Solicitor Apprenticeship (Leeds)

Summary

Pinsent Masons is seeking to recruit Solicitor Apprentices to join our Leeds office. This is a unique opportunity to gain practical experience working on real-life legal projects alongside experienced Solicitors, while also studying towards a fully sponsored LLB (Hons) in Legal Practice and Skills degree delivered by the University of Law.

Annual wage

£24,000 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Our apprenticeship salaries are subject to review on an annual basis.

Training course

Solicitor (level 7)

Hours

Monday - Friday, 9.30am - 5.30pm

35 hours a week

Possible start date

Monday 1 September

Duration

6 years

Positions available

2

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

As a Solicitor Apprentice, you will join a fast-paced, dynamic working environment where personal resilience and a willingness to learn are key to success.

You will receive comprehensive training that combines on-the-job learning with formal structured sessions, ensuring you are fully equipped to succeed in your role.

Apprentices can expect to:

Be involved in client meetings
Assist solicitors with legal matters
Conduct legal research
Draft correspondence and documents
Prepare files and bundles

As you progress in your role, you will be introduced to more advanced tasks to help you build a portfolio and work towards the level 7 qualification. These tasks may involve preparing client training, leading client meetings, and progressing matters and transactions.

During your apprenticeship, you will be supported by a supervisor who is an experienced solicitor, a dedicated early talent team, and fellow legal apprentices. In addition, you will also be allocated a buddy to help you settle into both working and studying.

In the first four years of your apprenticeship, you will be based in one or two legal teams.

During the final two years of your apprenticeship, you will join the trainee solicitor cohort. You will have the opportunity to gain broad exposure to different areas of commercial law by undertaking six-month placements in four different departments.

Some travel within the UK and Ireland might be required during your apprenticeship. We will reimburse any travel-related business expenses in line with our policy to enable you to meet the business needs and access relevant training opportunities.

Where you’ll work

1 Park Row

Leeds

LS1 5AB

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW LIMITED

Your training course

Solicitor (level 7)

Equal to master’s degree

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.

Your training plan

Solicitor Degree (Level 7) Apprenticeship Standard:

Solicitor Apprentices have a dedicated weekly study day studying legal foundation subjects, skills modules and preparing for a range of assessments, including the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE)
Solicitor apprentices spend the remaining four days per week working with colleagues in the office
You will also complete weekly tasks and receive regular feedback from your subject tutor, as well as meet with the Skills Coach to support your progress

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Minimum English, Maths, and three other subjects (grade C or 4 or above)

A Level in:

Any subjects (grade BBB or above)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Logical
Team working
Initiative
Interest in business
Personal responsibility

About this company

Pinsent Masons is a global 100 law firm, with over 3,800 employees operating from 27 offices across Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. We have a long-standing reputation for delivering high-quality legal advice rooted in a deep understanding of the sectors and geographies in which our clients operate. Our expertise is recognised globally. In recent years we have achieved more tier 1 rankings in The Legal 500 UK guide than any other firm, and been counted among the most innovative law firms in Europe and Asia Pacific by the Financial Times. The firm has significant international credentials in the global energy, infrastructure, financial services, real estate and technology, science and industry sectors. We are a Disability Confident and top Stonewall employer, a Valuable 500 member, a founding member of the Mindful Business Charter, signatory of the Race at Work Charter and a proud partner of Neurodiversity in Law. We encourage and value different ideas and styles of thinking. It’s with different perspectives that we’ll find solutions to our clients’ most complex challenges. It’s how we’ll deliver outstanding results today, and tomorrow. We’re proud to have been placed amongst RateMyApprenticeship Best 100 Employers 2024-2025.

https://www.pinsentmasons.com/careers/early-talent/england/apprenticeships (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Our benefits include private healthcare policy, pension scheme, interest-free season ticket loan, interest-free gym membership loan, and cycle to work scheme.

After this apprenticeship

Upon successful completion of the 6-year solicitor apprenticeship and Solicitors Qualifying Examination, subject to SRA character and suitability assessment, you will become a qualified solicitor and have a chance to join our Newly Qualified (NQ) Solicitor recruitment process

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

PINSENT MASONS LLP

Early Talent Team

apprenticeships@pinsentmasons.com

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000287236.

Apply now

Closes on Thursday 30 January

When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

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

Company’s application instructions

Please complete the online application (registration form, application form, and online blended assessment) to apply for this role. The applications will close at 5pm on 30th January 2025. Following the deadline, we will screen all applications and share the outcome with the candidates. Successful candidates will be invited to an in-person assessment centre which will take place in March/April 2025.

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