Solicitor Apprenticeship

DWF\’s Solicitor Apprenticeship is a fantastic opportunity for ambitious sixth form/college leavers looking to start their career within the legal sector, without the cost or time associated with the traditional university route.

• Assisting solicitors with casework and legal research: This involves supporting solicitors in gathering and analysing information relevant to cases
• Drafting legal documents and correspondence: Apprentices may be responsible for preparing court bundles, post‑completion work, and drafting various legal documents
• Managing client files and documentation: Keeping client files organised and up-to-date is a crucial part of the role
• Participating in client meetings and court proceedings: Apprentices often attend client meetings and may have the opportunity to observe or participate in court proceedings
• Supporting the team with administrative tasks: This can include a range of tasks to help the team function smoothly
• The level of responsibility and workload typically grows over time Apprentices rotate around different departments and teams every 12 months, and in the final two years of the program, they rotate teams every 6 months alongside trainee solicitors, 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, organise 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.
• The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Logical
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience
• A Level in:
• Commercial Awareness

DWF offers apprenticeships in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds and London which is a great option for those seeking a route to qualification away from the traditional university route. Apprentices can expect to gain experience in several of the firm’s eight key practice areas which include real estate, finance & restructuring, corporate, dispute resolution, tax & private capital and employment & pensions. With over 30 global locations, DWF attracts top international work from recognisable brands and major banking institutions. DWF is a part of the Trailblazer group for the Solicitor Apprenticeship and is proud to already have 4 solicitors qualified via the apprenticeship route, who were all retained by the firm at the end of their apprenticeship.

https://dwfgroup.com/en/careers/join-us/early-careers (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship This apprenticeship takes college leavers and supports them all the way to qualification as a solicitor upon completion of the SQE exams. DWF wishes to retain as many apprentices as possible at the qualification stage.