Legal Apprentice in Belfast

You’re ready to bring your knowledge from the classroom to the boardroom and Citi wants to help you get there. Whether it’s honing your skills or building your network, we know that success can’t come without growth. Our apprenticeship programmes equip you with the knowledge and training you need to play a valuable role on your team and establish a long-term career here. At Citi, we value internal mobility and career growth is not a question of if, but when.

Our Belfast Legal team are now hiring law degree apprentices. Through a degree apprenticeship in law, you will gain valuable on-the-job work experience in our in-house Legal department 4 days per week and attend lectures/study at Ulster University 1 day per week. So if you’re interested in a career in law but want to be able to work while you study for your degree, then our Law Degree Apprenticeship programme may be perfect for you!

Our Belfast Legal department of approximately 200 employees has succeeded in organically growing its own subject matter experts and product lawyers and now attracts experienced talent from across the UK and beyond. Legal careers at Citi offer a wealth of experience across a broad range of businesses whilst working on an innovative range of product structures and business initiatives. Here, you'll find a career with plenty of room to grow, not to mention the support of a talented group of professionals that are focused on collaboration.

Core responsibilities of our Legal team include the provision of legal advice to and support of the covered business groups through document negotiation, transaction facilitation, project execution, product legal and regulatory advisory. In addition to these core responsibilities, the Belfast Legal Department also instructs, liaises with, and works closely with external counsel, many of which are globally recognised "magic circle" law firms.

We provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed. We’re committed to teaching you the ropes and then some. During the programme, you will complete a part-time Law degree LLB (Hons) as part of your degree apprenticeship over the course of four years. Aside from your peer group and manager, you will have a buddy and a dedicated programme manager. You will have access to first-class technical legal and business training from a well-established team, plus access to Citi’s online training portal and Global Legal Academy training sessions. Side by side job shadowing and coaching with your team will be combined with the opportunity to work with colleagues in one of the world’s largest investment banks. You will have exposure to all the key skills you need to learn in order to become a successful legal professional.

As an Apprentice your day will look something like this… Assignments change each year based on the business needs of the teams. Below are some examples:

• Drafting - Apprentices will have the opportunity to prepare draft contracts using Citi’s templates and precedent wording. You will learn to accurately draft a clause within an agreement so that it accurately reflects the commercial terms requested by the business while still being legally binding and enforceable.
• Negotiation - Apprentices will shadow and later do their own negotiations of legal contracts. Negotiation involves the review of a counterparty’s proposed additional, deleted or amended wording within a Citi contract which needs to be escalated to Citi internal approvers for approval or rejection. You will develop commercial awareness, customer service skills and negotiation skills in order to finalise agreement of contract terms between the parties.
• Legal Research - You will support the team by undertaking legal research when asked to do so. Reading and analysing vast amounts of information and breaking it down into manageable components is at the core of any legal career. When reviewing a file you will gather all the relevant facts and analyse the information you find in order to draft legal documents accurately.
• Process improvements - Nobody likes to repeat the same actions every day and click the same buttons, so our apprentices will be encouraged to get involved in efficiency improvements to see where administrative tasks can be automated or processes can be streamlined to free their time to get involved in more exciting projects.

We want to hear from you if… You have GCSE in English Language at grade C or above (or equivalent). You have A level grades ABB (or equivalent). You may also meet the course entry requirements with combinations of different qualifications to the same standard (provided subject requirements are met). Successful applicants will be enrolled on to the Ulster University Law LLB (Hons) Part-time Undergraduate course in September 2026.

A hunger to learn and a passion for the business are vital. We are hiring professionals who have a global perspective and want to make an impact on the corporate level. You value diversity and so do we. We’ll also be looking for the following:

• Demonstrate motivation for joining both the programme and Citi
• A passion for a career in Law
• Ability to multi-task with sharp problem-solving skills
• Strong communicator, able to build relationships and rapport easily
• Adaptable and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment
• Positive attitude and keen to learn

We work hard to have a positive financial and social impact on the communities we serve. In turn, we put our employees first and provide the best-in-class benefits they need to be well, live well and save well. We’ll provide you with the resources to meet your unique needs, empower you to make healthy decisions, and allow you to choose which benefits suit you and your personal life best.

Highlights to our core benefits include:

• Award winning pension
• On-site health services
• Private medical insurance packages to suit your personal circumstances
• Paid parental leave
• Generous holiday allowance starting at 27 Days plus bank holidays; increasing with tenure
• Special discounts for employees, family, and friends
• Access to an array of learning and development resources

We review applications on a rolling basis and therefore encourage you to apply as soon as possible. The role will be based in a Citi Office in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

All offers made to potential degree apprentices are conditional on applicants having achieved the minimum qualification requirements, and the Department for the Economy funding the off-the-job learning with the University/Training provider.

Citi is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to their race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran.