Solicitor Apprentice (Walton & Co)

Summary

You will develop skills in managing all stakeholders taking legal matters from enquiry to completion. Progressing legal matters and transactions, applying legal knowledge and commercial judgement to produce solutions.

Wage

£20,000 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

£20,000 - £22,000

Training course

Solicitor (level 7)

Hours

Monday to Friday. Shifts to be confirmed.

35 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

6 years

Positions available

1

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

What You Can Expect:

A career as part of our specialist legal team offers an unparalleled opportunity to be involved with a variety of high-quality projects. The firm’s work in very varied, ranging from development advice and negotiation of planning agreements to conducting judicial reviews and complex litigation. We act for a wide range of clients, from national developers to individual landowners and public authorities. You will receive hands-on training throughout your apprenticeship. You will work across all levels of our team, and with leading practitioners in the field. You will also work alongside clients, consultants, and other legal professionals, and be given the opportunity to create your own professional networks to assist the development of your career. As part of our team, you will be able to share your ideas and perspectives as our firm evolves through its third decade.

Role and Responsibilities:

No two days at our practice are the same, and the work you undertake will be varied. However, you can expect to be involved with the following (with supervision as required):

Case Management: Leading in the management and organisation of routine instructions, including management of deadlines and financial matters
Research: Conducting legal research relating to legislation, judicial decisions, planning appeal decisions, and planning policy. Your research will inform advice to clients, or be shared with colleagues / external stakeholders as part of training seminars
Negotiating Agreements: Drafting and preparing legal documents such as planning and highways agreements, as well as managing execution and completion formalities
Client Interaction: Attending meetings, communicating with clients to take instructions, responding to queries, or providing advice as appropriate
Document Preparation: Preparing court applications and bundles, drafting instructions to counsel, and collating core documents for planning appeals
Drafting Correspondence: Preparing letters, routine correspondence, and objections
Court and Appeal Assistance: Assisting with hearings and appeal proceedings, including attending court, tribunal sessions, and/or public inquiries
Business Development: Assisting with marketing exercises, client pitches, articles for external publication, and knowledge sharing
Administrative Tasks: Managing case files, developing precedents, scheduling meetings, handling correspondence, and maintaining legal databases
Compliance: Undertaking work pursuant to all compliance with all firm and regulatory standards

Where you’ll work

2 QUEEN STREET
LEEDS
LS1 2TW

Training

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

College or training organisation

BPP PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION 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.

More training information

One day per week will be spent with BPP University, working towards your LLB Hons) Law and Legal Practice degree and the Solicitor Level 7 apprenticeship. Upon completion of your law degree, you will sit the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQE) 1&2 and qualify as a solicitor.

Your Level 7 apprenticeship shall be delivered by a blend of online and face-to-face from BPP. Coupled with the on-the-job learning, completion of the apprenticeship will lead to obtaining your solicitor qualification.

The apprenticeship standard is based on the SRA's Statement of Solicitor Competence. Achievement of the standard and the associated apprenticeship assessment plan will satisfy the SRA's regulatory framework for qualification as a solicitor, subject to the SRA's usual tests of character and suitability.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

5 GCSE's including English and Maths (grade Grade 4 or above)

A Level in:

3 A-Levels (grade Grade ABB or above)

Other in:

UCAS points (grade 128 points (or equivalent))

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
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Team working
Written communication skills
Enthusiasm
Able to work independently
Proficient in Microsoft Office
Reliability
Positive & can do attitude
Commercial awareness

Other requirements

The position is offered on a full-time basis, with one day each week being dedicated to study and the remaining 4 days being in the office or working remotely. We offer a competitive salary and benefit package, including: · Year 1 Salary of between £20,000 and £22,000 (subject to experience), increasing Year 2 · Bonus Scheme depending on individual and firm performance · Employee Pension Scheme – we contribute 5% of your gross salary per month · All training fees associated with your Apprenticeship paid · 25 days holiday year (excluding Bank Holidays and Public Holidays) · Office closure over Christmas and New Years without affecting holiday entitlement or allocation · Allocation of a training supervisor to act as a mentor throughout your Apprenticeship · Remote working in accordance with the firm’s policies

About this company

Walton & Co is a boutique planning law firm that provides expert advice tailored to the unique needs of each client. We offer comprehensive support at every stage of the planning process, working closely with clients and their consultant teams to deliver results. Our approach is deeply collaborative, ensuring that our clients benefit from the collective expertise and insights of our entire team. Every member of our team has years of experience assisting clients to navigate the planning system. We are proud to have been consistently recognised by independent legal directories as one of the country’s leading planning law practices since the firm’s formation over 20 years ago.

After this apprenticeship

This role offers a rare opportunity to discover your potential as part of a small specialist team and develop a career in a dynamic area of law.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

BPP PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION LIMITED

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000310254.

Apply now

Closes in 4 days (Tuesday 1 April 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.

Company’s application instructions

Please apply through the link provided. The closing date will be 28th of March 2025.

Cookies on Find an apprenticeship

Contents