Apprentice Solicitor

Summary

Are you an aspiring solicitor eager to dive into the legal profession without the burden of university fees? We offer you the chance to earn as you learn, funded by us and the government, allowing you to avoid student debt. Get into the workplace sooner, work alongside experienced staff, gain job-specific skills, and obtain a degree while employed.

Wage

£14,567 a year

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The starting salary will be the National Apprenticeship Wage: £14,567 per annum. After 12 months service the salary will increase to National Living Wage (currently £23,557 per annum). Progressing incrementally to £38,656.00 by Year 5.

Training course

Solicitor (level 7)

Hours

There is an expectation that you will be required to work onsite 5 days each week in the first 3 months, 4 days each week for the following 6 months and then 3 days each week for the remainder of the contract.

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

6 years 9 months

Positions available

2

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 will complete a comprehensive programme of training and development to obtain the required skills, knowledge, values, behaviours and competencies to be awarded an LLB in Legal Practice and Skills.
You will complete the SQE 1 and 2 examinations within the agreed, contracted timeframe (SQE 1 in the penultimate year of study, and SQE 2 in the final year of study).
As this is a development opportunity your duties will vary over the course of the apprenticeship. In the first two-three years, you will carry out routine administrative tasks in the legal team and fulfil a planned programme of job placements in the legal service across the various teams.
In the final three years as a Solicitor Apprentice, you will be undertaking trainee-level tasks. You will assist with the delivery of routine tasks, dealing with day-to-day work including (but not limited to):
Meet all required criteria at the end of each placement for progression.
From year 4 onwards, prepare a work-based portfolio of evidence.
Undertake a wide range of projects, duties and responsibilities to achieve high standards within each placement and demonstrate the deliverable outcomes as agreed at the start of the programme.
Conduct proceedings and transactions under the supervision and training of a qualified solicitor including: attending courts and tribunals; drafting legal documents and correspondence; taking instructions and identifying clients' requirements and goals; evaluating and assessing information, evidence and legal issues including carrying out research.
Build strong professional relationships within the council to improve cross function understanding and partnership working.
Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Where you’ll work

County Hall
Market Road
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 1QH

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

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

This training plan has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

5 GCSEs including English & Maths (grade C / 4)

A Level in:

3 A Levels (grade C 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
Administrative skills
Team working
Initiative

About this company

At Essex County Council, we look after a large, diverse, complex region of the country. But our approach to creating a place where individuals, families and communities can thrive and prosper is simple.

https://workingforessex.com (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

https://www.workingforessex.com/working-here/pay-reward

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

This is a developmental role, offering the opportunity to undertake a 6 year programme of placements throughout Essex Legal Services, in addition to online learning one day per week of study with the University of Law to work towards your LLB university degree, completion of the SQE 1 and 2 and the study of other key skills including the preparation of a work-based portfolio of evidence.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

THE UNIVERSITY OF LAW LIMITED

work.placements@essex.gov.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000317288.

Apply now

Closes in 13 days (Monday 12 May 2025)

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.

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