London Solicitor Apprenticeship 2027

Broadfield offers structured early-career routes for students and graduates seeking to qualify as solicitors. Its legal apprenticeship programme combines academic study with practical legal work, allowing apprentices to earn a salary while gaining experience working alongside solicitors and Partners.

The Solicitor Apprenticeship

The London Solicitor Apprenticeship 2027 is a six-year Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship leading to qualification as a solicitor.

Apprentices complete a law degree and subsequently the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQE). Broadfield covers the tuition and assessment fees associated with the apprenticeship.

The programme combines employment, academic study and professional training. Apprentices work alongside Broadfield solicitors and Partners while completing their studies through the University of Law.

Work and Study

Throughout the six-year programme, apprentices spend four days each week working alongside solicitors and Partners and one day each week studying.

The academic element includes an LLB in Legal Practice and Skills, followed later by preparation for and completion of the SQE assessments. Teaching is delivered through a combination of online and face-to-face learning.

This structure allows apprentices to gain practical legal experience while progressing through their academic and professional qualifications.

Seat Rotations

Apprentices rotate through different practice areas during the six-year programme. Rotations take place annually, giving apprentices the opportunity to develop experience across a broad range of legal work.

Potential practice areas include:

Energy
Corporate and Commercial
Family Law
Employment
Planning, Infrastructure and Public Law
Litigation
Private Wealth
Private Equity & Funds
Real Estate
Restructuring and Insolvency

In the fifth and sixth years, apprentices receive a Trainee salary but continue with annual rather than six-monthly rotations. Broadfield states that this structure is intended to give apprentices greater continuity while they focus on their examinations. Apprentices may also spend time working with business services teams to understand key business processes.

Although apprentices are based at their designated home office, Broadfield may require an apprentice to complete a seat at another office to meet business needs and provide broader training experience.

Client Exposure and Responsibility

The programme provides apprentices with meaningful legal work from the beginning. Working in relatively small teams, apprentices have the opportunity to work alongside senior lawyers and Partners and develop practical legal skills.

The programme also provides exposure to clients and allows apprentices to develop client relationships while gaining experience across different areas of legal practice.

Candidate Profile

Broadfield is looking for future apprentices who are driven, collaborative and intuitive.

Candidates should be:

Excellent communicators.
Comfortable working as part of a team.
Able to think on their feet.
Commercially aware.
Attentive to detail.
Well organised.

These qualities are important because the apprenticeship combines academic study with substantial practical legal work and client exposure.

Eligibility

For the September 2027 apprenticeship intake, candidates must meet the requirements for enrolment on a Level 7 apprenticeship and satisfy the relevant apprenticeship levy funding criteria.

Broadfield's published eligibility requirement specifies a qualification carrying a minimum of 98 UCAS points.

Recruitment Process

The application process begins with an online application form. Candidates are asked essay-style questions concerning their motivation for pursuing a career in law and their reasons for wanting to work at Broadfield.

Candidates may use AI tools to assist with research, structuring or proofreading their applications. However, applications that rely too heavily on AI are unlikely to score well because the assessment focuses on candidates' genuine personal experiences and authentic reflections.

Successful applicants progress to a pre-recorded video interview.

The final stage is an in-person assessment centre, scheduled to take place at the start of April.

Key Dates

Programme: Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship
Start date: September 2027
Applications: Open
Application deadline: 14 February 2027
Assessment centre: Start of April 2027
Duration: Six years

London Office

The London apprenticeship is based at Broadfield's London office:

One Bartholomew Close
London
EC1A 7BL

Qualification

On successful completion of the programme, apprentices will have completed their law degree and SQE assessments and can qualify as solicitors, subject to satisfying the applicable qualification requirements.

Broadfield covers the tuition and assessment fees for the apprenticeship.