our clients.

You’ll learn from industry-leading experts across each of our departments and will be able to apply your learning to real-life matters and projects. This means that by the time you take your exams, you will already have years of professional experience behind you.