London Solicitor Apprenticeship Program

Program Overview

The level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship is an award-winning route to qualification aimed at school leavers which combines work and study

Across the six-year programme apprentices spend one day per week studying towards their law degree and Solicitors Qualifying exams, with BPP University, whilst building substantial experience prior to qualification. As an apprentice, you’ll develop professional judgement and the ability to conduct legal work within the ethical and regulatory framework required to work as a solicitor. You’ll also be encouraged to explore different areas of law and practice in depth, including tort law, land law, business law and contract law.

Apprentice solicitors join the firm’s London office and spend their first 12 months developing an understanding of how the firm operates in business services departments such as Risk and Compliance and the Information Center. At that point, you’ll be transferred into one of our legal practices.

Our Program

The Solicitor Apprenticeship is open to school leavers who wish to pursue an alternative route to qualification as a solicitor rather than attending a full-time university course. It combines practical experience in the workplace with a formal degree and postgraduate study. You’ll receive a full-time salary and gain valuable, real-life experience while studying towards your degree.

Studying under BPP University Law School tutors, you will develop your teamwork, presenting and time-management skills and earn an LLB (Hons) Law degree and the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) qualification.

Next Application Cycle

We recruit apprentices on a bi-annual basis, with applications for our next intake opening in January 2027 for a September start. Please therefore note that we will not be recruiting apprentices to join in 2026.

In the meantime, if you would like to get an insight into life as an apprentice, we encourage you to complete our apprentice experience programme using the link below.

The Mayer Brown Apprentice Experience

If you have any queries please contact the graduate recruitment team via email at grecruitment@mayerbrown.com.

Development

The BPP tutors whom you’ll be learning from are qualified lawyers with experience in real-world practice. All assessments and projects relate directly to practical challenges in your workplace, and you’ll gain experience that you can showcase in a digital portfolio.

BPP’s online content hub means you can flexibly study—you’ll have access to live tutorials, recorded lectures and online learning materials wherever you are. But we still make sure you’ll receive face-to-face support throughout your studies, with in-person teaching scheduled three times per term at a BPP University study center.

Perks

As an apprentice you will receive a starting salary of £28,000 with yearly increases, which will match you with the trainee cohort salaries in years 5 and 6.

In addition to a salary, prior to commencing your apprenticeship you will be awarded a £3,000 welcome bonus. The welcome bonus is to support apprentices with their transition to work, such as by acquiring business attire or helping with relocation costs.

How to Apply

Step 1: How to Begin Your Application

We’ll ask you to provide some personal information, including your educational background and any relevant work experience that you have. Don’t worry if you haven’t completed any legal work experience—we’re interested in any experience where you can demonstrate transferable skills. Please make sure you thoroughly check your application for any spelling or grammatical errors.

Applications Open

Solicitor Apprenticeship 2027: 1 January 2027

Deadline

Solicitor Apprenticeship 2027: 5 March 2027

 

How to Apply

Step 2: Immersive Assessment

Alongside your application form you’ll need to complete an immersive assessment, which consists of behavioural questions, numerical and verbal reasoning questions, and video response questions.

The behavioural questions establish how you would react in different scenarios that you may find yourself in as an apprentice, while the numerical and verbal reasoning questions test how you perform in typical apprentice tasks. You will also be asked several video response questions, which allow you to explain your motivation for a career in law with Mayer Brown and ability in several key competencies. Your responses will be scored in relation to traits that will help you succeed at Mayer Brown, and to progress to the next stage of the application process you’ll need to meet or surpass our benchmark scores.

At the end of the assessment, you’ll receive a report which will help you understand how you performed and highlight any potential development opportunities. Please note that no legal knowledge is required to complete the assessment.

How to Apply

Step 3: Assessment Days

If you  are successful following the Immersive Assessment, you’ll be invited to an assessment day where you'll take part in a variety of group and individual assessments and an interview.

Continue reading

FAQs